News Roundup

"South Mississippi residents will be treated to a free symphony concert Thursday night at the Long Beach harbor. The American Wind Symphony Orchestra, based in Pennsylvania, will perform the "Waterfront Concert," a gift to the Coast from Beaufort, S.C. (full story). 5/22/07

NAACP rocks the vote in Laurel with Mississippi Fats, Young and Dumb, Burn Boy Entertainment and others (full story). 5/21/07

Natchez Festival of Music welcomes UK/NYC jazz violinist David Shenton (full story). 5/20/07

The Delta Democrat Times editorializes that the Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival should be moved to downtown Greenville from rural Washington County (full editorial). 5/18/07

Carson Whitsett, a Jackson native and legendary Hammond B3 organ players, passed away in Nashville on May 8. "Whitsett was part of the rhythm section at Malaco that played on hits by Dorothy Moore (Misty Blue), Johnny Taylor and Bobby Bland. Whitsett moved to Nashville in the mid-1980s where he performed as a session musician and producer, working with such stars as Paul Simon, Tony Joe White, B.B. King and Little Milton. He worked for several years as [Kathy] Mattea's keyboard player (full story)". 05/16/2007

It was a good day in Columbus for music at the Market Street Festival 2007. "The MSF music committee worked hard for a varied mix - gospel, jazz, old-time, blues, Celtic and acoustic, as well as classic, Christian, southern and hard rock." Acts included Swing Shift, Johnny Coleman, Caleb Childs, The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards, Ruby Jane Smith, Big Joe Shelton, AM/FM and CatDaddys, and Brice Miller (full story). 5/10/07