Music & Heritage of the Deep South
Individual Tour : Guaranteed Group Departure
September 17-26, 2012
"Ultimate Music & Heritage Tour of the Deep South"
19 Days / 18 nights Atlanta to Atlanta
Tue, Day 01 – Arrive Atlanta and check-in your downtown hotel. Overnight Atlanta
Wed, Day 02 - Atlanta
Today you will tour the World of Coca-Cola Museum. The World of Coca-Cola is the only place where you can experience the fascinating story of the world's best-known beverage brand in a dynamic, multimedia attraction. Taste over 60 different beverages from around the globe in our Taste It! beverage lounge. Experience our thrilling In Search of the Secret Formula 4-D Theater (3-D movie with moving seats). Be amazed by Bottle Works, a fully-functioning bottling line, and take home a FREE 8-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola. Give our 7-foot-tall and very friendly Coca-Cola Polar Bear a big hug. See the world's largest collection of Coke memorabilia in Milestones of Refreshment.
Next door is the Georgia Aquarium. As the world's largest aquarium, Georgia Aquarium features more animals than any other aquarium in more than ten million gallons of water. Through a path of more than sixty exhibits, the Aquarium tells a global water story, with features modeled after the greatest zoos and aquariums in the world. Each majestic exhibit is designed to inspire, entertain and educate. Georgia Aquarium is an entertaining, intriguing and educational experience for guests of all ages. While promoting a fun and enjoyable learning experience, the Aquarium instills in its guests a new appreciation for the world's aquatic biodiversity.
Also across the street is a great place to relax, the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Park. The Fountain of Rings is the centerpiece of Centennial Olympic Park and is one of the most recognized and photographed landmarks in Georgia. Millions of international and local guests visit the Park every year to enjoy the world's largest interactive fountain featuring the Olympic Ring symbol. It's free to view the Fountain of Rings show, which plays four times a day, 365 days a year, at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Across the street from the park is CNN Headquarters. Here you can take a tour of CNN. Journey into the heart of CNN Worldwide for an exciting glimpse of news and broadcasting in action! The Inside CNN Studio Tour takes you behind the scenes of the Global Headquarters of CNN in Atlanta. Advance reservations are highly recommended.
Next you should drive or take MARTA (Atlanta's convenient rapid transit system) to the Margaret Mitchell House. The Margaret Mitchell House features a guided tour of the apartment where Margaret Mitchell wrote Gone With the Wind. Also there are a Gone With the Wind movie exhibition, an exhibition showcasing the life and times of one of America's most famous authors, and the Margaret Mitchell gift shop. The Margaret Mitchell House is a turn-of-the century, three-story, Tudor Revival building.
Tonight you can enjoy fine dining at anyone of numerous great restaurants. Also when planning your trip check the schedules of the various professional & collegiate sports teams Atlanta has to offer on a year round basis. For baseball there are the Atlanta Braves, for American football there are the Atlanta Falcons, for basketball there are the Atlanta Hawks, and for hockey there are the Atlanta Thrashers. Overnight Atlanta.
Thu, Day 03 – Atlanta to Smoky Mountains (220 miles / 354 kilometers)
Before departing Atlanta you'll certainly want to drive to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. The Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site includes a number of facilities that are operated in partnership with the National Park Service, Ebenezer Baptist Church and The King Center and all are free of charge. Within these facilities the visitor can learn about Dr. King's life and his influence on others. The Peace Plaza is the area between the National Park Service Visitor Center and Auburn Avenue. The focal points of the beautifully landscaped plaza area are the Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream" World Peace Rose Garden, which includes inspirational messages of peace composed by students from local Atlanta schools, and a flowing water fountain and is where he is buried.
When you depart Atlanta we suggest you drive through the quaint north GA mountain town of Dahlonega. Dahlonega is rich in the culture and charm of Appalachia within its beautifully preserved downtown historic district. The Georgia gateway to the Appalachians is the site of the first U. S. gold rush. Dahlonega is home to The Gold Museum, gold mines and gold panning facilities. Dahlonega is also the Heart of Georgia's wine country, where you can tour all the local wineries and downtown tasting rooms.
Now continue on to Cherokee, North Carolina. This is the home of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. We 
suggest a stop at Oconaluftee Indian Village. Once you are at the Village, you will see that it's more than just a place. It is also a time: 1760. The best way to get there is to un-tether yourself from the world that you know. Turn off your stress. Put your watch in your pocket. Sit under the trees, breathe the pure mountain air, and notice that the only sounds here come from nature. No cars. No blaring TVs. And instead of burnt fossil fuel, the faint tang of wood smoke wafts by on the breeze. Follow it. Embrace it at your own pace. As you step into the Oconaluftee Indian Village, you're transported back to witness the challenges of Cherokee life at a time of rapid cultural change.
