MUSKEGON, Mich. — Steven Salter, mayor of Whitehall, has dedicated thousands of hours to the Killer Blues Headstone Project, which provides headstones for blues musicians buried in unmarked graves across the country.
WATCH: Whitehall mayor aims to leave no stone unturned honoring blues legends in unmarked graves
"The Killer Blues Headstone Project exists to provide headstones for blues artists lying in unmarked graves," Salter explained.
Since 2008, Salter has placed 175 headstones in 17 states, including one in Whitehall for his friend Christopher G. Crancer.
The project stems from Salter's deep appreciation for blues music and his discovery that many blues musicians lacked the financial means to mark their final resting places.
"A lot of them, they may have only recorded one or two songs, and they certainly didn't make money off the recordings," Salter said.
Salter says the research process is extensive in his effort to leave no blues musician's grave without a headstone, often requiring cemetery visits to verify whether musicians have existing markers.
“A lot of times, the only way to know if they have a marker is to actually go to that cemetery and walk the cemetery and search for it," Salter explained. "We've done that many, many times.”
According to Salter, each headstone costs approximately $1,400, funded through events like the upcoming concert fundraiser featuring Thornetta Davis, scheduled for Saturday, November 8, at Unruly Brewery in Muskegon.
Salter maintains a list of about 25 musicians he knows are buried without markers, placing headstones as funds become available.
"There's only two kinds of music, the kind I like and the kind I don't, but blues is the roots," Salter said. "When I do good, I feel good, and I feel good when I can honor and recognize these individuals that gave so much of themselves in their art and have made so many people happy."
To learn more about the Killer Blues Headstone Project, or for additional details on the upcoming concert fundraiser in Muskegon, click here.
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