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By Davis Coen

It’s true what they say, that the best things sometimes come in small packages. 

Oxford native Darryl Parker has a new take on the historical markers found all across the state, which help identify and explain historic sites. The recognizable tall skinny plaques are very popular with tourists, and often bring a sense of pride to local communities. 

Over a thousand markers memorialize points of interest, at locations ranging from battlefields to homes to churches, as well as honor Mississippi’s rich musical heritage, particularly with its many legends of blues and country music.

Parker, who has produced the Oxford Blues Festival for over a decade, takes a special interest in the markers honoring the many great men and women of blues music, now numbering at 216 and counting, on what’s referred to as the Mississippi Blues Trail.

“Woodwork was always a hobby of mine,” Parker said about his miniature markers, which range from 10 to 14 inches.

Although the real markers are mostly metal, Darryl’s markers appear so realistic that it’s hard to tell the frames are made of wood. 

Over the years, Parker saw people stopping on the side of the road to take pictures alongside them. 

“Then, they would just get in their vehicles and go,” he said. 

He began to figure some folks might enjoy their own version of the marker to take home.

“I figured they could have it on their desk, as a conversation piece,” said Parker, assuming it could rattle up a discussion about a Delta bluesman like Muddy Waters, or John Lee Hooker.

He currently has a variety of 25 different markers, which not only represent Mississippi blues, but also Texas – with one crafted for guitar slinger Stevie Ray Vaughan, made in orange to conjure a Southwest feel. 

Although, many of the markers are just as they would appear in actual size, in dark blue with a metal stand. 

Parker’s tiny signs are not limited to just blues legends, but masters of other crafts as well, such as Jackson, MS writer Eudora Welty. 

He will also personalize a sign for a loved one. “Someone might say, ‘Hey, can you do a marker for my uncle? He’s a retired Army colonel.’ Or, kids might want to do one for their parents – or vice versa,” said Parker. 

“Blues markers don’t have a monopoly on that style,” he joked.

Parker said that despite guitarist B.B. King’s strong tie to Mississippi and Memphis, that his marker is strangely not his biggest seller. 

So far, buyers have been drawn to artists who played local shows in recent times, and are inclined towards beloved bluesmen like Robert Belfour, or T-Model Ford – both who toured a lot through the area in the 2000s. 

Typically, making a tiny marker is a four-day process from start to finish, mainly to allow for the epoxy to dry on each side. The assembly itself can take Parker up to five hours, and involves a number of stages. He even makes two at a time on occasion, when asked to fast track a request.

“It’s a way to help keep the history alive, to keep the music alive,” said Parker. “It’s one little conversation at a time.”

Contact through email for more information, at raks.solar@gmail.com.

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