Another great place to visit is the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. Experience the 11,000 year old Cherokee story through priceless ancient artifacts, computer generated imagery, artwork, life-sized figures, dioramas, and more.
Then continue into The Smoky Mountain National Park where you will cross over the mountains into the three towns of Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville. Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain 
culture, this is America's most visited national park. Some 1,500 bears live in the park. From the big animals like bears, deer, and elk, down to microscopic organisms, the Smokies have the most biological diversity of any area in the world's temperate zone. As you cross the mountains you should stop at Clingmans Dome. At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is the highest point in Tennessee, and the third highest mountain east of the
Mississippi. The observation tower on the summit of Clingmans Dome offers spectacular 360° views of the Smokies and beyond.
Arrive Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville & check-in your hotel. Tonight there are many dining & entertainment opportunities from Hard Rock Café to outstanding restaurants and shows in Gatlinburg and nearby Pigeon Forge & Sevierville. Overnight Smoky Mountains.
Fri, Day 04 – Smoky Mountains
Today you should definitely visit Dollywood Theme park. Unique as its namesake Dolly Parton, Dollywood theme park is a one-of-a-kind Smoky Mountain Family Adventure! Spanning 125 acres and nestled in the lush foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near Gatlinburg, Dollywood is one of the most popular family vacation destinations. Enjoy thrilling to spectacular Dollywood amusement park rides including the award-winning wooden roller coaster The Thunderhead™-the wildest ride in the woods. Dollywood's live entertainment showcases the best in country, bluegrass, mountain and gospel music with more than a dozen stage shows. Master craftsmen demonstrate centuries-old crafts including blacksmithing, glass blowing and wood carving.
This afternoon we recommend a drive through Cades Cove. Cades Cove, is a 6,800-acre valley found in the Smoky Mountains National Park. Located approximately 31 miles away from Pigeon Forge, Cades Cove is perfect for discovering breathtaking landscapes! There you will find a 4,000 open acre area to observe diverse wildlife, nineteenth century historic buildings including churches and pioneer log cabins and numerous outdoor activities to explore all of Cades Cove, Tennessee scenic routes!
Another option is the outstanding shopping opportunities in these three little towns. There are over 500 stores, shops and outlets to satisfy every shopping craving during your visit. If you are looking for something a bit more unique you'll find hand-blown glass, handmade pottery, instruments, and many more arts and crafts.
Tonight there are many shows from which to choose. You'll be on the edge of your seat with all of the exciting shows! There are dozens of theaters to visit. There are a variety of music genres at each show. Some include Broadway, rock n' roll, country, bluegrass, and even gospel. Comedy and even magic tricks. Overnight Smoky Mountains.
Sat, Day 05 – Smoky Mountains to Nashville (310 miles / 499 kilometers)
If you did not get enough time for shopping, you can spend a couple of hours this morning before departing for Nashville. You will cross from the Eastern Time Zone to the Central Time Zone; so you will gain an extra hour. Instead of driving directly to Nashville, we suggest a detour through some lovely areas of middle Tennessee and make a stop in the quaint village of Lynchburg, TN, which also happens to be the home of the Jack Daniels Distillery. All the Jack Daniels bourbon distributed
throughout the worlds comes from here. You can take the free tour of the Jack Daniel's Distillery in little Lynchburg (where alcohol cannot be sold or consumed, since it is "dry" county, except the State of TN Legislature passed a special law allowing them to sell only one special bottle of Jack Daniels.)
We recommend a lunch stop in downtown Lynchburg on their quaint small town square. There is also a free Tennessee Walking Horse Museum on Main Street. Then drive on to Shelbyville, which is home country for Tennessee Walking horses. If you love horses, then you must stop at Waterfall Farms, 2395 Highway 64 E, Shelbyville, TN 37160, where you can take a free tour and see these magnificent horses. Continue on into Nashville and check-in your hotel.
Tonight you will attend a performance of the Grand Ole Opry, where you'll catch today's' hottest stars, new faces, and Opry legends. Showcasing the best in country, blue grass and more, the Opry is an American experience like no other. Now comes a very special feature. Immediately after the show the group will be assembled and taken on a private backstage tour of the Opry House, which is the place where the magic has happened for more than 35 years. A tour of the Opry House provides a behind-the-scenes look at country's most famous show and a true entertainment business phenomenon, complete with great stories about the Opry and its members as well as enough photo opportunities to fill any Nashville scrapbook. Overnight Nashville.
