He’s Blowing In A Bottle Creating Mississippi Delta Blues.

This beautiful documentary film, made in the mid-1980 in Loman, Mississippi stars Louis Dotson and his wife. The film was made by William Ferris, one of my favorite documentary filmmakers who took a camera and a sound rig and went to places “in his neighborhood” and most folks said yes to his recording stories and music and culture that was and is, beautiful & unique. The film beautifully presents the simple rural story. Louis was a kind and creative person. His wife magnificently figured out how to survive comfortably without any of the usual middle-class services and support systems. She was an organic farmer before the term and the effort took off. Brilliant at creating “something good out of nothing“ when it came to food. Loman, Mississippi is in the Mississippi Delta, the home of BB King and others, playing and singing Mississippi Delta Blues. This wonderful music was born in this place and folks outside of the region begin to hear it just a few years before this documentary, done in the heart of the Delta, was recorded. I was fortunate enough to interview William Ferris and to present a collection of his films during the interview. If you would like to see more films from Mr. Ferris go here: The Mississippi Delta region is often called the “home of the blues“ for several reasons: The blues genre originated in the African-American communities in the Mississippi Delta in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It evolved from a blend of African musical traditions, spirituals, work songs, field hollers, and chants. The Delta produced many of the early blues legends like Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, Son House, and Muddy Waters. These artists played a crucial role in the development and popularization of the blues. The Mississippi Delta blues is characterized by its deeply emotive and personal lyrics, often reflecting the harsh realities of life in the rural South. The music typically features slide guitar techniques, strong rhythms, and soulful vocals. The Delta was an area marked by significant poverty and racial segregation during the time the blues was developing. The music often reflected the struggles and hardships faced by the African American community. The region today acknowledges its rich blues heritage through museums, festivals, and historic markers, celebrating the legacy and continuing influence of Delta Blues.