Mark River's Ode to Ellis

May the River be with You, my Friend!

A bittersweet Winter Solstice edition.  Mark River's Ode to Ellis.  Also, Dave Cornthwaite composes a video collage.  Lastly, sharing stories from friends and folks from all over the world.  Mighty Quapawz sending some big river love!

Above video by our good friend, Dave Cornthwaite, Magic on the Mississippi, from several decades of memories involving Ellis, first time in 2011 when he was paddleboarding the big river.  (PS: That little "bump" on my paddleboard is Emma when she was four years old!)

Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 1009
Since 1995 ~ “Voice of the Lower Mississippi River” 
Quapaw Canoe Company, Clarksdale, Mississippi

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Ode to Brotha E ~ by Mark River Peoples

   In the winter of 2012, I made the decision of a lifetime to dedicate my life to the Mississippi River and communities connected to this iconic treasure. John Ruskey gave me an opportunity of a lifetime to join Quapaw Canoe Company. The River had finally started to reside from the 2011 flood and Quapaw was getting ready to explore the River from my hometown of St. Louis to the Gulf of Mexico, documenting the river for the Rivergator, Paddlers Guide for the Lower Mississippi River. 

  I was living at the Quapaw headquarters, which included an old bar sitting on the Sunflower River. One day I was sitting on a bench watching cars drive by, when a Dodge truck pulled up. A tall, slender, well dressed gentleman exited the truck. He walked like as if he was on the red carpet, gliding as if he was walking on water. My first thought was," Billy De Williams", who was a actor known for being well dressed and having a smooth demeanor. He introduced himself as Ellis the Shuttle Driver and welcomed me to the Delta. He continued on to invite me to Red's Juke Joint when I got comfortable with my environment. As he walked away, I said to myself, "Billy De Ellis" and that's what I called him and that's the name I entered into my phone.

  Some weeks went by, as I prepared for our first Rivergator expedition. The weather started to turn as Spring approached quickly. One evening, it seemed as though Spring arrived in a day. It was a Wednesday and the town of Clarksdale was alive. I took a walk exploring my surroundings, stopping in different establishments, acquainting myself with my new environment and home. I walked by Red's Juke Joint, but couldn't relate to the surroundings. No sign, no movement, just a old rundown building on the corner. That can't be it.

  I went back to the canoe shop and laid down for a nap, processing what I saw, the people I met, and the decision I made to leave St. Louis. One thing I had learned in the Delta, was that if the wind was blowing from the South, it was warm, and from the North, it was cold, but humidity was always 100%.

  That nap lasted longer than I wanted, but I woke up smelling smoke from a barbecue. It was already dark, but very warm for the end of winter. I got dressed and followed the smell of the smoke. As I crossed the railroad tracks, I could see in the distance four men, standing and sitting, monitoring a Goliath size barbecue grill. It's Wednesday and barbecues were for the weekend where I was from, but I welcomed it.

  As I approached Ellis turned around and welcomed me as if we were old lost friends. He introduced me to three people. Big Charles, Dingo, and the iconic Red Patton. I instantly felt a sense of belonging- I had found my people. I was instantly accepted. There was music coming from the inside, as Ellis made a couple of dance moves on the sidewalk. Red watched me closely, as they argued over if the temperature of the grill was right. I stepped in and said, " You want that smoke to be blue and clean." Red looked at me, then Ellis, and invited me to sit down. "Where you from Mark", Red said. I replied" St.Louis." Red said in a profound way, " you from St.Louis, but your granddaddy is from Mississippi!" They all laughed and slapped hands. I said to Ellis," How did he know that?" Ellis replied, " That's Red, he knows everything."

  That evening solidified my existence in the Delta. They made me feel like I was at home with my Father and his friends. Red reached under the table and pulled a Volka bottle from beneath the bench and offered everyone a drink. "After this drink, we got to get to work," Red said. He offered me a drink and I stated that I wasn't a Volka guy. They burst into a boisterous laugh and  patted me on the back. Ellis said," Try it- that ain't no Volka!" I had my first taste of moonshine in the Delta. Red directed Big Charles to the grill, Dingo to the door, and Ellis to the inside to get the people out tof heir seat to dance. Red put his arm around me and took me inside. Ellis whispered in my ear, "Red likes you- he don't like many people."

  We walked inside. I was astonished by the condition of the place, but I liked it. I was feeling warm and comfortable from the moonshine, while marveling at some very young musicians playing the blues like adults. Omar, Hollywood, and Kingfish were their names, the latter became a worldwide prodigy. I watch Ellis dance with every woman, no matter their skill level, and people of all nationalities, enjoying a music that brought us all together. It was like I was back in time. That night I went home with a rack of ribs and a moonshine buzz. That evening solidified my decision to come to the Delta and I've never looked back.