Sun, Day 06 – Nashville
Today you will tour the Country Music Hall of Fame: Sing Me Back Home is the title of the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum's permanent exhibit, an exciting, multi-layered journey through the life of country music. A self-guided tour covering two floors of the Museum, Sing Me Back Home tells the story of country music from its pre-commercial roots in the nineteenth century through its vibrant life in the twenty-first century. Organized chronologically, the story moves through large subjects such as "Country During the War Years," for example, while each glass artifact case has its own theme as well. You can read about the music and its makers if you like, or you can let the powerful photos, instruments, costumes—and especially the music—tell the story by themselves. Sing Me Back Home is just what the title suggests: an exploration of the power of music to make living history and to connect us to our deepest feelings.
Next tour Historic RCA Studio B - once the recording home of popular music titans such as Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Eddy Arnold, and the Everly Brothers - first became known as one of the cradles of the "Nashville Sound" in the 1960s. A sophisticated style characterized by background vocals and strings, the Nashville Sound both revived the popularity of country music and helped establish Nashville as an international recording center. The storied studio's exterior has been renovated and the interior has been returned to its 1970s era prime as an analog "temple of sound."
Next we recommend a stop at the Belle Meade Mansion. Belle Meade Plantation & Winery is a 30 acre historic site 6 miles west of Nashville. The centerpiece of the property is the Belle Meade mansion built in 1853. When you tour the Mansion today, you walk right into the rooms as if you were a guest in the 1800's. There are no velvet ropes, no glass walls to separate you and our collection. The fully furnished Mansion is stocked with original pieces from the 1800's. We have an abundance of family letters from which to pull a wealth of information. Our costumed guides willingly share the stories surrounding the rise and fall of the Harding and Jackson Family. Throughout the 45 minute guided tour of the 1853 Greek Revival Mansion, a century of Belle Meade Plantation's history is told through the eyes of the Harding and Jackson Family and the skilled laborers who collectively worked to make the Plantation America's premier Thoroughbred Horse Farm. After the guided tour of the Mansion, guests are encouraged to enjoy the self-guided portion of the tour. We have eight historic buildings on site including a massive 1800's Carriage House and Stable. It is breath-taking! You can almost hear the horses clopping on the brick floor of the stable house! Please allow 2 hour minimum. The Winery at Belle Meade Plantation is Tennessee's newest winery and Nashville's only winery to date! This addition to our guest experience here on the Plantation is a natural fit. For over 200 years, the Harding and Jackson families opened the doors to the mansion for friends and visitors and the finest food and drink became part of the tradition of Belle Meade.
This evening walk around downtown and be sure to walk along Broadway Street & grab a quick drink in Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, one Nashville most famous nightclubs with live entertainment. Walk along 2nd Street & you'll see the Hard Rock Café & the Wildhorse Saloon, which is a 66,000 square foot, three level mecca of country music, dining and dance. The saloon is complete with a 3500 square foot, state-of-the-art dance floor, pool tables and video games. As a special country bonus, free country line dance lessons are available on Mondays-Fridays. For dining they offer an award-winning menu that includes southern barbecue smoked in their smokers and doused with their award winning Wildhorse BBQ sauce and prime steaks in their secret Wildhorse marinade. Overnight Nashville.
Mon, Day 07 – Nashville to Muscle Shoals Area (129 miles / 208 kilometers)
This morning depart for Tuscumbia, AL in the Muscle Shoals area of north Alabama. En route you will pass through beautiful rolling hills of Maury County of middle Tennessee. Just outside of Nashville, the Old Tennessee Trail is waiting for you: a scenic drive as rich in history as it is 
in fresh air, gentle rolling hills, and down-home charm. This tour begins in historic Franklin, a short drive from Nashville and certainly worth a day trip or a dinner excursion on its own. But this is just the beginning of the Old Tennessee Trail. Get behind the wheel here and move into a different mindset, a different attitude, a different kind
of adventure as you wind through our gorgeous countryside and some of our favorite small towns. Get a glimpse of the original Tennessee, a time when Native Americans hunted on this land, and later found themselves nose to nose with the settlers arriving to lay claim to the Revolutionary War land grants they would shape into homesteads and farmlands. You'll feel, at times, like you've been transported back to another era, standing in the very spot where Confederate General Hood watched his troops march to battle at Franklin, where they would suffer 7,000 casualties. You'll view history in a new perspective after running your hand over the bullet holes that still mark some of our most magnificent Antebellum homes. In Springhill you can tour Rippavilla Plantation home built in the 1850's. In Columbia you can tour US President James K. Polk's home.
