Celebrate the genre’s greats and roots in North Mississippi Hill Country
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI–FEBRUARY 2019–Long known for showcasing the blues music of Mississippi Hill Country and the neighboring Delta, Oxford, Mississippi, is full of locations from dives to fine dining establishments to hear the genre. On summer Sundays, locals and visitors from all over the country take a short drive over the county line to Foxfire Ranch where the blues are served up with beer, along with a welcoming helping of down-home country food and fellowship. Here some of the greatest living blues legends play alongside second- and third-generation progeny and promising up-and-comers who have faithfully studied the masters.
On a scenic drive past Lake Sardis at the western edge of the Holly Springs National Forest, Foxfire Ranch is on Highway 7 between Oxford and Holly Springs in Mississippi Hill Country, off the beaten track but a short trip to a mecca for musicians and blues lovers. Since 2008, William Hollowell and his wife Annette have opened their 80-acre property to horseback riders, family reunions and wedding parties, but Sundays from 5 pm. until mid-evening are reserved for musicians and music lovers.
Visitors park in a field and make their way to the barn, following soulful sounds and the fragrant aromas of barbecue and fried chicken. Picnic tables are set up for patrons dining on plates of baked beans, cole slaw, corn bread, turnip greens, peach cobbler and other Southern delicacies.
This year the Hollowells are not only carrying on a local cultural tradition of families picnicking and playing music after church; they’re also celebrating 100 years of black land ownership. The land lay forlorn for 40 years after William’s family moved to Holly Springs and eventually his siblings moved north. William toured the world in the Army yet never forgot the sweet memories of playing in the woods, hearing stories about the bioluminescent lichen called “foxfire” and snacking from the family fruit trees.
Following is just a taste of what’s on the calendar at Foxfire Ranch this spring. Check the website for events through the summer. FoxfireRanch.com/index.html and updates on their Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/foxfireranch2008/
1465 Old Oxford Road, Waterford, MS 38685
Live music on Sundays, 5 p.m.
Typically $10 admission, more for special events
Southern Soul Weekend
Friday March 22-Saturday March 23, 2019
8 p.m.-12 a.m.
Friday featuring Southern Soul Jam–Mose Stovall of Birmingham Alabama
Saturday featuring Global Groove Dance Party–Shahid Mustaf, of Chicago, Illinois
Foxfire Ranch Blues Season Kickoff
March 31, 2019
5-9 p.m.
Lightnin’ Malcolm’s Birthday Blues Bash (open to the public)
Sunday Evening Blues
April 14, April 28, May 12, 2019 and beyond
5 p.m.
Bands to be announced; more dates to follow
Hill Country Harmonica
May 16-19, 2019
The largest gathering of blues harmonica enthusiasts in the country, an opportunity to experience and work with a world-class lineup of traditional and contemporary teachers and performers over four days, with nights of memory-making concerts. The interactive, immersive experience offers an early bird rate of $250 before April 1. Free to age 15 and under, including current or would-be harmonica players accompanied by a full-price attendee. On the schedule are Bobby Rush, Jason Ricci, Phil Wiggins, Annie Raines, Todd Parrot, Adam Gussow, Aki Kumar, Damion Pearson and more.
For those not participating in the workshop, 6 p.m.-12 a.m. evening concerts are just $10 per person; $20 per person for the Friday night show featuring Bobby Rush, Lightnin’ Malcolm and many more. www.HillCountryHarmonica.com/register.html
Browse the Blues in Oxford
Back in Oxford, true blues fans can dig deeper. Explore the stacks at Square Books, an internationally-acclaimed independent that carries everything from academic music texts to blues juke joint guidebooks. There and at the Visitor’s Center, pick up a map of the Mississippi Blues Trail, which includes two markers in Oxford; one on Courthouse Square and one at the University of Mississippi. While on campus, stop by the University’s Mississippi blues archives at the J.D. Williams Library where historic posters and photos are on display along with troves of materials available to hobbyists and students of the blues, African American history and Southern culture.
Quell a craving
Soak up more of the blues at Oxford drinking and dining establishments, such as The Blind Pig, Proud Larry’s or Rooster’s Blues House. The Lyric Theatre, once a livery stable owned by William Faulkner’s family, now hosts national acts traveling through to Nashville and beyond. Here’s a link to more notable Oxford eateries.
Wind down the evening at dozens of great places to stay, from ultra-hip boutique hotels, historic B&Bs and renovated Ole Miss traditions. Out on Highway 7 but near to town, Tru By Hilton Oxford is scheduled to open Summer 2019. Spring through fall, festivals, concerts and special events keep this town lively with arts, music and culture. For more information on what to see and where to stay, go to VisitOxfordMS.com.
If You Go
The quaint town of Oxford is easily accessible from Interstate 55 in North Mississippi, about an hour from Memphis, Tennessee. Soak in the history, stroll the University campus, and relish the world-renowned flavors and sights of this quintessential Southern town.
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