Fats Domino is one of New Orleans’ favorite musicians. I was fascinated by all the posters and memorabilia about many musicians that had a connection not just to Louisiana, but to the Mississippi Delta. Well, they were actually life-sized mannequins, but you get the feeling.

Mickey Gilley and Jimmy Swaggart stood by the piano as Jerry Lee Lewis pounded the keys. When I entered Delta Music Museum, the town’s three most famous residents were there to greet me. Since I came of age listening to Jerry Lee Lewis (aka “The Killer”), famous for pounding on a piano and belting out his special songs, I jumped at the chance to visit his hometown of Ferriday. I visited these towns on press trips, but all opinions are my own. Since I’m originally from Louisiana, I might be a bit prejudiced about it, but here are a few special small cities in Louisiana so you can judge for yourself. It never outgrew its European roots, which makes for some delightful places to visit unlike anywhere else in the country.