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A recent visit to Jackson, Mississippi, to participate in the dedication of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home as a National Monument was also an occasion to experience some other notable moments in the city’s history and culture.
By Valerie Turner Let’s be honest—role models for contemporary women playing blues guitar are few and far between. This isn’t because they’re not out there; it’s simply because they aren’t well recognized. I can’t tell you how many times as a performer I’ve shown up for a soundcheck, guitar in hand, only to be asked if I was a roadie or a fan. The assumption is never that I might be there to play an instrument, let alone a guitar. But this is nothing new—early blues women that played guitar didn’t receive equal attention, either.