Jimbo Mathus
In Residence
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED...
TO join Jimbo Mathus in creating The Secret World of Charlie Patton.
Jimbo is the inaugural Artist in Residence at our headquarters in downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi -- and invites you to come watch, learn, and even help as he builds marionettes, writes, scores, and films this new work.
Set in the Delta, the film will include oral histories learned through Jimbo's own experiences growing up around the Patton family and Delta blues world.
Building upon his residency at the historic 100 Men Hall, Jimbo will bring marionettes to life here.
The film -- and events March through April -- will share little-known stories from Charlie Patton; his wife and daughter; and Delta blues legends like Robert Johnson and Bessie Smith.
Together, you & Jimbo will create an Early Wright marionette just one block from where the ground-breaking Black disc jockey broadcast on Delta Ave.
Over the past three decades, Jimbo has achieved international recognition for his music, including his most recent album with Andrew Bird, These 13. During this residency, he'll perform with the Squirrel Nut Zippers in Memphis and Jackson, and with Creatures of the Southern Wild at the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale.
Jimbo still loves coming home to the Delta, and can't wait to spend this Spring exploring stories with both travelers and the community here.
FILMpremiere
Save the date... The secret world of Charlie Patton became the masterpiece that is Postcards for Rosetta, premiering at the Clarksdale Film Festival in 2024...
-
January 27-29, 2024
Peek behind the scenes in our gallery below, or sign up for the mailing list to receive your invitation to the premiere:
THANK YOU...
to Jimbo, his team, and everyone who made this residency an incredible experience.
Jimbo is currently touring the world, popping into the cutting room periodically to complete the masterpiece, and still regularly communing with the spirit of Charlie Patton -- and his daughter, Rosetta -- for inspiration. We're still inspired by him and his work here! Join Jimbo and the Squirrel Nut Zippers on tour to experience this force for yourself!
aboutJIMBO
Jimbo Mathus is a Mississippi native, visual 8 musical artist, writer & producer with deep ties to the Delta. The 55 year old Mathus has spent a life learning the musical lexicon of the Deep South.
His father taught him the ropes of bluegrass, honky-tonk and gospel. He absorbed the blues on visits to Clarksdale where his grandfather, Tony Malvezzi, ran the Conerly shoe store.
Jimbo is a GRAMMY-nominated musician and multidisciplinary artist.
Artistin
residence
This program builds upon Jimbo's work developed in residence at 100 Men Hall.
A historic landmark in Bay Saint Louis, 100 Men Hall was founded as a Benevolent Association in 1894. The present hall's cornerstone was laid in 1922, and it became a thriving stop on the "chitlin circuit." It was a center of African American community for over a century, and still runs a variety of wonderful programs and events.
Visit Coastal Mississippi to experience this treasured institution for yourself.
Celebrating 100 years of
100 Men Hall
What does a multifaceted Mississippi story enacted by marionettes look like?
Take a peek at the film created during Jimbo's residency at 100 Men Hall.
It's an origin story about the
Mississippi Gulf Coast, and the
creativity and culture that was
born and nurtured there...
All Videos
DeltaEvents
-
Saturday, March 18, 3-6p: Jimbo's Homecoming & Marionette Unboxing Pary (Clarksdale)
- Thursday, March 30: Jimbo Mathus at the GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi in Cleveland
-
5:30p: FREE Student Conversation with Jimbo & Delta Music Institute alumna Schaefer Llana
-
7p: Words & Music: Jimbo Mathus
-
-
Friday, March 31: Cultivating Clarksdale kickoff & celebration
-
Saturday, April 1, 2-4p: Jimbo Mathus in downtown Helena, Arkansas
-
3p: FREE Conversation & demonstration
-
4p: Meet-and-greet at Delta Dirt Distillery's anniversary party
-
-
Sunday, April 9, noon-3p: Easter Studio
-
Thursday, April 13 – Sunday, April 16: Studio & Events at the Juke Joint Experience
-
Thursday, April 20 – Sunday, April 23: Filming The Secret World of Charlie Patton
openstudio
Travelers and locals of all ages are invited to drop in FREE, 1-6p:
-
Sunday, March 19
-
Thursday, March 23
-
Friday, March 24
-
Saturday, March 25
-
Sunday, March 26
-
Friday, March 31
-
Sunday, April 2 noon-3p
-
Saturday, April 8
Jimbo will be working with clay, sewing, painting, light and set designing, composing, screenwriting AND filming. You're welcome to come watch briefly, or come learn and create with him every day.
The workshop and marionette theater is inside our Shared Experiences HQ:
121 Delta Avenue, on 1st & Delta in downtown Clarksdale.
THANK YOU...
to our partners who believe in the power of art to preserve and share our stories, drive economic development,
bring people together & uplift our souls and communities.
Visit Clarksdale was the first and biggest believer in this program. We've also been thrilled to work with Visit Cleveland, the GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi, Delta Music Institute, Visit Helena, and Delta Dirt Distillery to bring Jimbo to neighboring communities. The Clark House Inn was home to our town's founder John Clark, and is now home to XRDS.fm and countless Delta blues travelers, including Jimbo throughout his residency here. We're all working together to nurture the creativity that makes this place special -- and share it with the world.
We look forward to welcoming y'all to #VisitTheDelta and experience this Delta magic for yourself soon.
