I was a reading an interesting book one day called "Chasin' That Devil Music" which is a compilation of interviews and stories about the early days of Delta Blues Music.  Part way through the book, I run across a reference how Henry Speir, a Mississippi businessman named who was a part-time scout for a record company, sent Charley Patton, one of the original Delta blues pioneers, to the Gennett Recording Service, home of Gennett Records, through an arrangement with Paramount Records.  Charley Patton put about 14 songs down on records during that trip.

My ears perked up when I read a little further and found the Gennett Records Service was located in Richmond, Indiana, about 45 minutes from my home.  So, you guessed it--time for a roadtrip!

Richmond is one of those Midwest towns where the old US Route 40 runs eastbound up one street and westbound down another one a few blocks away.  Coming along eastbound US 40, one sees this mural on the side of an older downtown office and retail building.

While I'm not a jazz aficionado by an stretch of the imagination, I did poke around the Internet to find out some more about this mural and who is in it.  Take a look here for details.

At this point, while I'm trying to find out where Charley Patton went to do his recording in town, what do I see walking up the sidewalk around the corner from the mural?  A possum out in broad daylight at 2:45 in the afternoon,  stumbling up the street, looking like he's cursing out, "hey, somebody turn the lights out!"  By the time I could park the car and grab the camera, the possum ducked out of sight into some hole...oh well, next time...faster with parking...

...But back to our road trip...

About half a mile away, on a side street, is a trash strewn road heading down into the Whitewater Gorge where the Gennett complex was located in the first third of the 20th Century.  Part of the factory area was dedicated to piano manufacturing while another part, shown below, contained the record pressing plant.  The recording studio was in yet another building in this area, since destroyed over time.

For more information, visit the Starr-Gennett Foundation's web site.