Fife and drum: Keeping the Mississippi rhythm alive

Fife and drum music may not be what most people think of when they think of Mississippi blues, but until recently it was the soundtrack of rural life there.

Field hands socialised to the sound of the cane-carved fife leading a troop of drummers at family gatherings and "picnics" which went on late into the night.

Fife and drum music arrived in America's deep south with military marching bands as early as the 17th Century, and was adopted into the blues traditions of the black slaves.

But the music has slowly disappeared.

Sharde Thomas is 24 and is thought to be the last of the region's fife players.

She was taught by her grandfather, the most famous name in fife and drum blues - Othar Turner.

BBC News went to meet Sharde and find out more.

Video journalist: Patrick Bodenham. Producer: Joshua Bullock

Archive footage from the Alan Lomax Collection at the Folklife Centre, Library of Congress. Used courtesy of the Association for Cultural Equity.

Stop/Start is a series of video features for the BBC News website which follows both new trends that are beginning and old traditions that are coming to an end.