Ryan Lee Crosby felt struck by lightning three times in his life. At age 13, when he first picked up a harmonica to play the blues. (“It was a struck-by-lightning moment, where I knew, ‘Oh, I’m going ...

BENTONIA, Miss.BENTONIA, Miss. — With callused hands, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes plucks an old acoustic guitar at the juke joint his parents started more than 70 years ago. He checks the cafe’s inventory: ...

Singer-songwriter Ryan Lee Crosby calls his latest album an “authentically made modern-day analog field recording of a century-old blues tradition.” The new album, “At the Blue Front,” was released ...

The best part? There's never a cover charge. Hours and more info at bottom of story. Enjoying a night of blues at the Blue Front Cafe requires preparation. First, eat dinner before you go. Second, ...

BENTONIA, Miss. — With callused hands, Jimmy "Duck" Holmes plucks an old acoustic guitar at the juke joint his parents started more than 70 years ago. He checks the cafe's inventory: jars of pickled ...

Danger can strike when least expected, and first responders are always front and center when they're needed. But for Mississippians living in rural areas, rapid assistance can be challenging.Volunteer ...

Bentonia Bugs started out as a snow cone stand. Sauces, such as the popular comeback sauce are made in-house. Steaks, char-grilled oysters and boiled crawfish are favorites. You've likely never seen ...

Cameron Potter of Bentonia made it on Northwest's Vice President's List for the Fall 2025 semester at Northwest Mississippi ...

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or ...

Across the South, the venues — historically owned and frequented by African Americans — have shuttered as owners pass away. Blues experts believe Holmes is the only American running a juke joint owned ...