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An Article by Brenda Germany Photos by Stephen Anderson Cotton Pickin’ Blues (listed on the Mississippi Blues Trail website as Hopson Planting Co.) highlights one of the most prominent factors in the “Great Migration” of African Americans from the rural South to the North in search of employment and its effect on the evolution of blues music. During the 1920’s to 1940’s Hopson Planting Co., originally established as Hopson Plantation…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson The Southland Music Line began 2020 with high hopes and what looked to be a busy schedule ahead of us. We were now in our 7th year of celebrating music and this looked as if it was going to another year to remember….. well, for the most part it was definitely one to remember, but often for different reasons. In our…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson The Southland Music Line continues its Mississippi Blue Trail Series as we spotlight one of the markers located in Helena, Arkansas. In 2019 while traveling to the world famous King Biscuit Blues Festival, photographer Stephen “Andy” Anderson, photographed an array of markers celebrating the rich music heritage linked to the state of Mississippi. One such marker located on Biscuit Row (Phillips…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson Featuring guest contributors A familiar question asked to many in the Gulf Coast music community is “what up and coming Gulf Coast band should we be on the watch for?” In the last few years, the same answer is regularly given without hesitation – THE RED CLAY STRAYS from Mobile, Alabama. In the 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards for Favorite Music Artist…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson One of the Deep South’s most popular music events is the annual Mississippi Songwriters Festival, which is primarily held in the beautiful Gulf Coast city of Ocean Springs, Mississippi. For us at The Southland Music Line, who travel the globe in search of great music, our hearts have always been about coming home and that’s what this event means to us.…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson The year 2020 will be remembered for many things in addition to primarily causing difficulties in many aspects of our lives. The music industry has taken a hit due to the cancellations and postponements of many tours and live music events. Yet, music continues to endure! Earlier this year, The Southland Music Line featured the article “Music Will Find A Way…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson In early 2018 while enjoying a mutual friend’s show at a popular live music venue in Mobile, Alabama, I met Joshua Stephen Ward, a singer-songwriter from the area. During the break, we struck up a conversation when he mentioned that he had completed a soon to be released album of original material. In my business, it is common to hear that,…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson For many of us, there are few things more enjoyable than a great show performed by one of our favorite bands or music artists. Often, we are fortunate enough to find ourselves at a show that will be remembered for years to come. In my many years of attending thousands of concerts and live music events around the globe, there have…
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An Article by Brenda Germany “I didn’t plan to go ‘find’ the blues. The blues found me. I’ve been consumed by it for over 40 years. Like Sam Chatmon said, ‘The blues is my daily occupation!’ ” – Libby Rae Watson In all likelihood, many of us have memories of irreplaceable and precious items threatened by the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina. For blueswoman Libby Rae Watson of Pascagoula, Mississippi,…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson Southern Alabama born, Laurie Anne Armour, nicknamed LA by her friends, first came to my attention during a songwriters’ round at The Peoples Room of Mobile (previously known as The Listening Room). LA had already released her debut EP “Ebb and Flow” and was very familiar to the vibrant music scene around Mobile, Alabama. LA’s charming way of connecting with and…
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