It was a day in Mississippi, of lost dogs and feral cats and chance encounters. First there was the roadhouse restaurant off Natchez Trace Parkway in Utica, MS, a place named The Crossroads, with a hopping juke box, and a quick dance to Jerry Lee Lewis “Whole Lot Of Shaking Going On.” Then we were off to the bookstore in Vicksburg, for an interesting conversation about authors and the giants that walk amongst us. On the way back to New Orleans we stopped in Bogue Chitto. I just wish the gas station had a t-shirt with that name, I sure would have bought it. We met a wandering dog with a smiling face, and then were given a quick history about him; how he had been hit by a car, that he lived across the street; that they called him Kujo…but the girl at the gas station said she had renamed him, Lucky.

The thing about Mississippi is how friendly everyone is. You can actually have revealing conversations with people. They provide blink moments, as does the music of The Troubadour Kings; Jimmy James and Johnny Ray; tell their stories of love lost, love found, and redemption of the soul. We had their music with us on this road trip, but it would have been great to have them as travel companions. BTW, they guys have other names, just in case they look familiar, you pegged it correctly. They are James House and John Brannen, both of whom have enjoyed success as songwriters and performers, before they teamed up to make the incredible album, Heartache Town. In honor of the dog survivor, Kujo, we bring you a TK’s tune, which was featured in HBO’s series True Blood, “Get Lucky.” Indeed.

- Jessie Scott