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ORAL HISTORY

Janis Jordan, customer

Bully's Restaurant

Janis Jordan is a longtime customer at Bully’s Restaurant. She was introduced to the place by a friend in the early 1990s, and made it a habit to visit at least 2 or 3 times a month. Janice has lived places other than Jackson, but she returned to the city to help care for her parents. For a living, she makes soap that she sells at local markets and also does some web design. Janis is also a musician and performs in the small front room at Bully’s every Friday afternoon. Whether customers want to hear Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, or Patsy Cline, Janis obliges. She’s a one-woman act, playing guitar or using background tracks from her iPhone to support her vocals. She’s been doing this for 6 months and, despite what she terms a “tough crowd,” she returns each week to volunteer her talents for the benefit of Bully’s regulars. And, of course, for her own benefit: a delicious soul food lunch.