Jimmy "Duck" Holmes – The Last of the Bentonia Bluesmen

Jimmy Duck Holmes is more than a blues musician — he's the living embodiment of a rare and haunting tradition known as the Bentonia blues. Born in 1947 in Bentonia, Mississippi, Holmes is the last active practitioner of this eerie, hypnotic style rooted in minor tunings and deep emotion.

A Legacy Rooted in the Blue Front Café

Growing up in the Blue Front Café — the juke joint his parents opened in 1948 — Holmes was surrounded by blues from an early age. The Café became a hub for musicians and locals alike, a place where the sounds of Mississippi's rich musical heritage echoed through every crack and creak of the old walls.

Today, the Blue Front remains open under Holmes' stewardship, one of the last truly authentic blues joints in America.

"Blues ain’t just music — it’s life experience put to a beat." — Jimmy "Duck" Holmes

Carrying the Bentonia Tradition

Mentored by the legendary Henry Stuckey, who also influenced Skip James, Holmes absorbed the haunting Bentonia sound — a style steeped in mystery and melancholy. Through his performances and recordings, Holmes ensures that this rare branch of the blues tree continues to grow.

Highlights of his journey:

• Took over Blue Front Café in the 1970s
• Founded the Bentonia Blues Festival
• Nominated for a Grammy for his album Cypress Grove

Each performance by Holmes isn't just a concert — it's a portal to another time, when the blues spoke raw truths about struggle, love, and survival.

"Jimmy Duck Holmes & Dylan Walshe At The Blue Front Cafe, Mississippi 2016" by Jessarchivetn is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 .