Photos: The Chitlin' Circuit Juke joints in the South

People dancing at the Laicos Club in Montgomery, Alabama.

Bennie "Buckwheat" Payne of The Sheiks playing the trumpet on the floor in front of the stage at the Laicos Club in Montgomery, Alabama.

B. B. King performing on stage at the Laicos Club in Montgomery, Alabama.

James Brown performing on stage at the Alabama State College Arena in Montgomery, Alabama.

Tina Turner performing on stage during a concert at the Elks Club in Montgomery, Alabama.

Woman singing on stage during a dance at the National Guard Armory on Dallas Avenue in Selma, Alabama.

Gladys Horton and Katherine Anderson of the Marvelettes, singing on stage during a performance of the Otis Redding Show.

Roebuck ("Pops") and Pervis Staples of the Staple Singers, performing on stage during a concert at the Pekin Theatre in Montgomery, Alabama.

Odetta with her guitar in front of a microphone during a concert at the Municipal Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama.

Eddie Floyd performing at the Laicos Club in Montgomery, Alabama.

Sugar Pie DeSanto dancing with several men in front of the stage during a performance at the Laicos Club in Montgomery, Alabama.

Wilbur Jackson and Bennie "Buckwheat" Payne playing trumpet with Bobby Jackson and His Sneakers on stage at the Elks Club in Montgomery, Alabama.

Marion Sledge, a member of Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces, singing on stage at the Laicos Club in Montgomery, Alabama.

Man reading posters advertising musical entertainment at a club in Harlem.

Members of Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces performing on stage at the Laicos Club in Montgomery, Alabama.

B. B. King performing on stage at the Laicos Club in Montgomery, Alabama.

Women seated at a table at the Laicos Club in Montgomery, Alabama, during a performance by the Sheiks.

Free Hill resident Ollie Page shows what was once a popular juke joint in the Free Hill community in Tennessee.

Jimmy "Duck" Holmes sits outside his juke joint, the Blue Front Cafe, in Bentonia, Mississippi. 

Otis Redding performs on stage during a concert at the Montgomery City Auditorium.

A young man stands with the Marvelettes at the Montgomery City Auditorium during a performance of the Otis Redding Show

Young women in the audience during a performance of the Otis Redding Show at the Montgomery City Auditorium.

Man performing on stage during the Otis Redding Show at the Montgomery City Auditorium.

James Brown performing on stage at the Alabama State College Arena in Montgomery, Alabama.

Otis Redding performing on stage during a concert at the Montgomery City Auditorium.

Little Milton performing on stage at the Laicos Club.

Two young women hug backstage during a performance of Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces at the Selma armory.

Johnny Lowery (saxophone) and Richard Vandiver (vocals) of The Sheiks performing on stage at the Laicos Club.

In this 1955 file photo, trumpeter Clark Terry walks with his son Rudolph under the Apollo Theater marquee after Terry's first stage show with Duke Ellington's band in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. The documentary “Keep on Keepin’ On,” which is being show at the Lyric Cinema Cafe in Fort Collins tells the tale of Terry’s career as an influential trumpet player and studio musician.

Po' Monkey's juke joint in Bolivar County, Mississippi. 

Lyric Theater was an African-American theater located on Walnut Street, now Muhammad Ali Boulevard, and was a major venue for African-American performers from the 1930s through 1950s.

Blues artist Sam "Black Smoke" Wiggins listens to music outside Red's Lounge April 13, 2013 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Dozens of blues artists performed in Clarksdale over the weekend during the city's Juke Joint Festival, a celebration of the region's musical heritage. Clarksdale is located at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 where, according to legend, Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his mastery of the blues guitar. In addition to Robert Johnson the town has been home to Muddy Waters, Big Jack Johnson, Ike Turner, Pinetop Perkins, W. C. Handy and other music legends.

Patrons listen to music outside Red's Lounge April 13, 2013 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Dozens of blues artists performed in Clarksdale over the weekend during the city's Juke Joint Festival, a celebration of the region's musical heritage. Clarksdale is located at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 where, according to legend, Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his mastery of the blues guitar. In addition to Robert Johnson the town has been home to Muddy Waters, Big Jack Johnson, Ike Turner, Pinetop Perkins, W. C. Handy and other music legends.

Blues harmonica player, songwriter, and vocalist "Cadillac" John Nolden performs at Red's on his 86th birthday April 12, 2013 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Dozens of blues artists performed in Clarksdale over the weekend during the city's Juke Joint Festival, a celebration of the region's musical heritage. Clarksdale is located at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 where, according to legend, Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his mastery of the blues guitar. In addition to Robert Johnson the town has been home to Muddy Waters, Big Jack Johnson, Ike Turner, Pinetop Perkins, W. C. Handy and other music legends.

Robert "Wolfman" Belfour sells copies of his music on the sidewalk after performing outside Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art April 13, 2013 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Dozens of blues artists performed in Clarksdale over the weekend during the city's Juke Joint Festival, a celebration of the region's musical heritage. Clarksdale is located at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 where, according to legend, Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his mastery of the blues guitar. In addition to Robert Johnson the town has been home to Muddy Waters, Big Jack Johnson, Ike Turner, Pinetop Perkins, W. C. Handy and other music legends.

