I wasn’t familiar with James Talley until I found this song, and I’m glad this song brought me to him. He has a gift for writing powerful but understated songs that he delivers with a soothing baritone voice. Mississippi River Whistle Town is a haunting song that sounds to me like it’s about a river town on the decline, which may have described the Memphis of the 1970s that inspired this song. You’ll find it on his 1977 album called Blackjack Choir.
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Read about Mississippi River music here.