Arrive Tuscumbia mid afternoon in time to tour the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, a wonderful hidden gem that few tourists find. At this time there are 32 Inductees to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. The Popular Music section is the beginning of the main exhibit hall. It is marked by a 12 foot jukebox playing pop, classical and opera tunes by Alabamians. A wax figure of Nat "King" Cole is seated at a piano. On display also is recording equipment used in Sam Phillip's Memphis Music Service and the contract between Sam Phillips and RCA when the Alabamian sold his rights to the soon to be superstar Elvis Presley. Tommy Shaw of Styx fame, has his shirt and guitar on display, along with Ransom Wilson's flute, Jim Nabors' Gomer Pyle outfit and stage outfits, Emmylou Harris, Donna Godchaux, Bobby Goldsboro, Lionel Richie, The Commodores and others. The tour continues through a 16 foot guitar into the Country Music section and to more showcases Personal memorabilia belonging to Sonny James, Tammy Wynette, Vern Gosdin, Jeanne Pruett, Freddie Hart, Rose Maddox and others. A wax figure of Hank Williams, Sr., bears his original stage suit. The 1960 "Golden Country Car" has 500 silver dollars and silver guns mounted on it topped off with Texas Longhorns mounted on front. There are numerous instruments belonging to country stars. The highlight of this section is the group Alabama's Southern Star tour bus. As visitors exit the bus, they may step into a brick sided nightclub where the Rhythm and Blues section is belting out music. Therein is Erskine Hawkins's trumpet, Martha Reeves' and Eddie Kendricks' stage outfits, gold records by Wilson Pickett and Percy Sledge, the 1935 official portrait of W.C. Handy and many other historical artifacts. When you leave the nightclub, you enter the Muscle Shoals section, which highlights the studios that made Northwest Alabama world famous. A video recaps the history of the Shoals music industry. The artifacts include the console Rick Hall used to record Arthur Alexander's hit "You Better Move On" and the instruments of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Next is a Recording Studio where a would be star may select a music track and record a personal cassette or make a video recording right in the Museum! Across from the studio is the Gospel Showcase, where among the artifacts are outfits, pictures, and awards from such notables as Jake Hess, Gold City, The Speer Family and The Sullivan Family. The newest addition to the museum exhibits features the Songwriters of Alabama. The Wurlitzer jukebox provides hundreds of chart topping songs by Alabama songwriters. Billy Sherrill composer of Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" anchors one end of the exhibit while Curly Putman, who gave us "Green, Green Grass of Home" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today" anchors the other side.
Next enjoy a private tour of Fame Recording Studio, the heartbeat of the Muscle Shoals sound. FAME Music was established in 1959 in Florence, Alabama and has gone on to be the heartbeat of the Muscle Shoals Sound with entities including FAME Publishing, FAME Recording Studios, FAME Records and Muscle Shoals Records. FAME moved to Muscle Shoals in 1961. FAME has worked in the studio with some of the greatest artists in Rock music history. Artists such as Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Otis Redding, the Osmonds, Jerry Reed, Alabama, Mac Davis, the Gatlin Brothers, Bobbie Gentry and many others. More recently FAME has recorded projects for Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Band of Horses, Drive by Truckers, Bettye Lavette, and Heartland to name a few. Check-in your hotel. Overnight Tuscumbia/Muscle Shoals Area.
Tue, Day 08 Muscle Shoals Area – Memphis (275 miles / 443 kilometers)
This morning depart for Memphis, and en route you will make a couple of stops. First, stop in Tupelo, MS. You can drive on the beautiful Natchez Trace Parkway. The Natchez Trace Parkway, which stretches from the Mississippi River in Natchez through the Shoals area in Alabama and across the Tennessee Valley to Nashville. The Old Trace was first trod by buffalo, then American Indians. In the early 1800's it was the main return route for Ohio Valley traders who, rather than fight the Mississippi currents, sold their flatboats for the value of their timber in Natchez and walked home via the Old Trace. By the mid-1820's, steamboats made the dangerous trek unnecessary, and the Old Trace disappeared into the trees. Today, the 444-mile National Scenic Byway and All-American Road has emerged as one of America's most important examples of our nation's natural and cultural heritage. Administered by the National Park Service, the road's non-commercial environment coupled with a wide variety of historic sites, wayside exhibits and beautiful venues make it a memorable destination for an unhurried trip that both reveals and explains a unique time in our country's history.
When you arrive Tupelo you will tour the Birthplace of Elvis Presley, the only location in the world where you can see, feel and touch where the King of Rock & Roll began his musical journey. Only in Tupelo can you walk into the room where he breathed his first breath, take a stroll to his favorite location as a boy to relax looking over Tupelo, and see firsthand how it all shaped this young boy from Mississippi into the international rock & roll music legend he is today. As you remember, The Church is now open and we invite you to come and see the place where ELVIS began singing Gospel Music.
