“You can’t always go by what them preachers say, because right now some of them drink more whiskey than me.”

Leland was my gateway to the world of Mississippi Delta blues. It was here during the summer of 1968 that I first met James “Son Ford” Thomas, a gifted musician, storyteller, and sculptor. We became friends, and our lives remained closely tied together for over twenty-six years until his death in 1993. Allen Ginsberg referred to Thomas as “my guru,” a description that clearly fit the work we did together over the years. Thomas was a regular visitor and performer in my classes at Jackson State University, Yale University, and the University of Mississippi.