Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art

When Roger Stolle moved to Clarksdale in 2002, he came with a mission: “To circle the wagons, to mount a defense, to help the last generation of cotton-farming, mule-driving, juke-joint playing bluesmen deeply inhale the final breath of this amazing tradition we call Delta blues.” To that end, he opened Cat Head—a record store, folk art museum, souvenir shop, and cultural hub in downtown Clarksdale. 

The town trades on the blues. The famous Clarksdale Crossroads at Highways 61 and 49 run straight through downtown, with Abe’s Bar-B-Q on the corner. Red’s is one of a handful of true surviving juke joints in The Delta. And Morgan Feeman co-owns Ground Zero, one of the more well-known blues clubs in the region. So it’s no mystery why Stolle chose Clarksdale as his home base.

The shop is covered in music and blues paraphernalia from floor to ceiling. Portraits, paintings, and folk-art dioramas line the old brick and plaster walls, and bins of CDs and LPs crowd the cramped aisles. Every corner is filled with treasures: T-shirts, shot glasses, locally made art, and a large collection of books on music and Mississippi culture, including several penned by Stolle himself.

Stolle’s passion for Clarksdale and its musical heritage is evident in all he does. Over the years, he has helped organize blues and juke joint festivals, earned numerous awards, and served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations. His website, featuring the most comprehensive and up-to-date live music guide for the area, is a lifeline for visitors seeking the best of Clarksdale’s nightlife.

The Delta is a paradoxical place. At times, it feels like it’s fading, with fields gone to seed and towns shuttered. Yet its cultural legacy endures, thriving and rebounding thanks to people like Stolle and spaces like Cat Head, where the spirit of the blues continues to shine bright.