You next stop is Jackson, TN, the hometown of Carl Perkins. Stop at the International Rock-a-Billy Hall of Fame and Museum, which is a resource center dedicated to preserving and promoting Rockabilly Music. The Hall of Fame recognizes the pioneers of Rockabilly music while the Museum displays the memorabilia reflecting its heritage. Arrive Memphis and check-in your downtown hotel. The evening is free to explore Beale Street, one of America's most famous streets where 
W.C. Handy first penned the Blues music of the Mississippi Delta. Located downtown stretching several blocks east of the river bluffs. Nightclubs and restaurants offer a variety of food and live music including traditional Blues, Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, and Rock'n'Roll. Shops and boutiques throughout the district provide visitors with the opportunity to purchase souvenirs, t-shirts, memorabilia, and novelties. The world-famous street also features a statue of W.C. Handy, a musical "Walk of Fame," and Church Park, built by the South's first Black millionaire, Robert Church. Overnight Memphis.
Wed, Day 09 Memphis
This morning the group will tour Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. The audio tour of Graceland Mansion is full of music and interesting stories about how Elvis lived in the home he loved so much. You will see the largest privately owned collection of gold records in the world and Elvis' elaborate stage costumes and jewelry. The mansion tour ends with a quiet visit to Meditation Garden where Elvis and members of his family are buried. You can also see Elvis' famous 1955 pink Cadillac in the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum and climb aboard his custom jet the "Lisa Marie." Graceland plaza also offers fabulous shopping and restaurants.
Next we suggest you eat lunch at the legendary Fourway Grill. Rarely does a tourist find this place. The cherished South Memphis family restaurant serves the tastiest soul food in town. This is the real authentic "soul food." Eat dessert first. Try the velvety sweet-potato pie or strawberry cake. Then dig into some juicy fried green tomatoes, pork chops, catfish, or chicken and round it out with black-eyed peas and crumbly cornbread. If he's not too busy, ask the proprietor to reminisce about the old days of this historic black neighborhood. The restaurant doesn't serve soft drinks or alcohol, so plan on ordering lemonade or iced tea with your meal.
Next you will tour Sun Studio, which is the birthplace of Rock'n'Roll. Today the studio, where Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Rufus Thomas, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and many others launched their careers, is open to the public for tours daily while still operating as a studio by night. Sun Studio Cafe is located next door to the studio. Above the cafe is a new museum/gallery featuring hundreds of rare recordings, memorabilia, photographs, and vintage recording equipment.
This afternoon you will tour the Stax Museum of American Soul Music: Soulsville is a 17,000-square-foot museum on the original site of Stax Records and houses more than 2,000 cultural artifacts, celebrating the music made famous by Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MGs, Isaac Hayes, the Bar-Kays, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire and more. In addition to Stax music and memorabilia, you'll also find exhibits dedicated to the artists of Muscle Shoals, Motown, Atlantic and Memphis' own Hi Records. Tonight is the last night in Memphis and the last opportunity of enjoying the live music on Beale Street. Overnight Memphis.
Thu, Day 10 Memphis – Greenwood
Today you depart for Greenwood, but first do a drive-by of the National Civil Rights Museum and see where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. Depart Memphis on the famous Highway 61, known as America's Blues Alley. You will drive south on Highway 61. If you would like there are 9 casino's about 30 miles into Mississippi. These are Las Vegas style casino's that offer a wide variety of games of chance. Your 
first stop is in Clarksdale. From the 30's on through the 50's Clarksdale was a major blues town. John Lee Hooker, Ike Turner, Little Junior Parker and Sam Cooke were born here. Robert Nighthawk, Bukka White, "Gatemouth" Moore, Eddie Boyd, Son House, and Charley Patton all once lived in the area. Clarksdale became the center of the blues world by virtue of its location smack in the middle of the Delta and Delta blues still come from this source. We suggest you visit the old train station and the Delta Blues Museum. Next door is the "Ground Zero" restaurant & bar. It is owned by the famous actor, Morgan Freeman & is a replica of a "juke joint". Also see the junction of Highways 61 and 49 where the Robert Johnson made his infamous pact with the Devil!
