The American Queen pulled out of St. Louis at 6pm, three hours ahead of schedule. The Mississippi River was technically closed to commercial traffic, but the captain worked out a deal to let us pass by the trouble spot as long as we did it during daylight hours. Because of the early departure, a
Clara Smith Clara Smith was a contemporary of the great Bessie Smith, with a voice nearly as good, too. (Read more about her life here, where you can also download many of her songs.) In Steamboat Man Blues, recorded in 1928, she gets a chance to show just how powerful her voice can
The Mississippi River from the American Queen (Photo taken August 2013). Looking downriver from the American Queen
We end boat month with a tune from Memphis's The Amazing Rhythm Aces. The Ella B was released on their debut album, Stacked Deck, in 1975, and it just might inspire you to find a way to hop on a boat for a leisurely cruise on the river. Hey, you still have the rest of
Spring is almost here, and I'm thinking about the return of the passenger boats to the river. This song, Mississippi Dream Boat, is from the 1943 movie Swing Fever (which must be pretty obscure; I can't find it on Netflix). In this version, Sully Mason and Marylyn Maxwell provide the vocals for Kay Kyser and
As we head toward a new year and new challenges, here are two versions of an old tune that speak to the simple joys of being on a river, one that never stops moving. Roll On, Mississippi, Roll On has been recorded many times over the years, but these are the first two recorded versions, made
