Super Chikan!

We added James "Super Chikan" Johnson as Blues @ Home's 19th musician. Here he is jamming in his usual style on one of his homemade guitars (notice the chicken shape) at his Clarksdale workshop.

YZ Ealey

YZ Ealey, our third Natchez bluesman, showed off his guitar chops while H.C. Porter photographed him for the Blues @ Home project.

Seventy-four-year-old YZ grew up playing the guitar and listening to local street musicians in and around Natchez. He continues to be a staple for the Natchez blues scene, and he is our 18th blues legend. Stay tuned for photos from his shoot at the Blues @ Home limited edition photo gallery.

Hezekiah Early

Blues @ Home's second Natchez stop was to visit with drummer and harmonica player Hezekiah Early.

Muhammad Ali, who was in Natchez filming a movie, called Freedom Road, in 1979, inspired Hezekiah to play the harmonica and drums simultaneously, which has become his signature style.

Hezekiah, 76, has been playing music since he was 11. After a lifetime of playing music and working a full-time job, he teamed up with Elmore Williams in 1998 to record an album with Fat Possum Records.

He and Elmore continue to perform together across the state. Check out photos from the Hezekiah Early shoot, coming soon to the Blues @ Home limited edition photo gallery.

Elmore Williams

Blues @ Home spent some time in Natchez last week for three more amazing photo shoots.

First, we hung out with blues legend Elmore, aka Elmo, Williams at his home. He's a legend firmly planted in his Natchez roots. "I like the blues cause it tells a story...it's for real," Williams told us.

For these shoots, H.C. Porter was joined by musician and Delta State University student Caleb Hollingsworth, who helped us with the oral history portion of the project while project manager and oral historian Lauchlin Fields approaches maternity leave.

Elmore is one of Mississippi's true legends. He said the blues has become a part of him. And, that's certainly not hard to tell by hearing him talk about it. Stay tuned for photographs from this and all photo shoots, which can be viewed and purchased online in the Blues @ Home Photo Gallery.

Backstage with B.B.

We met B.B. King last week as part of the Fifth Annual Mississippi Grammy Legacy Celebration at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi. Along with B.B., we met and mingled with many Mississippi blues supporters who were thrilled to hear about the Blues @ Home project. We will soon report on any news to follow this exciting event.

Here we are backstage with B.B. Many thanks to Jacki Millet for the photograph.

Eden Brent

We were so excited to add our first woman blues legend and first pianist to the Blues @ Home project.

Greenville native Eden Brent opened her home to us and shared her connection to Mississippi and the blues.

Eden sticks close to her Mississippi roots and her musical teachings from the late Mississippi bluesman Boogaloo Ames. Her career has earned her three blues music awards and the 2010 Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year Award.

 She is our 15th living blues legend for Blues @ Home.

Mickey Rogers

We caught up with blues legend Mickey Rogers at Greenville's Walnut Street Blues Club for our 14th Blues @ Home shoot.

 At 66, Mickey has a long list of credits, including playing bass guitar for the late Howlin' Wolf and performances with the Jackson 5 and Rolling Stones, to name only a few. 

Mickey is just as well-known and celebrated for his solo performances, which he has shared with audiences across the world. We are thrilled to add this legendary Mississippian to Blues @ Home.

Mickey's gorgeous Peavey guitar, a gift from the Mississippi Blues Commission, proudly touts what Blues @ Home is all about: preserving the legacy of America's music.