Customers listen to music at Red's April 12, 2013 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Dozens of blues artists performed in Clarksdale over the weekend during the city's Juke Joint Festival, a celebration of the region's musical heritage. Clarksdale is located at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 where, according to legend, Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his mastery of the blues guitar. In addition to Robert Johnson the town has been home to Muddy Waters, Big Jack Johnson, Ike Turner, Pinetop Perkins, W. C. Handy and other music legends.

People listen to music outside Red's April 12, 2013 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Dozens of blues artists performed in Clarksdale over the weekend during the city's Juke Joint Festival, a celebration of the region's musical heritage. Clarksdale is located at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 where, according to legend, Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his mastery of the blues guitar. In addition to Robert Johnson the town has been home to Muddy Waters, Big Jack Johnson, Ike Turner, Pinetop Perkins, W. C. Handy and other music legends.

Jimmy "Duck" Holmes sits inside his juke joint, the Blue Front Cafe, in Bentonia.

Ground Zero Blues Club boasts an intentionally "casual" look, but even club co-owner Bill Luckett won't call it a juke joint. That title goes to Red's Lounge, also located downtown.

A date outside the Bradfordville Blues Club is set to the fateful day a tree crashed through the building two months ago, which owner Gary Anton says will stay that way in memoriam. The juke joint plans to re-open their doors on Friday, July 20, 2018.

A crowd gathers at the Blue Front Cafe, the oldest surviving juke joint in Mississippi, to hear live music during the 2018 Bentonia Blues Festival.

Pleshette Howard, aka Ms. Pleshette, performs at the Blue Front Cafe, Mississippi's oldest surviving juke joint, at the 2018 Bentonia Blues festival.

People gather at the Blue Front Cafe, the oldest surviving juke joint in Mississippi, to hear live music as part of the 2018 Bentonia Blues Festival.

The Blue Front Cafe has been in operation since 1948, one year after Jimmy "Duck" Holmes was born. Holmes has run the Bentonia juke joint since 1970.

Ground Zero Blue Club, Juke Joint Festival, Clarksdale.

A Po' Monkey's patron takes a selfie with bluesman Terry "Big T" Williams at the iconic juke joint.

Willie Seaberry, pictured here at Po' Monkey's in 2010, was the owner of what some called America's last authentic juke joint.

Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears at Victory Grill on Thursday July 24, 2008.

Spring 1972 - B.B. King during a rehearsal for a show at Club Paradise. Club Paradise was opened on East Georgia in 1965 by Andrew "Sunbeam" Mitchell, who previously owned Club Handy, Club Ebony and Mitchell's Grill at the corner of Beale and Hernando between 1946 and 1965. Bobby `Blue' Bland, B. B. King, Johnny Ace and other R & B newcomers played some of their first shows at the clubs operated by "Sunbeam" and his wife, Ernestine. Over the years, the Mitchell's were hosts to such names as Little Richard, Ike and Tina Turner, Count Basie, Muddy Waters and Stan Kenton. Club Paradise closed in 1985. (Charles Nicholas/The Commercial Appeal)

Empty parking lot across Woodward from Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit, Thursday, April 23, 2020.

The Fox Theatre in Detroit in 1981.

The marquee on the Fox Theatre announces the Democratic presidential candidates' debate in Detroit, Mich., Sunday, July 28, 2019.

Robert "Wolfman" Belfour arrives for his show at Red's Lounge April 13, 2013 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Dozens of blues artists performed in Clarksdale over the weekend during the city's Juke Joint Festival, a celebration of the region's musical heritage.

Willie Harrell (R) smokes ribs outside Red's Lounge April 13, 2013 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Dozens of blues artists performed in Clarksdale over the weekend during the city's Juke Joint Festival, a celebration of the region's musical heritage.

People listen to music outside Red's April 12, 2013 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Dozens of blues artists performed in Clarksdale over the weekend during the city's Juke Joint Festival, a celebration of the region's musical heritage.

Customers hang out on the front porch outside Ground Zero Blues Club April 13, 2013 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Dozens of blues artists performed in Clarksdale over the weekend during the city's Juke Joint Festival, a celebration of the region's musical heritage.

The Poor Monkey lounge is seen in Cleveland, Mississippi on June 8, 2017. Po' Monkey's lounge is a juke joint located in cotton fields in a one-room house shack, originally sharecroppers' quarters, and was founded in 1961. It was one of the last rural juke joints in the Mississippi Delta till the owner died in 2016.

Jimmy “Duck” Holmes practices guitar with his 13-year-old grandson, E.J. Fox, at the Blue Front Cafe Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. Holmes, who grew up in Bentonia, Miss., has been running the juke joint, first opened by his parents, since 1970.

Festival goers congregate outside Red's Lounge during the Juke Joint Festival Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Clarksdale, Miss.

People dance at Red's Lounge during the Juke Joint Festival Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Clarksdale, Miss.

Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram plays at The Bank in Clarksdale, Miss., during the Juke Joint Festival Saturday, April 22, 2017.

Cedric Burnside plays the guitar at The Cinema during the Juke Joint Festival Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Clarksdale, Miss.

Cedric Burnside plays the guitar at The Cinema during the Juke Joint Festival Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Clarksdale, Miss.

Festival goers congregate outside as Pork Chop Wille performs at Red's Lounge during the Juke Joint Festival Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Clarksdale, Miss.

Trenton Ayers plays the guitar with Cedric Burnside at The Cinema during the Juke Joint Festival Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Clarksdale, Miss.

Pork Chop Wille performs at Red's Lounge during the Juke Joint Festival Saturday, April 22, 2017, in Clarksdale, Miss.