  Ellis and I spent the following months doing River trips and fishing. The River had receded and the Delta was full of "honey holes"of fish. Ellis and I rode the levee, stopping by wetlands catching Brim, Crappie, and Largemouth Bass sitting on spawning beds. Every time he caught a Brim, he would say that's for my "Baby Brenda." Brenda was his beautiful wife who had Delta grace and charm. She always thanked me for hanging out with Ellis. I never knew why, but I accepted it with honor. Ellis made me feel like I was hanging with my Father, who I miss dearly. It amazes me that they passed away almost exactly a year apart. When I fished without him, I would always drop fish off at his doorstep when I returned to town. Some days we would sit along the Sunflower River talking wildlife and food. We both had a connection with food, clothes, and music. He gave me clothes he could no longer wear and Ms. Brenda would adjust them accordingly. The last two years have been tough on me. I lost my Father and my Father figure one year apart, letting me know there's another challenging year ahead. I'm trying to conclude this writing, but the tears won't allow, as they drip on my screen. I know that after this I have to let him go, and find the strength to continue on in this complex world. I know I will see him again. 

May the River be with You my Friend.  See you later, Mark River

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Ellis Stories by Others who Knew Him

Bill Steber:
Oftentimes the people in a community who embody the local culture, bind it together and exemplify what is best about it are not the ones known outside that community. This describes Ellis Coleman, who just died of a heart attack in Clarksdale, MS. Ellis was not a famous musician like members of his family Big Jack Johnson and James “Super Chikan” Johnson, but his personality and generous spirit were arguably a bigger part of what made Red’s Lounge in Clarksdale, MS a truly special place than even the Juke Joint’s musicians and curmudgeonly owner. Ellis was a delivery truck driver by trade, retired in the last few years, but known mostly for being the most elegant dancer and ambassador of Red’s for more than the 30 years I knew him. Ellis Coleman was at Red’s almost every time the doors were open, dressed to the nines, either dancing with his lovely wife Brenda, or coaxing a laughing but reluctant tourist onto the dance floor. Ellis was not only an incredible dancer, but a generous one, always matching his steps to the ability and comfort level of his dance partner. And no matter how great (or not) the music was at any given moment, the room, and the mood of the patrons, always lifted when Ellis took to the dance floor, gliding with an easy grace and making everyone happy, like a down-home Fred Astaire. There will likely be no obit of Ellis Coleman in the New York Times or any blues publications, but it was folks like him that truly are the soul of what makes the music live and breathe. 

Brenda & Ellis, Big Jack Johnson, Red’s Juke Joint, Photo by Bill Steber

Roger Stolle:
Like everyone else in the Clarksdale and blues music communities, I’m still absorbing the terrible news of yesterday. When Orlando called, it simply didn’t seem real. Ellis was just plain a fine human being. He cared about people. He always made folks feel like they belonged. And his smile was absolutely genuine. (He could dance a bit, too!) It’s hard to fathom a Red’s Lounge—let alone a Clarksdale—without his majestic presence. We will remember and talk about Ellis as long as each of us remains on this side of eternity. My standing (literally) joke with Ellis when he came off the Red’s dance floor, sweaty and ready for a beer, was to ask him if he needed me to take over. He laughed every time. Since I can’t dance. And can prove it. One night, Ellis was dancing elegantly with a visiting tourist. She was young and exuberant. He was exuberant. At one point, he spun her and let gravity do its job. He went in for the catch. And missed. We all laughed... with him. (And she was fine. Young folks bounce.) Twice, Red’s legendary barman Big Charles was fueled up and had had enough of everyone saying what a great dancer Ellis was. Charles—a rather large man as his nickname implies—sashayed out from behind the bar and joined the dance floor. It ended with both of them in a dancing “draw.” Laughing. In fact, that’s how I will remember Ellis. Laughing. With a genuine smile.

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Below: Others from Facebook and Instagram, go check out yourself, it's amazing the outpouring of stories, love, videos & photos.  It seems like everyone who visited Clarksdale has an Ellis Coleman moment!

