A public art display began to make its return to Thomson last week.
Originally installed in 2016, the 12-String Strut was designed to honor the late Blind Willie McTell, the legendary blues musician, who was born and buried in McDuffie County, according to Elizabeth Vance, executive director of the Thomson-McDuffie Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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“We have a music festival, but it’s only one day a year. The tourism board wanted to find another way to honor his legacy,” she said.
The 12-String Strut is comprised of 12 seven-foot-tall Stella guitar replicas. The musician played the 12-string Stella guitar, and the strut refers to his song, “Atlanta Strut.”
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The project was only supposed to last three years, but the pieces remained up for nearly four, she said. They came down at the end of 2019 to be refurbished. Weather had taken its toll. Paint had chipped on the polyurethane sculptures, and they needed updating. They were scheduled to be reinstalled last year, but work was delayed due to the pandemic.
Some of the original artists touched up their work, while other artists declined to participate again, she said. Those guitars were stripped, and new artwork added. Scenes on the guitars reflect McTell’s songs or are related to Thomson. One features Watson’s watermelons, and another highlights the Bartram trail.
So far, 10 have been reinstalled. They can be found along Main and Railroad Streets. Next to the guitar at the Depot, there’s an audio box. Users have the option of listening to a narration about the musician’s life as well as listening to him sing one of his songs.
Blind Willie McTell was born William Samuel McTier in 1901. He became “one of the most accomplished guitarists and lyrical storytellers in blues history,” according to the Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival’s website.
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He played “theaters, taverns, roadhouses, churches, medicine shows, train stations, barbecue joints, house parties and on the streets,” according to the historical marker on Main Street in Thomson. He recorded with RCA Victor, Columbia, Decca and Bluebird among others.
His songs, “Statesboro Blues” and “Broke Down Engine Blues” have been recorded by artists such as the Allman Brothers and Taj Mahal.
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In 1992, members of the Activities Council of Thomson hosted its first blues festival. Last year, it was cancelled because of the pandemic. Typically held in May, it has been scheduled for Sept. 25, 2021, and the line-up is still being finalized, she said.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
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