Jimmy “Duck” Holmes has lived a life steeped in blues. Today he is the last living practitioner of the celebrated style of Bentonia blues made famous by Skip James and Jack Owens. In addition, Holmes operates what is arguably the oldest juke joint left in Mississippi and is the organizer of one of the longest-running festivals in the state.


Born to sharecroppers Carey and Mary Holmes in the summer of 1947, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes has lived his entire life in and around the small Mississippi town of Bentonia, home to one of the most unusual and beloved strains of Delta blues. The town was first placed on the musical map in 1931 when one of its residents, Nehemiah “Skip” James, recorded nearly two-dozen songs for Paramount Records. These recordings have gone on to become touchstones for several generations of blues fans.

Since James’ death in 1969, several other blues guitarists from Bentonia emerged including Cornelius Bright, Jacob Stuckey, Henry Stuckey and, most famously, Jack Owens, all of whom have since died.

Fortunately for fans of real-deal country blues, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes has emerged as the keeper of the flame for the Bentonia blues. In April 2006, his debut CD Back to Bentonia was released by Broke & Hungry Records to universal praise. BluesMatters Magazine hailed it as an “early contender for Best Traditional Blues Recording” of 2006. Blues & Rhythm Magazine wrote, “Down-home and Delta blues fans are in for a treat – this is the real deal. A magnificent debut set from Holmes and Broke & Hungry Records.” The CD was awarded three Living Blues Awards including Best Debut CD, Best Traditional/Acoustic CD and Producer of the Year for Broke & Hungry Records owner Jeff Konkel.

Holmes’ sophomore CD, Done Got Tired of Tryin’, recently was released to similarly rapturous reviews.

Holmes has been the subject of feature stories in Living Blues, Blues Revue, Blues & Rhythm, Blues Matters and several European blues magazines. In early July 2006, he was featured in a lengthy Associated Press article that was carried in newspapers around the world, including the USA Today.

Holmes’ contribution to the preservation of Bentonia blues is not limited to his role as a guitarist. Equally important is his role as proprietor of the legendary Blue Front Cafe, an old-school juke joint that his parents opened in 1948. Upon his father’s death in 1970, Holmes took over the day-to-day management of the Blue Front, a responsibility he continues to shoulder today. The cafe remains a gathering point for the residents of Bentonia and a pilgrimage site for blues lovers from around the globe. The juke continues to offer occasional live music – sometimes in the form of special events and festivals, but more often as impromptu blues jams with friends.

Holmes also is the organizer of the Bentonia Blues Festival, which was first held in 1972. What began as a small community event with a blues DJ and a single live performer (Walter “Big Daddy” Hood singing a cappella), grew over time into one of the best-loved blues festivals in Mississippi. Following a 10-year hiatus, the festival returned in 2006.

“I’ve been around blues my whole life,” Holmes says. “It’s not really something I chose. I feel like it chose me. I’m just happy that people seem to like what I’m doing.”
 

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