Arrive Greenwood & check-in your hotel Tonight there will be a very special treat few tourists every experience. Drive to a nearby "juke joint" and not just any juke joint, but probably the only remaining authentic juke joint in the Deep South. It is Po Monkey's. Thursday is known as "family night" at Po' Monkey's juke joint here, but that doesn't mean you should bring your kids to this patched-up sharecropper shack that has swayed with rhythm and blues for nearly 50 years. The distinction here is— Willie Seaberry, a 65-year-old farm worker by day — opens his little club. Not that some Thursday patrons, mostly black men and women, middle- age and up, are not above a little dirty dancing themselves, although fully clothed. The D.J. stretches his definition of the blues, playing modern R&B that has every bottom shaking. If there is a floor show on Thursdays at this club, one of the last old-style juke joints, the kind where the Delta blues once incubated, it is offered by Seaberry himself. Around 9 p.m., as patrons begin to fill a room decorated with toy monkeys, beer posters and a silver disco ball, Seaberry emerges in a startling suit of red with white pinstripes and a snazzy white hat, and smoking a cheroot. He works the crowd, which includes retired teachers, farm workers and a sheriff from Greenville, Mississippi, as he ferries $2 cans of beer.
An irrepressibly smiley man with a trimmed mustache, Seaberry grew up in a nearby shack, at the end of the era when the mechanization of cotton farming and the lure of Chicago depopulated the region. But he has never let poverty stop him from strutting. Later, he disappears to his bedroom at the back and re-emerges, now wearing a white suit; soon, he changes into a plaid suit with a red derby, and still later into dark pink. "If I don't get out there acting like a clown, people think there's something wrong with me," Seaberry explained. He said he owns more than 100 suits. "A lot of folks wanted to get out, listen to the blues, and fight and shoot," he said of the onetime proliferation of such clubs, adding that his own has never seen much violence. For much of the last century, juke joints were the main nightspots for rural blacks. Now, with the casinos of Clarksdale, Mississippi, a half-hour away and younger blacks into hip-hop music, Seaberry does not open his club on weekends. The word "juke" is believed to be derived from the African-influenced Gullah dialect of the Southeast coast, in which "jook" means "disorderly" or "wicked." In 1934, the folklorist Zora Neale Hurston wrote, "Jook is a word for a Negro pleasure house," often a "bawdy house" where black workers "dance, drink and gamble." In the Delta of northwest Mississippi, an alluvial plain where cotton and sharecropping long ruled, juke joints were condemned by preachers as the houses of the devil, but they offered welcome relief from drudgery. Touring these clubs in the early 20th century, men like Charlie Patton, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson pioneered the blues as a seminal art form. Seaberry's memories can be vague. "Po' Monkey is all anybody ever called me since I was little," he said. "I don't know why, except I was poor for sure." Overnight Greenwood.
Fri, Day 11 Greenwood
You will tour the local area and visit the claimed three burial sites of Robert Johnson. Robert Johnson, legendary Mississippi Delta Blues musician, who reportedly sold his soul to the devil to become a great musician at the crossroads, spent his last days in the Baptist Town community in Greenwood, MS. Visit the sites where he played his guitar, walked, lived and sang before his tragic death on Tuesday, Aug 16, 1938. In 1991 Sony Records erected a monument to honor him at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church graveyard in Itta Bena, MS. Two years later another headstone was placed at Payne Chapel in Quito, MS. Although doubts have existed about the final resting place of the man who recorded 29 songs from 1937 - 1939, his legal heir and son, Claude Johnson, set the record straight that "This the site where my father was buried, let there be no doubt." This site is located in the cemetery of Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church north of Greenwood, MS on Money Road.
Now while we are on Money Road we'll travel a few miles to the small town of Money, MS. Money became infamous as a symbol in the U.S. civil rights movement after Emmett Till, a 14-year-old native of Chicago, Illinois, was killed there while visiting relatives in August 1955. He reportedly made suggestive remarks or whistled at (accounts differ) Carolyn Bryant, a white woman working at her husband's store, Bryant's Grocery. Roy Bryant, husband of Carolyn, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, were arrested for murdering Till, tried and speedily acquitted by an all-white jury. They later confessed to the killings. Till's mother, Mamie Till Bradley, insisted on an open casket funeral and allowed news photographs of the body to be published, thus raising nationwide awareness of lynching. Many Southern historians suggest that the Emmett Till murder helped spark the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s by drawing national attention to injustice.
Next drive to B.B. King's hometown of Indianola, where you will tour the outstanding new B.B. King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center, which is dedicated to creating a welcoming place where visitors find meaning, value, 
and perspective by exploring the history and heritage of the unique American musical art form of the blues. It also tells the story of B.B. King's life from a kid without anything but the dream in his heart and a destiny that would take him around the world. Against all odds the kid became the King of the Blues. After the museum visit go to nearby Club Ebony, now owned by B. B. King and his partners. You can enjoy dinner & blues music in the same place where since 1945 musicians who have played here include of course B.B. King plus Count Basie, Ray Charles, James Brown, & Ike Turner. Overnight Greenwood.
