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“RAILROADIN’
SOME” by 'Mississippi'Max Haymes
(The Tennessee, Mississippi & Arkansas Book Signing Tour)
This is the tale of
'Delta Bound Blues: 3 Brits Hit the
South' - the jottings and photos of our recent book signing trip to the Southern
States. Max Haymes is the storyteller (with interjections from 'Ramblin' Rex and
'Pic-poppin' Al) and Alan White is the photographer and website master. Hope
y'all
enjoy it!
_______________________________________________________________________________
DAY THREE: Saturday, 2nd September 2006
Square Books Store,
Oxford, Mississippi, then to the 'N. C, & St, L, Depot & Railroad Museum' and the
'Casey
Jones Railroad Museum', both in Jackson, Tennessee
After
having breakfast we left kind-a early to head on down to Oxford, Mississippi and
a book signing at the famous Square Books store. I hadn’t been there since 1992
- fourteen years ago. I had forgotten what a great book store it is. Alan made
the 80-odd mile run down Highway 51 (Yes! Yes!) in good time. On the way
travelling through Hernando and Senatobia, one-time haunts of blues men Robert
Wilkins, Jim Jackson, Garfield Akers, and Frank Stokes. We arrived in the square
of picturesque Oxford around half-an-hour ahead of schedule. This was just as
well, as due to some communication mix-up Square Books didn’t know we were
coming! But cool book-selling man James soon got things sorted and plied us
with some very nice (and welcome) coffee while we put the books and posters
out. Unfortunately, due to our schedule we couldn’t stay very long, but we left
some copies of Railroadin’ Some to tell ‘em where we been! Thanks,
James, baby!
Alan and Rex now took turns to drive
the 120 miles (or so) to Jackson, Tennessee, where we were due for a book
signing at the Railroad Museum. We arrived just 4 minutes late-some cool
driving, guys – and when Alan wasn’t at the wheel he was still clickin’ and-a
flickin’, clickin’ and-a flickin’. All in all, over the entire 9-day visit, he
took 1,000 shots!! Pic-poppin’ Al-yeah!
When
we got to the 'N. C, & St, L, Depot & Railroad Museum' David Falk, the
Director, was there to greet us along with a veteran railroader, Ken Thomas, who
took us inside where we were looked after with coffee, etc. by another lovely
lady called Greta. Tables were already set up and we soon had a fine display of
Railroadin’ Some. Only a small number of people there but we all took
time out to check on the fascinating Southern railroad memorabilia. Some
illustrations (dating back to the 19th. Century) were under glass but
David kindly removed them so Alan could photograph them (what a star!). Some of
these are included in this article/travelogue. Sometime around 3.45 my friend
Keith Carter arrived from Hermitage, Tennessee, with his lovely wife Donna.
Keith is originally from Lincolnshire in the U.K. and an excellent harp player.
Some 5 years ago he decided to up stakes and head for sunny Tennessee. It was
good to see him again and he and Rex soon started jamming the blues. You’d
think they’d played together for years instead of being a ‘first-time meet’
event. The museum staff loved it and having left more copies of Railroadin’
Some the staff told us about the Casey Jones Museum down the road
a-piece! The five of us checked this out and met Director Lawrence
Taylor. On seeing the book he bought one and said he could ‘sell a hundred of
these’. After jiving each other and digging the place we eased on into a fine
eaterie (Old country Store & Restaurant) where I had catfish and hush puppies
for the first time in 14 years. Good! Good!
Day Four: Sunday, 3rd September
To order the
'Railroadin' Some' book click here
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Text (this page) © Copyright 2006 Max Haymes, Rex
Haymes & Alan
White. All
Rights Reserved.
Photos (this page) © Copyright Alan White. All Rights Reserved.
Website © Copyright 2000-2006 Alan
White. All Rights Reserved.
For permission to copy, email:
info@earlyblues.com
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