Black Prairie Blues Museum uses grant to tune up the blues

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The Black Prairie Blues Museum doesn’t just live in the past.

Even though it celebrates the influence the area has had on the Blues, the museum is also invested in keeping the music moving into the future.

And a grant from the 4-County Foundation is helping them carry that mission on.

Black Prairie Blues Museum Board Member Jeremy Klutts said that they wanted to find a way to give back to the community that has given them so much.

“We don’t want to just be a museum we want to be able to provide services for the community,” said Klutts.

With the help of a grant, the museum was able to purchase six electric guitars, amps, and ten harmonicas to give people a start on strumming the blues.

“You can be old or young, you know there is no certain age,” said Klutts.

Backstage Music owner Cody Mason found his love for playing guitar 15 years ago when he was a teenager.

He said that learning to pick up an instrument had a huge impact on his life, and he is glad to be a small part of others’ journeys.

“I would say that if it’s something someone is interested in I would encourage them to get into it because it is something they can carry with them later on in life,” said Mason.

Mason said it’s great to have two groups in the Golden Triangle partnering for a bigger cause.

“It’s really great to see anyone have pride in the local economy and try to boost it in that way and it’s really great to help these guys out and give them a great product,” said Mason.

4-County Communication Coordinator, Brad Barr said that since 2015 the Foundation program has been able to donate almost $2 million to non-profits.

“This is just another great example of the 4-County foundation and what we are able to do for non-profit organizations in the communities we serve,” said Barr.

The 20 people selected will get eight free lessons on how to play these instruments.

To learn more about the different programs the Black Praire Museum offers, visit blackprairiebluesmuseum.com

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