50 States in 50 Weeks…Week 25: Mississippi
posted in: Features • Rock
Fun Facts: State Tree; Magnolia, State Insect; Honeybee, State Song; Go, Mississippi
Home of: B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Elvis Presley, Afroman, Milton Babbitt, Sam Cooke
The Venues:
Blues and the South go hand in hand. Many would argue that there is no other community in the country that holds such a strong bond with its musical heritage. As is to be expected, the Deep South is flourishing with blues festivals of all kinds. In Mississippi, the non-profit Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival is the pinnacle cultural celebration. The second longest continuously operating blues festival in the country,it has hosted performers the likes of B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughn and many more. Having recently opened submissions to other art forms rooted in African American culture, such as Gospel music, this is the best time to head down to the banks of Lake Ferguson and check out this FREE late summer blues festival.
Deemed by some as the birthplace of rock and roll, the southern town of Hattiesburg, Mississippi is home to many cozy hole-in-the-wall venues, such as Thirsty Hippo. Hosting a variety of genres, from world to hip hop to blues, this tiny musical outlet lends a homey vibe to weary traveling musicians who are happy to indulge in the $2-$3 drafts at the bar. The Thirsty Hippo has even welcomed OurStage’s own Petticoat Junkies!
The Music:
It takes a seasoned musician to acknowledge the fact that musical fame and stardom does not come overnight. Jennifer Dixon is one of them. Having completed her college education on a vocal scholarship, her talent is more than evident. A very un-Nashville blend of rock and country, Dixon has recorded tribute album demos for Julie Roberts and K.T. Tunstall in addition to her own full length CD 2 Years produced by Nashville’s Jim Reilley, and has placed Top 10 in OurStage channels 6 times with one Number 1 prize!
Started by two lifetime friends, Laurel-based Who is Tyler Durden is a mixture of hard rock and indie sounds, complete with the requisite heavier screaming and catchy effected guitar riffs. Motivated by exceeding fans’ expectations at every live performance, the guys of WITD are tirelessly writing and recording new material in hopes of building a catalog extensive enough to impress any fan that wanders by! Check out their song Irrelevant (Complicated Lovers) currently competing in the Indie Rock Channel.
Hey teenage girls “ totally over Justin Beaver and the Jonas Brothers? Check out 15-year-old OurStage country act Wiliam Michael Morgan. Straight out of Vicksburg, MS, Morgan has been performing since the age of 5, and has since surrounded himself with an ensemble full of country music’s most cherished supporting musicians, such as Eddie Bayers (drummer for Ricky Skaggs and George Strait), Biff Watson (guitarist for Faith Hill and Patty Loveless) and Bruce Watkins (fiddle and mandolin for Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton). Having won the 2006 North American Country Music Association International Male Vocalist of the Year award, this kid is bound to top the charts any day now.
Check out these acts and other great Mississippian artists in the Playlist below! Who are your favorite OurStage Mississippians? Where do you like to see music in Mississippi? Let us know in the comments!