Jimmie Rogers Legacy

From Mississippi Public Broadcasting: Most country music fans don't realize it, but an important anniversary is fast approaching. Eighty years ago a frail, former railroad worker from Meridian recorded the first country hit record. As MPB's Ron Brown tells us, that's the day the county music industry was born. (Audio Link Here)

Marty Stuart & Brandy

Great article and review of Philadelphia, Mississippi native Marty Stuart's new album over at Monsters & Critics. An excerpt: For Stuart, it all comes from what he calls his "Mississippi heritage." "So much of America`s music sprang from there," says the Philadelphia, Miss., native, whose hometown is within 35 miles of Meridian, home of country music pioneer Jimmie Rodgers. Stuart points to such Mississippi music notables as Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Tammy Wynette and Pop Staples among the state`s rich legacy of American music figureheads. "I realized early on that I come from there, and that any form of music that`s from there I could legitimately go to, and make a contribution," Stuart continues. "When I embraced that, I went beyond making music from one street, one town to the whole American roots system that`s bigger than anybody`s chart. I love that."

McComb, Mississippi native and R&B star Brandy is back in the news for her December 2006 car accident. Now she is suing another driver involved "accusing him of calusing the accident which left a mother-of-two dead." (Full story at RapWeekly.com)

News Round-up

Clarksdale native Ike Turner, a member of the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, was jailed in Los Angeles for a 1989 narcotics warrant (full story). 05/17/2007

Pascagoula native Jimmy Buffett has teamed with Harrah's Entertainment to open the Margaritaville Casino and Resort, part of a $700 million expansion at Harrah's Grand Biloxi property (full story). 05/16/2007

Brookhaven Daily Leader: "Thirteen-year-old Cortland Collins, of Hazlehurst, got his first drum set at age 3...And by this point [age 13], the boy has followed the beat of his own drums to the Apollo in Harlem, New York, as well as the Trumpet Awards, which honor musicians from over 185 countries..."They're not sure, but we've been told he's probably the youngest musician to ever hit the stage at the Apollo" (full story). 05/15/2007

Blues harmonica player Carey Bell, a native of Macon, died in Chicago at the age of 70. Bell was a veteran of both Muddy Waters' and Willie Dixon's bands (full story). The AP and and the UK Times Online both have write ups about his life and work. 05/07/2007

The Mississippi Development Authority added a Jimmie Rodgers marker to the Mississippi Blues Trail at the Singing Brakemen Park in Meridian. Rodgers, considered the father of country music by blending blues with folk, is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame (full story). 05/03/2007

"A 28-year-old former Tupelo newspaper reporter wants the city of Starkville to posthumously pardon musician Johnny Cash for a public drunkenness arrest in 1965" (full story). The arrest led to Cash's famous tune "Starkville City Jail." 05/01/2007