Mississippi Arts Hour

In advance of their performance at the National Folk Festival in Jackson, November 13th -15th, David Lewis talks with John Spann, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Mississippi Humanities Council. Spann has organized a step dance demonstration for the festival featuring Black fraternities and sororities from Mississippi universities. Spann explains the history of the tradition and how each organization has their own signature moves. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In advance of their performance at the National Folk Festival in Jackson, Larry travels to Tupelo to talk with James and Jamel Wofford, father and son musicians in the Church of the Living God. The church uses the steel guitar as the lead instrument in their worship service and the Woffords are both masters of the instrument. They talk about how they learned the instrument and the role of musicians in their church’s worship service. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this Mississippi Arts Hour, host Kristen Brandt talks with Gilroy Chow of the Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum in Cleveland about the history and traditions of Chinese American communities in the Mississippi Delta. From family stories and historic photographs to Chinese-owned grocery stores and generations of Delta foodways, Chow shares how the museum preserves this important part of Mississippi’s cultural heritage.Meet Gilroy Chow and explore Delta Chinese food traditions at the Mississippi Folklife Area during the National Folk Festival, November 13–15 in downtown Jackson! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Leslie talks with interdisciplinary artist, A.J. Haynes. Both a solo artist and lead vocalist for the nationally and internationally acclaimed band, Seratones, A.J. recently performed on the Grammy winning album, A Tribute to the King of Zydeco. She is a Louisiana native, but has lived and created art in Mississippi. Join us for a conversation that covers everything from teacakes, to community building. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry visits with Fletcher Cox, a master woodworker and craftsman who lives in the Jackson area. Cox is a past Governor’s Arts Award recipient and current member of MAC’s Artist Roster. They talk about his roots as a self-taught craftsman, how his work has evolved over the years and how he has given “new life” to fallen trees as furniture and other items. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David visits with the painter Josephine Alexander from Ashland, Mississippi. A native of Maine, Alexander runs a small vegetable farm and makes oil paintings. She received an Artist Fellowship grant from MAC this summer. They talk about her roots in the Northeast, coming back to painting after some time away, and her recommendations to would-be artists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry talks with longtime north Mississippi blues performer Eric Deaton. A native of North Carolina, Deaton moved to Mississippi in his late teens and learned the Hill Country blues style by playing with the masters of the music, including Junior Kimbrough and R.L.Burnside. Deaton has played with a “who’s who” of blues performers over the years and most recently recorded and toured with The Black Keys, the Grammy award-winning rock group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristen talks with author and visual artist Diane Williams about Fostering Love, her memoir of growing up in a troubled family. Diane talks about the challenges of telling a difficult personal story and the insights she gained through the project. Also joining the conversation is Meredith Coleman Magee, the publisher of Fostering Love. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry talks with musician, bandleader and producer Jimbo Mathus. They talk about the upcoming reissue of his 1997 album Plays Songs for Rosetta and the origins of that project, as well as his recent work with the Parchman Prison Band on their upcoming recording. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Leslie talks with television writer, producer, and showrunner, Laura Kittrell. Laura's work includes Insecure, High School, and The Michael J. Fox Show. Her most recent project Elle (from the world of Legally Blonde) premiered on Amazon Prime earlier this summer. Laura discusses the life of a showrunner, the nineties, and growing up in Meridian, Mississippi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.