Demmette Guidry, Creative Abrasion:
Ellis “The Dancin’ Man” Coleman 
Trips to Clarksdale will not be the same.
For the last four years along our musical pilgrimage, beyond the catfish at Ground Zero, one of our greatest joys was sitting in Ellis’s backyard—sharing a Coors Light or a Stella (or twelve), swapping stories about the state of affairs, our former corporate lives, fatherhood, our children and of course Blues culture. He was proud, thoughtful, kind, and generous with his stories and his spirit.
Introduced to us by Rev. Slim while working on our Talkin’ Clarksdale documentary— which proudly includes Ellis and his brother Super Chikan—he became part of our Clarksdale family. He welcomed us into his home, into Red’s, into the soul of Clarksdale. He even opened his beautiful property to us to film @cruzthedame “Something In The Wata,” music video. The following year’s visit was made complete with one of Ellis’s legendary stories and life lessons about “something” he fished out of the river on his land - a 100 pound-plus turtle, so big, the newspaper came out to cover it. I think it was prehistoric. The story was funny as he relayed to me and @0405photography but the injury to his hand that resulted was the lesson, further proving there is definitely something in the Wata! 
Ellis embodied the true spirit of Clarksdale—not transactional, but relational. A bright light. A true ambassador.
We’re going to miss you deeply, my brother. Thank you for the memories, the laughter, the trust, and the love. Dance on, Ellis, until we meet again.

Maggie McCabe:
Another dear friend and icon from Clarksdale, Mississippi has left us. Ellis Coleman was the man that could cut a rug with the best... I just don’t think I can dance at Redds without you Ellis. A fine southern gentleman by all accounts. I’ll be missing you every time I get the urge to move to the music. Rest well my dear friend...

Matt White:
Ellis Coleman seemed to burn with an inner incandescence brighter than a hundred thousand Christmas lights strewn across the state of Missississippi. He was the king of the juke joint dancers and one of the greatest ambassadors the Delta will ever know. I’m not certain that I’ve met anyone with more style or charisma. So many beautiful nights spent watching him do his thing and burst a cherished red room into pure joy. He and his family have given a lot to the world and American music. His aura was exemplary of the essence of what I love about the South, and why I feel homesick if I stay away too long. I once heard a story about him carrying a massive possum onto the dance floor at Ground Zero on New Years Eve. He made everybody smile. Apparently Ellis passed of a heart attack over the weekend. I heard someone say “Damn, that cat was badass,” and they were so right. I read that Ellis had been a delivery truck driver by trade. I didn’t know that, but there’s a lot I don’t know. I am, however, certain that Ellis and all of the goodness he brought into this world will be missed for a very long time.

Linda Brewer:
Our group books 2x year canoe trips with Quapaw Canoe Company. Ellis was our shuttle driver. He was Always dressed to the nines. A wealth of information about the area for our endless questions. As we paddled off on the river, he would drum for our protection followed by his big “Whoop Whoop” yell.
See you on the other side Ellis. Whoop Whoop!

Tyre Staples:
He taught me how to fish two step and shoot cans my uncle was a second father to me and there was never a moment of dullness around him I could talk for hours about anything and everything and I always felt seen and heard I remember anytime I came over he’d have me a deer sausage sandwich waiting and he’d always remind me how beautiful smart and worthy I was of living I’ll never forget him

Christopher Hart:
If the reward is commensurate with the amount of joy brought to folks while on earth, then Ellis will be found on cloud 9

Ray Pat:
He was big Unk. We are not even related and he would call me his nephew off GP. Everytime he saw me, we would slap hands and hug each other. He would always ask me how I’m doing and what I plan on doing to be better. I swear he never missed a beat. If I paid today, he would pay tomorrow. UNK ELLIS was a great man and had an amazing soul

Earnest Roy:
Ellis aka Pimp was always in a good mood. A very happy man whose therapy was dancing. That’s right “Dancing With The Stars “.

Graham Hyde:
We visited in April this year from England. Ellis was so kind and generous to us! He made it so we could get up and play at Reds (thanks again to Edna and the band)! We had the time of our lives in his and Reds regulars company. He even shared his whisky stash with us. A true gent, the real deal. Met twice, never to be forgotten.

Nanette Roberts:
He use to come to my nursery on Friars point road and buy flowers for his yard. Always nice and well dressed.

Darnell Turner:
He was a genuinely nice guy. I remember when he worked for Murphy Brewing Company, he would deliver beer on Fridays at Turner's Grill, my mother's place.

Marvin Kingsley:
On our first visit to Clarksdale...my wife and I stopped at Red's to hear Robert Kimbrough Sr. play...we had the Honor of meeting Ellis...he was a very personable man, polite and a skilled dancer...he stole the show with his 'kicks'...we will miss him dearly 

(Stay tuned.  Adding others as I come along them...)