Something about the flow of the river brings an inspiration to the people who live near it.

Whether it’s the green of the plants or the heat of a southern summer, the winding path of the muddy waters that cuts its way around Vicksburg ignites those who witness its beauty and its sorrow.

Some of those people are so overcome by the emotion that all they can do is let it out by expressing their feelings through song.

“There are so many songs written about going down to the river,” said Shirley Waring, executive director of the Vicksburg Blues Society.

Vicksburg is renowned for its blues scene.

The peaceful nature of the flow of the river could nurture the creativity in musicians and be part of the inspiration they feel when they are in Vicksburg, Waring said. She notes the river starts small up north but once it gets down to the Delta it really becomes something to behold.

“It’s such a majestic sight, looking at the river,” Waring said. “If you happen to have a view like we have, you can’t help but be inspired.”

The river means everything to the city with its use for travel through the riverboats, for industry through barge companies and for recreation.

“People realize how important the river is so they’re going to sing about the river because it’s the backbone of so much of our economy,” Waring said.

She calls Catfish Row mystical because of its legend of once being like the “red-light district,” and also its history of being a place people would go to fish amongst the row houses located there.

Waring said not only does the river influence music, but also all other forms of expression like art and food. The act of creating something almost rises out of the soil, homegrown in nature. She said it’s all about storytelling.

Vicksburg embraces the blues by having restaurants and businesses interested in booking regular live blues performances and serve food that is indicative of southern soul food, she said.

“We’re trying to preserve the blues as well as perpetuate our legacy of Willie Dickson,” Waring said, referring to the famous blues musician from Vicksburg.

Waring said the blues originated in the fields with the workers singing as they cultivated the crops. It’s called “holler,” she said, consisting of a rhythmic scream and shout in the fields of the Delta where the overflow of the river nurtured the soil. The simple beauty of the water was enough to inspire the creation of music.

“The way the river flows and the way that it enriches the soil, that originated the blues,” Waring said.

She is particularly proud of Vicksburg’s presence in the International Blues Challenge held in Memphis each year. The first year Vicksburg sent a musician to the competition they placed into the finals, and the next two years Vicksburg’s representative won first place: Mr. Sipp in 2014 and Eddie Cotton in 2015, giving the city international attention.

“We’re able to draw musicians that want to be part of the caliber of entertainment that we are developing, the caliber of the entertainment we are able to present and actually we’re noted for world-class entertainment now,” Waring said.

Musicians from all over Mississippi come to Vicksburg to play for the chance to represent the city at the IBC contest. The Vicksburg representative needs only to have a connection to Mississippi to represent the city.

“If you have any significant tie to Mississippi, either through family or any other way, we would qualify that so you could participate in our challenge,” Waring said.

Past winners say the contest has marketed them and given them media attention they would have had trouble gaining otherwise. The notoriety has not only boosted the musicians’ careers, but it has also brought interest to the area with people looking to see what is happening in the local music scene.

“I want people from around the world to know the authenticity and the experience that they can have right here,” Waring said.

She said real blues music is very elusive and very rare, and they are committed to presenting Mississippi blues. She calls blues fans serious music people who really listen to the lyrics, the music structure and know when it’s authentic.

“Mr. Sipp and Eddie Cotton are absolutely the epitome of young blues men that are carrying forward this big tradition and this big style of music that is really embraced and loved by the world,” Waring said.

Musicians founded the Vicksburg Blues Society around 2002, and Waring took over as president of the organization in 2006. Because of her business background, Warring said she understands the impact of blues music on the economy and economic development.

“One of our main goals is to do things that improve Vicksburg as a destination,” Warring said. “We embrace the idea that an important part of Vicksburg’s identity is the blues.”

While Waring leads the organization, she has a board that helps plan activities and reaches out for sponsorships to place ads that let people know about the entertainment offered in Vicksburg.

“It’s based on tourism,” Waring said.

One way blues is being supported in Vicksburg is through the Mississippi Blues Trail, an opportunity created by the Mississippi Development Authority. Markers designate famous locations of blues history across the state on the trail, five of which are located in Vicksburg.

Part of her job with the society is to encourage venues and businesses to book blues acts. To advocate for the blues scene in Vicksburg, Waring contacts businesses around town to set up events that present art, live music or food and coordinate them to attract tourists.

“Getting other businesses interested in presenting live blues, reaching out to them, encouraging them when they book live entertainment to work with us on that because it’s a great demand generator,” Waring said. “And they do respond and say they want to be a part of that.”

For more than four years Ameristar Casino has sponsored the Heritage Music Series called The Best in Blues on Saturday nights. She said KJ’s River Town Grille has shown interest in featuring more blues acts, and Monsour’s at the Biscuit Company already features blues pretty regularly.

Mayor George Flaggs Jr., along with the city of Vicksburg and Vicksburg Main Street, are working to bring the blues to downtown through the Downtown at Dusk concert series, which is once a month at the River Stage Plaza on Washington Street.

“And that’s only going to improve,” Waring said.

This spring Waring is working along with the Vicksburg Cruisers to create a new event with the car club called Blues Cruise, which is separate from the April canoeing and kayak race of the same name that has also talked to Waring about working with her this year.