The thrill is far from gone when it comes to blues studies at Delta State University. The university proudly announced this in June thanks to a $598,000 grant over a three-year period from the Robert M. Hearin Foundation to support the International Delta Blues Project.
The three-tiered project will feature an International Conference on the Blues, development of a blues curriculum, and a Blues Leadership Incubator, which will align with GRAMMY Museum Mississippi.
Just weeks away, Delta State is gearing up for the conference, scheduled on campus for Oct. 6-7. This interdisciplinary symposium will be free to Delta State faculty, staff and students. Everyone planning to attend, Delta State affiliated or not, is asked to register in advance by following the registration tab here: www.deltastate.edu/blues.
The program will feature a full schedule of workshops, presentations and performances that take not only an academic approach to the blues, but also one that is accessible to even the casual blues fan.
Topics of general interest to scholars and enthusiasts alike will include: African-American musical tradition and its influence on American music and culture; the blues; folklore; history; ethnicity; and the Delta.
A full schedule of events is available at: https://www.deltastate.edu/president/international-blues-conference/schedule-of-events/
Co-chairs of the conference, Don Allan Mitchell and Dr. Shelley Collins, both Delta State faculty members, are thrilled to see this unique conference coming together.
“Dr. Collins and I are excited for a lot of reasons,” said Mitchell. “The first reason is what the scholarly community at the university can take away from this event. We especially wanted to focus on young and emerging scholars.
“It’s exciting that the International Conference on the Blues quickly moves Delta State to the forefront of both the interdisciplinary studies of the blues, and blues musicology. I am hoping that young scholars will realize that Mississippi is known for its hospitality, and that our warm welcome is also extended to the worldwide academic discussion of the blues.”
Collins re-emphasized the symposium is designed to be inclusive of both blues scholars and casual blues enthusiasts.
“We wanted to make sure everyone could feel welcome to attend this conference, and that there would be ample opportunities for our Delta State undergraduates and our Delta State community supporters to get involved,” said Collins. “In other words, one does not have to have a Ph.D. in musicology to appreciate or attend this conference.
“Yes, there will be serious academic discourse, but there will also be conversations and presentations about the blues that do not presuppose an encyclopedia-like knowledge of African-American music, history and culture. We want to make the scholarly dialogue as accessible as we can, because blues music itself is so accessible.”
Featured speakers and performers will include GRAMMY Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli; GRAMMY-winning artist Alvin Youngblood Hart; and Scott Barretta, host of the “Highway 61 Radio Show” for Mississippi Public Broadcasting.
While the focus will be academic, a unique feature will be the Juke Joint on the Stage session. This sampler concert/jam session will include local musicians, visitors and scholars. Local artists interested in performing are asked to email blues@deltastate.edu.
The conference is also being seen as the symbolic launch of the entire International Blues Project, which will be housed in the university’s world-class Delta Center for Culture & Learning, under the direction of Dr. Rolando Herts.
“The Robert M. Hearin Foundation grant is designed to build on existing programs and faculty we have here at Delta State, and Dr. Collins and I have emphasized that necessity throughout the planning stages of the grant,” added Mitchell. “We look forward to actively engaging our faculty, our students and our entire Delta family — and the Hearin Foundation has made that possible. “
Thanks to the grant, the International Delta Blues Project will also feature the development of a blues curriculum for students and a Blues Leadership Incubator offered to the community at large.
The Hearin Foundation, a nonprofit based in Jackson, has supported Delta State through numerous grants over the years. The organization backs Mississippi higher education and economic development.
Delta State’s vision of becoming the academic center for the blues is gaining traction, especially in anticipation of GRAMMY Museum Mississippi, slated to open on Delta State’s campus next year.
Dr. Charles McAdams, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said Delta State deserves to be coined the academic center of blues studies. Progress is underway to establish a blues studies minor that could move into an academic major for students wanting to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees. The hope is to bring visiting scholars, lecturers, artists and artists-in-residence to the Delta to teach and learn the blues.
“Delta State University is the rightful place for an academic study of the blues and blues culture,” said McAdams. “We are fully committed and uniquely positioned to be the center for blues studies in the world. The delta blues is a separate genre of music that has influenced many other styles of music and continues to be a prominent style on its own today.”
The third tier of the project — the Blues Leadership Incubator — allows for community outreach and engagement through public lectures and workshops that have practical applications in entrepreneurship and economic development. It will heavily align with developments at GRAMMY Museum Mississippi.
“With the opening of GRAMMY Museum Mississippi in 2015, and the anticipated tourism that will accompany this opening, it is imperative that Delta State provides opportunities for local business owners to gain insight and knowledge on how best to promote and portray the blues, and to be able to communicate its rich tradition,” said Delta State President William N. LaForge.
“The project will maximize Delta State’s existing partnerships with entities such as the Mississippi Development Authority and the Mississippi Blues Trail to bring experts to the region to engage local businesses and entrepreneurs in promoting and providing positive Delta-centric tourism experiences,” he added.
LaForge said Delta State University is eager to enhance its role as a beacon of opportunity in the region.
“Delta State University’s International Delta Blues Project is poised to have a significant impact on the Mississippi Delta in many critical areas, including an increase in tourism to the Delta; a revival in the interest of the blues; increased opportunities for study and employment in the creative economy; and growth in the number of economic partnerships created,” he said.
“With the engagement of the Hearin Foundation as a partner, Delta State is ready to launch this creative and meaningful project. We look forward to the effort and support ahead as we realize the vision of becoming the academic center of the blues.”
Learn more about the project and follow conference details at https://www.deltastate.edu/blues.
