Gregg Wilcox speaks about a portrait of Joe McCoy holding a 1927 National Triolian guitar, one of about 50 photographs on display in the hallway of the Vicksburg Convention Center Thursday. Wilcox said once the Vicksburg Gospel and Blues Museum finds an official home in Vicksburg there will be four National Triolian guitars on display along with many other collectibles. (The Vicksburg Post/Melanie Duncan)

[11/9/02]The Vicksburg Convention Center has painted its walls with blues in hopes of guiding tourists from the Vicksburg National Military Park to downtown, a Vicksburg Gospel and Blues Museum official said.

“You won’t find too many people who are interested in the military park who wouldn’t be interested in the blues,” said museum president Gregg Wilcox, 42. “People from England and around the world should know the blues were born in Mississippi. Once they get downtown, they’ll have a look around the shops and get something to eat.”

Some of the pictures on display in the hallway of the convention center are one of a kind, Wilcox said.

“This is the only picture of him in the world,” Wilcox said pointing to a picture of Jim Jackson, who wrote “Kansas City Blues.”

Larry Gawronski, director of the convention center, said the display will help dress up the walls at the center, and he hopes to have other exhibits come in after the blues museum opens.

Wilcox said Vicksburg is more important to the blues than is Memphis.

“The Delta Blues started right here in Vicksburg; everybody played at Catfish Row,” which was located just about where the convention center sits today.

“It was an important place for musicians to play,” Wilcox said.

Wilcox said Memphis is highly credited for the blues because Memphis did a better job of marketing the musical style.

“Everyone is quick to market our talent,” Wilcox said. “Go to Memphis and look at the pictures, most of the musicians are from Mississippi.”

Wilcox said he has received a grant from Vicksburg for $125,000 for a museum and he hopes to get more grant money for the structure.

“We hope the Mississippi Arts Commission will match the grant given by Vicksburg, and we hope to get a federal grant to match both of those grants,” Wilcox said.

Wilcox plans to have rare pictures, albums, bronze sculptures of living blues men designed by Sharon McConnell, a blind artist, and musical instruments and memorabilia of Willie Dixon displayed in the museum.

The city recently dedicated a street to Dixon, a Vicksburg native and blues legend.

One plan is to have the museum on the first floor of the former YMCA building. The rest of the four-story building, which was sold to Michael Hayes of Nashville in April 2000, is expected to be converted into one- and two-bedroom apartments .

Phase I of the project is expected to cost about $300,000.

Wilcox said once the grants are approved, renovation efforts should take a couple of months to complete.

The 821 Clay St., building had been the home of the downtown YMCA for 79 years. The health center closed in August when the Y’s new facility opened at 267 YMCA Place, off East Clay Street.

Wilcox said another option to house the museum is at the Southern Cultural Heritage Complex.