Stepping into the back bar at Tampico Bay just before showtime on Oct. 17, the glow of rainbow Christmas lights bounced off beer signs, tour memorabilia from past artists, and salvaged antiques, giving the space the feel of a juke joint – even though it’s a Mexican restaurant by day. The bar was quiet, no drinks were being served yet, and no music played, but a sense of anticipation hung in the air. Carlos Rosales, co-owner of the family-run eatery, and Terry “Harmonica” Bean, a Pontotoc native and blues veteran, sat at a table close to the stage and talked about their shared mission: bringing authentic Mississippi blues back to Columbus and creating a space where the community can connect with the music that shaped the state.

“The blues is life,” Bean said. “Even when you’re happy and don’t recognize it, you got the blues. Anything in life can come up, and it’s good for you to feel it.”

Though Columbus sits east of the Delta, it has deep blues roots of its own. Catfish Alley, once a hub of Black business and social life, echoed with street performers and traveling musicians, according to the Mississippi Blues Trail website. Legends such as Big Joe Williams, Howlin’ Wolf and Bukka White all spent time here, and Bukka White even sang of the good times in his 1969 recording “Columbus, Mississippi Blues.” In the mid-20th century, local venues like the Hut, the Tic Toc and the Blue Room hosted touring acts such as B.B. King, Little Richard and Louis Armstrong. For many in Columbus, the music is more than entertainment – it’s part of the city’s story.

Rosales and Bean hope to revive that tradition in their own way. The two met by chance at the West Point Black Prairie Blues Festival, and a simple conversation followed by a visit to Pontotoc quickly turned into a friendship built on a shared vision. Rosales wanted to give the city’s seniors a place to hear the music they love, something missing from Columbus’ nightlife. Bean, whose career spans decades playing Delta and Hill Country blues, saw an opportunity to share the music he loves and preserve its history. Together, they began planning Tampico Bay’s first blues night, setting the stage for a tradition Rosales hopes will grow into regular shows – and maybe eventually a small festival celebrating Mississippi blues.

For Rosales, the project has been as much about community as it has about music. “Most bars are for young people,” he said. “But nothing for seniors. Everybody says, ‘Carlos, you gotta do something for us.’ That’s how we decided to start the blues.”

Meeting Bean was a turning point. After their first meeting, Rosales spent hours with him in Pontotoc, sharing a meal and visiting Bean’s own blues museum. He said he spent the day learning not just about the music but the deep history behind it. “I didn’t know how to start,” Rosales said. “But after first meeting Terry, he said ‘We don’t gotta text, come see me.’ So I went to Pontotoc and I started learning the history and the roots… This is the main goal: bring artists here more often and don’t lose the roots of Mississippi blues.”

Bean sees the mission as an act of preserving something sacred and personal. “It’s a music that is so powerful. Blues is the foundation of everything,” he said. “The blues don’t care about color, age or history. It tells your story. You don’t gotta blow no harmonica or play no instrument to have the blues.”

When the show began and Bean lifted his harmonica, the room came alive. His skill, born from a lifetime steeped in blues culture, made every note feel full of emotion. As his voice cut through the air, the crowd swayed and moved with the rhythm, a reminder that while anyone can feel the blues, its heart and soul were created and are carried forward best by Black musicians.

Longtime Tampico Bay patron Sid Caradine tapped his feet along to the beat. “I’ve eaten here for years,” he said. “And knowing the layout, this is a great place for the blues. You can hear it all over, and if you can’t see around the post, Carlos has even got a TV on the wall so you don’t miss a thing. Roberto and him have made this a spot for people to come out, have a good time and enjoy themselves.”

Local resident and business owner Billy Cox stepped outside to grab plates from the Tampico Bay food truck. “That’s the real thing,” he said of the blues playing inside. “I was raised listening to the blues, and seeing it here, right here in Columbus, means a lot. If we all come together to support, I know Carlos can really open up the blues scene in this town. Downtown needs more events like this.”

For some attendees, the evening offered both nostalgia and excitement for the future of blues in Columbus. “Advertising goes a long way, and if my friend hadn’t told me about this, I would have never known it was happening,” said Natasha Howell, a Columbus resident. “And I definitely would have been disappointed if I missed out.”

The friendship between Rosales and Bean has sparked a vision for Tampico Bay beyond its role as a family restaurant. Rosales hopes to give Columbus a place where generations can experience the blues firsthand and help keep the city’s musical heritage alive. “Terry and other blues artists are trying to preserve the roots of this music,” Rosales said. “The tree is dying, and he is trying to bring it back. If we can do something to help, we want to do it.”