Sat, Day 12 Greenwood – Natchez (174 miles / 280 kilometers)
Today we continue through the rich Delta farmland to the famous river city of Natchez. En route we will stop in Vicksburg and tour the Old Courthouse Museum, Vicksburg's most historic building, constructed by slaves in 1858, has hosted such great Americans as Jefferson Davis, Theodore Roosevelt, John Breckinridge, Booker T. Washington, William McKinley, and U.S. Grant. Here the U.S. Flag was raised and the Confederate lowered on July 4, 1863. Artifacts help tell Vicksburg's story in the National Landmark structure, which also has a gift shop.
While in Vicksburg we suggest you eat lunch at Walnut Hills Restaurant, featured in "1000 Places to See Before You Die" and has won awards for "best fried chicken", "best home cooking", "best country food", & "best lunch." The food at Walnut Hills is what most of us refer to as good ole Southern home-cooked victuals. The atmosphere is equally as homey: warm light, revolving round tables (called Lazy Susans in the South) in the middle of a large round table seating 20 persons and the food is served on platters and in bowls and is constantly replenished. You never run out.
Arrive Natchez & check-in your hotel. Tonight you will go to Natchez Under-the-Hill, which was the most dangerous landing on the entire Mississippi River. In its day, 165 years ago, Natchez-under-the-Hill was the most notorious river landing on the entire Mississippi. From 1785 until about 1820 Under-the-Hill was the departure point for frontiersmen and their last chance to "whoop it up" before their long trek home on the Natchez trace. Overnight Natchez.
Sun, Day 13 – This morning you will depart for Lafayette, but first you will tour the beautiful antebellum home, Monmouth Plantation. Monmouth is listed as a National Historic Landmark. A 'Breathtaking beauty' marks both the 'lovely grounds' and 'magnificent' 1818 Greek Revival estate, built by John Hankinson in 1818, Monmouth was purchased by General John A. Quitman, a hero of the Mexican War, in 1826 and remained in his family for nearly a century.
You will drive south on Hwy 61 and on into the State Capitol of Baton Rouge. Here we will make a brief stop at the Louisiana State Capitol building. Completed in 1932, this 34-story building overlooks the Mississippi River. There is magnificent marble and bronze work inside. The observation deck on the 27th floor provides a panorama of the Mississippi River and surrounding area.
Now we head west towards Lafayette crossing over the Atchafalaya Basin or Atchafalaya Swamp, is the largest swamp in the United States. It is about 20 miles wide (east to west) and 150 long (north to south). Located in south central Louisiana, it is a combination of wetlands and river delta area where the Atchafalaya River and the Gulf of Mexico converge.
As you are crossing the swamp we will stop at Angelle's Whiskey River Landing for some authentic Zydeco/Cajun music and dancing. Located on the levee overlooking the Atchafalaya Basin swamp, it has been named one of America's top 50 bars. Very few tourists every find this spot where you can learn the beer drinking, foot stomping Cajun dance from the locals. This is real Americana. Then continue on to Lafayette and check-in your hotel. Overnight Lafayette.
Mon, Day 14 – Lafayette
This morning you will tour the Acadian Cultural Center. It is the best place to start when traveling through Cajun Country, offering the history of the Acadian people who were expelled from Nova Scotia beginning in 1755 by the British and who regrouped among the bayous, swamps and prairies of South Louisiana. Visitors can view an educational film about their early life in Canada (they arrived in North America a few years before Jamestown), and their Diaspora that sent the Acadians throughout the American colonies, England, the Caribbean and France. Exhibits in the Center also spotlight the contemporary culture of Cajuns, their wonderful food, music, storytelling and even the tradition of telling jokes.
Next you should visit Vermilionville Living History Museum & Folklife Park created to preserve and represent the Acadian, Creole, and Native American culture within the region. It provides visitors from all over the world a wonderful opportunity to view a lifestyle as it may have occurred during a time period spanning from 1765 to 1890. Vermilionville is the largest physical representation of Acadian and Creole culture in the world. The park sits on a beautiful tree covered 23-acre site on the banks of the Bayou Vermilion in the heart of Lafayette, providing a place for music, food expression, cultural exchange, historic architecture and much more. Artisans 
dressed in period costumes provide demonstrations on a variety of essential crafts performed by the early Acadians and Creoles.
