Jimmy Reed Birthplace — Dunleith, Mississippi

Jimmy Reed — Mathis James Reed — was born on September 6, 1925, in Dunleith, Mississippi, near Leland in Washington County, and became one of the most commercially successful blues artists of the 1950s and 1960s. His relaxed, unhurried shuffle blues — electric harmonica, simple guitar figures, laid-back vocals — was the opposite of the aggressive Chicago blues of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, and it sold accordingly: 'Bright Lights, Big City,' 'Big Boss Man,' 'Honest I Do,' and 'Baby What You Want Me to Do' all crossed over to mainstream pop charts. Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, and the Animals all covered his songs.

Reed grew up in the Delta before moving to Chicago after WWII, where he initially worked in a steel mill before his recordings for Vee-Jay Records took off. He was largely self-taught and recorded with minimal preparation, often with his wife Mama Reed whispering lyrics into his ear from behind the microphone — he suffered from epilepsy and had difficulty remembering words. His casual, almost conversational performance style concealed a deep understanding of groove and timing.

Dunleith is a rural community in Washington County, a few miles from the town of Leland. The Highway 61 Blues Museum in Leland has exhibits devoted to Jimmy Reed and the broader Washington County blues heritage. A Mississippi Blues Trail marker at Leland acknowledges Reed's connection to the area.