Dedication ceremonies at gravesites of Uncle Jessie, Mr. Bo

UNCLE JESSIE WHITE

The Detroit Blues Society will hold dedication ceremonies at the graves of Detroit blues musicians Uncle Jessie White and Louis “Mr. Bo” Collins on Saturday, July 16, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park at 11851 Van Dyke (just south of Six Mile Road) in Detroit.

Gravestones for Uncle Jessie and Mr. Bo were purchased and placed last year with funds raised by the Detroit Blues Society Headstone Project.

Saturday’s dedication ceremonies will begin at the grave of Mr. Bo (Section 31) at 11 a.m. with a blessing by Rev. Robert B. Jones, followed by comments by Mr. Bo’s family and friends. The group will then proceed to the grave of Uncle Jessie (Section 48) for another ceremony. There will undoubtedly be some musical tributes as well.

MR. BO

To see a map of the cemetery, go the Detroit Blues Society website at www.detroitbluessociety.org.

Those wishing to donate to the project can send a check made out to the Detroit Blues Society with “Memorial Fund” noted on the memo line and mailed to: Memorial Fund, Detroit Blues Society, P.O. Box 488, Goodrich, MI 48438. Donations via the Internet may be made by PayPal on the link on the front page of the DBS website at www.detroitbluessociety.org. All donations are tax deductible.

To see a video of the Detroit Blues Society’s Wolfgang Spider talking about the Headstone Project, click here.

 

To send info to JB Blues, please e-mail Joe.ballor@dailytribune.com.

Detroit Blues Society Headstone Project

EDDIE JAMES "SON" HOUSE JR.

(March 21, 1902-Oct. 19, 1988)

Buried: Mount Hazel Cemetery, Detroit.

WILLIE D. WARREN

(Sept. 11, 1924-Dec. 30, 2000)

Buried: Gethsemane Cemetery, Detroit

CLARENCE BUTLER

One of The Butler Twins

(Jan. 21, 1942-Dec. 22, 2003)

Buried: Sunset Hills Cemetery, Ypsilanti Township

Headstone placed 2006

CURTIS BUTLER

One of The Butler Twins

(Jan. 21, 1942-April 9, 2004)

Buried: Sunset Hills Cemetery, Ypsilanti Township

Headstone placed 2006

CALVIN FRAZIER

(Feb. 16, 1915-Sept. 23, 1972)

Buried: United Memorial Gardens, Plymouth

Headstone placed in 2009

LOUIS "MR. BO" COLLINS

(April 27, 1932-Sept. 19, 1995)

Buried: Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Detroit

Headstone placed in 2010

UNCLE JESSIE WHITE

(Sept. 24, 1920-Jan. 29, 2008)

Buried: Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Detroit

Headstone placed in 2010

VERNON HARRISON

"BOOGIE WOOGIE RED"

(Oct, 18, 1925-July 2, 1992)

Buried: Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery, Clinton Township

Headstone placed in 2011

Note: The Detroit Blues Society assisted in placing headstones on the graves of Son House and Willie D. Warren prior to the Headstone Project.