Very few people had such an impact in the world like Martin Luther King Jr. did. When I hear the word “hero”, his face is one of the first to always pop in my mind. Before leaving Memphis Monday morning, I stopped by the Lorraine Motel, where he was shot outside of his room on the balcony of room #306. The motel is obviously closed now for renting rooms out, and it is now part of the Civil Rights Museum. Walking up to the motel was one of the most eerie moments of my life. The motel itself feels like it’s haunted and it obviously has had no upkeep in over 40 years, but I think the look and condition of the motel at present day is the epitome of the tragedy that happened there in 1968. There is a very silent and depressing vibe outside of the motel also, and one can’t help but to shed of tear while staring at that balcony where a reef of flowers hangs in his honor.
After leaving there, I was on my way to Clarksdale, Mississippi, right at the crossroads of routes 49 and 61, which is often named the birthplace of Blues. I stayed at a place called The Shack Up Inn, which has to be one of the best kept secrets in the entire country. The entire inn is composed of about 10 different run down, vintage shacks, each of which used to be slave homes over 100 years ago. The only differences between the shacks from then and now are that electricity and running water were installed, as well as some more modern bedding; other than that, it’s about as “hick” of an experience as you can ever have. I stayed and had a photo shoot here last year also on my way to New Orleans, and it was one of the most interesting experiences of my life, so I decided to stop by again. I think the term “Southern Hospitality” was invented right here in Clarksdale, because of how nice the employees are at this inn, and I definitely found true inner peace and tranquility while relaxing on the front porch of my shack while listening to some Blues music, watching the Mississippi sunset, and sipping down a few beers. This is how life should be, and it’s a shame most people will never get to experience this beautiful way of simple and carefree living.
My next stop was Tulsa, Oklahoma, but on the way there, I stopped through Little Rock, Arkansas for lunch. I pride myself on knowing a lot about geography and various places, but I’ll be honest, Arkansas is a state I often overlooked and never really thought about visiting, just because I never really hear much about it. However, I quickly realized this state was a hidden gem, because the state has so many unique things to offer, from the natural hot springs to the Ozark Mountains to city and night life as well. I ate lunch at this great German restaurant in Little Rock and I wished I could have stayed longer, but I’ll definitely be back again in the near future to explore the state some more. I had my first show of the tour Tuesday night in Tulsa, OK, and it was a huge success. I was the co-featured performer at an open mic with Babs Martin, who is also an amazing musician and poet who I am a fan of, and the venue was packed and I got a lot of positive feedback, so I’ll definitely make plans to perform there again next year.
Now as I write this blog, I am staring out of my hotel window at the beautiful and impressive Dallas, Texas skyline. I just got here about an hour ago and I can’t wait to explore the city and perform at my show tomorrow night, so my next post will be coming this weekend and will talk all about my adventures in Dallas and San Antonio, Texas, as well as Oklahoma City. Stay tuned!
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