Everything comes together tonight when you dine at Mulate's Restaurant in nearby Breaux Bridge, LA. Mulate's is an authentic Cajun dancehall. Many of the cypress beams supporting the building were hauled from the nearby Henderson Swamp. The floors have supported five generation of Cajun dancers. You are as likely to hear French spoken as English. They serve up live Cajun Music and Dancing 7 nights a week. The bands are local musicians and play traditional Cajun Music. The dance floor is in the center of the restaurant and patrons can take a turn on the dance floor or tap their toes from their tables! Overnight Lafayette.
Tue, Day 15 Lafayette – New Orleans (168 miles / 270 kilometers)
Today you depart for New Orleans. En route to New Orleans we are going to drive through Cajun back country and make a stop at Avery Island and tour the one and only original, Tabasco Factory. Your next stop will be near Houma for a Cajun Man's Swamp Cruise operated by a real Cajun character, Black Guidry, who is not only a singer, but a former army green beret and Louisiana state trooper.
Just before you get to New Orleans and as you drive along "river road", stop and tour 
Oak Alley Plantation Home. Located on the Mississippi River between the historic Louisiana cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Oak Alley Plantation has been called the "Grande Dame of the Great River Road". Nowhere else in the south will you find such a spectacular setting! The quarter-mile canopy of giant live oak trees, believed to be nearly 300 years old, forms an impressive avenue leading to the classic Greek-revival style antebellum home.
Then continue on to New Orleans and check-in your downtown / French Quarter hotel. Tonight is free to explore the famous French Quarter. At the heart of New Orleans' enduring allure are the hundred-odd squares of the French Quarter. Alive with history, myth, music and a joie de vivre, the Vieux Carre attracts visitors from around the world to its time worn streets. For jazz, for food, for history or for frivolity the French Quarter is a legendary destination. Overnight New Orleans.
Wed, Day 16 New Orleans
This morning you will enjoy a New Orleans City Sightseeing tour, where you will visit one of its historic cemeteries, referred to as "Cities of the Dead," and learn about this unique above ground burial system. Marvel at stories of voodoo and piracy on Bayou St. John, the waterway used by Jean Lafitte and his band of pirates, as we make our way to the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. View the longest bridge over water in the world, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. Follow the path of the St. Charles Avenue streetcar, the oldest continuously operating passenger railway system in the world (until service was disrupted by Hurricane Katrina). See the homes of former Kings & Queens of Mardi Gras, stately mansions and the world-famous, exclusive Garden District.
This afternoon is free to further explore the French Quarter and for Duty Free shopping, which is available in New Orleans & Louisiana. Tonight you will have a wonderful experience with the New Orleans Steamboat Dinner Jazz Cruise on the might Mississippi River. It is one of the last remaining authentic steam driven paddle wheelers featuring live jazz music by the Grammy nominated "Dukes of Dixieland Band". Overnight New Orleans.
Thu, Day 17 New Orleans – Montgomery (308 miles / 496 kilometers)
This morning depart for Montgomery, Alabama and check-in hotel. This afternoon tour the Hank Williams Museum, the Hank Williams statue and the Hank Williams gravesite. The Hank Williams Museum houses the most complete collection of Hank Williams' Memorabilia. A visit to the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery is a visit into the past, a past that continues today, the life and times of Hank Williams. Here is a brief listing of some things you see while visiting the museum: Over 35 Showcases Filled With Personal Artifacts, Signed Programs And Books, Sheet Music, Song Books, And More, The 4 Sterling Records, Albums, 78 RPM Records, 45 RPM Records, 16 Inch Record And Box Sets, Lyrics To "MEN WITH BROKEN HEARTS", plus Autographed Records, Platinum Records, Awards And Proclamations. Overnight Montgomery.
Fri, Day 18 Montgomery – Macon (186 miles / 300 kilometers)
Before departing Montgomery this morning tour the Dexter Ave King Memorial Baptist Church, which is the church where Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr. pastored from 1954-1960 and began his quest for civil rights. In this National Historic Landmark, see the modest pulpit where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. first preached his message of hope and brotherhood. This church was also a center point of the Montgomery bus boycott. A large mural in the church depicts King's civil rights crusade from Montgomery to Memphis.
Upon arrival in Macon tour the Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House. Today, the Big House has been restored as an Allman Brothers Band Museum, showcasing guitars and other musical instruments, clothing, photos, posters, gold records, a vast collection of memorabilia and state of the art technology. The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House guarantees that the dreams, music and legacy created so long ago by the band will live on. Check-in your hotel. Overnight Macon.
Sat, Day 19 Macon – Atlanta (80 miles / 129 kilometers)
Depart Macon for the Atlanta airport and your flight home.