The Blue Front Café in Bentonia, Mississippi is one of the very last of the real Juke Joints in Mississippi. On a rainy afternoon, I had the pleasure to meet and spend some time with Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, the owner. He says he opens pretty much every day because at least a few people stop in and want to see the place. He was very hospitable and a real gentleman. Like most people I seem to meet on the Blues Trail, he is in his 70s. I’m really glad I have gotten to see these places while they’re still around. Price of a Heineken at the Blue Front? $2.00!
American Photo Blog 
What a great opportunity to meet and visit all these wonderful places before they are gone!
It really was. It’s such a cool part of the country with such great history and culture. I really enjoyed this little trip!
Hi I had my birthday celebration at the Blue Front .. Jimmy Duck Holmes will turn 69 in the summer of 2016 .. he smiles a lot now because of HART ~ (dentures) AND Dick Waterman is now his manager getting him the Newport gig PLUS brokeandhungry records with Blue Front will have his new CD/album coming out end of April, I believe … he’ll perform and sign at this cool ‘grocery store’ in Natchez MS at that time… I like the ‘feel’ of this image.. well composed and captures the realness of this JUKE built by his parents in 1948.
That’s so cool. Another place I wish had the tourism to have live music more regularly. He was telling me how much he liked Smoot’s, the new place in Natchez. It wasn’t open yet on my last visit, and while I’ll be there in a few weeks, it won’t be on the weekend, so it won’t be open. But I look forward to checking it out in the future and will look for his new album next month. Thanks for the heads up!
Humble photos of true human spirit, art and culture in the delta.