Important announcement: Please see the special notice at Hattiesburg_Memory:HB1126
The Rolling Stone Illustrated History Of Rock And Roll
In 1929 the Graves Brothers(Blind Roosevelt Graves and Uaroy Graves) of Hattiesburg "recorded 'rocking and reeling' spirtuals for Paramount..." and made several records in 1936 under the name Mississippi Jook Band. Their songs "...featured fully formed rock & roll guiter riffs and a stomping rock and roll beat." (p.4)
I guess what Rock 104 says is ture. We are the birthpalce of rock and roll. (I don't give us that much credit, but we certinaly helped.) --TWDS
Here is some stuff about them and the recording session from USM: http://www.lib.usm.edu/~archives/blind.htm
Listen to some music: http://shop.fye.com/product.aspx?sku=60040448&loc=50244
Apparently Cooney Vaughn was from Hattiesburg as well.