I was hoping to hike along the river last week, but high water at the Port Louisa Refuge scuttled my plans. Too bad I didn't have a canoe with me, instead of hiking boots. (photo taken June 2015). See more pictures here. Spring flooding at Port Louisa Refuge, near Keithsburg, IL
Paddling through the floodplain forest during a typical spring rise; near Greenville, MS (photo taken April 2015). See more photos here. Paddling through the floodplain forest
House near Quincy, IL; photo taken July 2014). See more photos here. Living in the flood plain; Quincy, IL
We're closing out flood month with an angry, foreboding song from TJ Colatrella with The Band's Garth Hudson. Mississippi Flood was recorded in 2011 at Levon Helm's barn in Woodstock, New York. The music video skillfully mixes film footage from the 1927 flood with TJ's vocals. Listen to more Songs here.
In 2006 four highly regarded bluegrass musicians (Tommy Drake, Chris Stockwell, Tim Corbett, and Kelly Davis) and a whole bunch of their friends got together to record a few new and traditional tunes. They called themselves Step Into the Blue and gave the CD the same name. One of the songs on this CD, Big
Flood month continues at the Song of the Day Department with another song from the 1927 flood: Cairo Blues by Melvin 'Lil Son' Jackson. Recorded in 1949, Jackson references parts of an earlier song, High Water Blues by Blue Belle, a much darker take on the 1927 flood than Jackson's. Listen to more Songs here.
