Jessie Mae Hemphill Headstone Dedication Ceremony

From Beale Street legend Richard Johnston:

On July 30 a headstone will be dedicated at the grave of blues and gospel artist Jessie Mae Hemphill, who died on July 22, 2006 and was buried a week later, on July 30. The headstone will be a memorial for Hemphill who’s contributions to music span decades. Friends and loved ones were able to come together and put money towards getting a new dedication after discovering the average cost of headstone engraving and replacement costs, so they could highlight Hemphill’s achievements.

Hemphill, who was born October 18, 1923, was best known as a blues guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, and in this capacity toured widely in Europe and won several W.C. Handy Awards for her recordings. For many years she also performed as drummer in fife and drum bands, a long-established musical tradition in her native north Mississippi. Her grandfather was Sid Hemphill, a multi-instrumentalist who was
recorded by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress.

The dedication ceremony will take place beginning at 4:45 pm at the Senatobia Memorial Cemetery, which is located on Highway 51 South in Senatobia. Reverend John Wilkins, the son of early blues and gospel recording artist Robert Wilkins, will lead a prayer service, after which attendees are invited to join in a group performance of Hemphill’s “Lord Help the Poor and Needy.”

Special thanks to Olga Whilemine Mathus and the Jessie Mae Hemphill Foundation for the dedication and follow-thru concerning the headstone.

TBGB: For those of you who are unaware, Johnston, who recorded with Hemphill, truly walked the last mile of the way with her during her last days. He deserves a tremendous amount of gratitude for the humanity he showed her during some very difficult times. Respect.

(photo by L. McGaughran)