Grafton Wisconsin

Clarksdale, MS
Memphis, TN
Chicago, IL
Grafton, WI

What does Grafton have in common with these well known locations?
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BLUES
HISTORY
 Grafton Wisconsin

The Grafton Blues Association and the Mississippi Blues Commission working together with the Village of Grafton will make
blues history at the unveiling of the only Mississippi Blues Trail Marker in the state of Wisconsin on Saturday, September 18
2010 at the 5th Annual Paramount Blues Festival in Grafton, WI.

The following explains the Blues Trail and how it relates to Grafton .
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The Mississippi Blues Trail markers tell stories through words and images of bluesmen and
women and how the places where they lived and the times in which they existed–and continue to
exist–influenced their music. The sites run the gamut from city streets to cotton fields, train
depots to cemeteries, and clubs to churches. We have a lot to share, and it's just down the
Mississippi Blues Trail.
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The team involved in the work of this project, includes two blues research
writers: Jim O'Neal (Kansas City, MO) and Scott Baretta (University of MS,
Oxford, MS).  They will draft the content and work with the Grafton Blues
Assoc and the Village of Grafton, they to make sure all content is accurate for
the marker.

The site selection for the markers are usually based on the
person, site, or content discussed in the marker.  For example, the Memphis
marker is in front of the Rock 'n' Soul Museum in
Memphis, just steps away from Beale Street to show the connection of how
the blues migrated from the Mississippi Delta to Memphis and the Beale
Street area.  Chicago and Helena, AK. have chosen the sites where both
of their annual blues festivals take place.

The selected Grafton site

will be at 12th and Falls, where the Wisconsin Chair Factory that housed the
Paramount recording studio once stood.
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109 total markers to date:

 
104 in Mississippi
Chicago, IL
Memphis, TN
Helena, AR
Muscle Shoals, AL
Ferriday, LA
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Key points regarding the Blues Trail Exposure

Featured on the following radio programming: Featured on the following television programming:

Mississippi Public Broadcast BBC

American Blues Network Mississippi Roads
Bluesville – XM Satellite Chicago Public Broadcast
VH-1
Good Morning America
CNN
Fox News
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Key points regarding the Blues Trail Exposure

Promoted on the following websites:

Featured in the following publications:
msbluestrail.org
(32,398 hits in last 6 months Living Blues Magazine
from 103 countries) Blues Revue Magazine
visitmississippi.org Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine
facebook Oxford American Magazine
sites that have a marker Juke Blues Magazine
Frontrowmusic.tv Black Meetings & Tourism
Jet magazine
SEEN (South East Education Network)
Southeastern Group Tour
South Mississippi Living
NWA World Traveler Magazine
 Grafton Wisconsin

Key points regarding the Blues Trail Exposure

Promoted at the following Festivals: Articles in the following publications:

Chicago Blues Festival (Chicago, IL) Chicago Sun-Times

Poconos Blues Festival (Pocono, PA) New York Times
Sunflower Blues Festival (Clarksdale, MS) Mississippi Business Journal
Memphis in May Music Festival (Memphis, TN) Delta Business Journal
Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival (Helena, AR) Jackson Advocate
Notodden Blues Festival (Notodden, Norway) Tunica County Visitor
Southside Shuffle (Ontario, Canada) The Clarion-Ledger
Juke Joint Blues Festival (Clarksdale, MS) The Mississippi link
Mississippi Delta Blues Festival (Greenville, MS) Delta Democrat Times
North Atlantic Blues Festival (Rockland, ME) Sun Herald, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal
International Folk Alliance (Memphis, TN) The Community Connection
Dallas Morning News
The Greenwood Commonwealth
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Printed/promotional materials include:

Brochure Maps – approx. 80,000 next printing – to include Grafton

Posters
Musical CD’s
Festival & Events Guide
Harmonicas (MS Blues Trail website logo imprinted)
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We need your help to make this happen!

Required Funding/Goal - $6,000
Funding raised to-date: $4,000
Proposed unveiling date – 9/18/2010
Deadline to secure delivery of marker for proposed unveiling – 8/25/10

Your donation will be made to the Grafton Blues Association, a 501c3 non-
profit group. The marker will be donated to the Village of Grafton.
Your name or business will be recognized on the Grafton Blues Association
Blues Trail website page as a contributor with a link to your business
if desired.

Be a part of history – support the Blues Trail to GRAFTON!

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Donations can be mailed to GBA – PO Box 566 Grafton, WI 53024 – or you

can donate at www.graftonblues.org
click on BLUES TRAIL -
Call Kris Raymond at 262-208-6288 if you have questions.

Thank you