America 250: Mississippi shines a light on its legacy as the birthplace of America’s music
Welcome to Mississippi. It’s known as the birthplace of America’s music. From blues to country to rock and roll, it’s all on display inside the two Mississippi museums in Jackson. There’s so much we can talk about, but only so much space. Memorabilia of blues pioneers. Like Ike Turner’s guitar and BB King’s performance jacket, or opera singer Leontyne Price’s record all tell *** story. She’s the first African American opera singer to, um, kind of have the, uh, you know, international success in opera. Oh my God. And Elvis Presley’s bathrobe when he had *** chance to strip off his twinkling jumpsuits. To have something like from his daily life, I think it brings, you know, *** lot of humanity to him. The shaping of the King of Rock started in Tupelo as he sat on *** milk crate with his guitar praying one day to be *** famous musician. Elvis first performed in the fairgrounds when he was 10 years old, of course he wasn’t doing rock and roll, but he absorbed all of these sounds from the different genres of music. Eventually breaking into global stardom by the 1950s with songs like Heartbreak Hotel and Love Me Tender. I mean you’re in an era where musicians like Frank Sinatra were kind of stayed in one spot and sang or they moved *** little, but Elvis came on stage with his gyrations and his fancy foot movements and I mean. He was *** show. Presley’s artistry was shaped by gospel and blues. The blues were born in the delta and they predate Elvis Elvis was just the bridge. That that brought some sounds together that had pretty well been segregated me working overtime every day. I’m probably the oldest blues man maybe in the world. Surely I’m the oldest one in Mississippi. One of the last living legends of blues music is Bobby Rush. Who once performed alongside BB King, Howlin’ Wolf, and Muddy Waters. They all pushed *** rural style of music that captured suffering and hope with acoustic guitars, pianos, and harmonicas. If you don’t like the blues, you probably don’t like your mama. Blues started inside small juke joints in the South, but its influence came from the church. The blues and gospel, I use it in that order, is the root of all music. Adorned in red, white, and blue robes, this group is known as America’s Choir, the Mississippi Mass Choir, and gospel music has always been the music that has given us hope. I mean, even when you go back to, you know, to the time we were. Sharecropping. Jerry Mannery, the executive director, says he originally started out as *** songwriter for the group, and I had no idea, you know, the first song that of man that was recorded by the choir was *** song called It Wasn’t the Nails that held them to the Cross, and so I mean that’s an Easter staple. When The 215 member choir started back in 1988. Their first album was number one for more than 48 consecutive weeks. They have gone on to win numerous awards, including Grammys, Sttellars, and Billboards. It’s talent that cannot be ignored by Mississippi’s rising artists like soul singer Kirby. I just think growing up in the church and loving that foot stomping hymnal gospel, that raw type of music, I mean, I try to put that in everything that I do. And the country group The Band Perry. My background comes from rock and roll to worship music, so I think that is the through line through all that is country music, and I think that’s my instrumentation in the band. They hope to push. Forward the legacy of their predecessors who gave birth to the music that inspired them. And I think to be authentically soulful is to touch different genres and different colors and races because soul don’t care nothing about that. Soul cares about your heart.
America 250: Mississippi shines a light on its legacy as the birthplace of America’s music
Mississippi, known as “the birthplace of America’s music,” showcases its profound impact on American culture through its rich musical history and iconic artists.”Music is one of the most important things coming out of Mississippi. It’s one of the most impactful on American culture,” said Jessica Walzer with the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson. The museums feature memorabilia from blues pioneers, including Ike Turner’s guitar and B.B. King’s performance jacket, as well as opera singer Leontyne Price’s record. Visitors can also see Elvis Presley’s bathrobe, a nod to his early days in Tupelo, where he dreamed of stardom while sitting on a milk crate with his guitar.”Elvis first performed at the fairgrounds at 10 years old. Of course, he wasn’t doing rock and roll, but he absorbed these sounds he heard growing up here, and then he turns it into what he put out as rock and roll,” said Roy Turner, curator of the Elvis Museum. By the 1950s, Presley had achieved global fame with hits including “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Love Me Tender.” “I’m probably the oldest blues man to be in the world. Surely, I’m the oldest one in Mississippi,” said Bobby Rush, one of the last living legends of blues music. Rush performed alongside icons like B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters, who popularized a rural style of music that captured the struggles of life using acoustic guitars, pianos and harmonicas. “If you don’t like the blues, you probably don’t like your momma,” Rush said. Blues music, which originated in small juke joints in the South, drew its influence from church traditions. “The blues and gospel is the root of all music,” Rush said. The Mississippi Mass Choir, adorned in red, white and blue robes, is known as “America’s choir” for its uplifting gospel music. “Gospel music has always been the music that has given us hope,” said Jerry Mannery, executive director of the Mississippi Mass Choir.
Mississippi, known as “the birthplace of America’s music,” showcases its profound impact on American culture through its rich musical history and iconic artists.
“Music is one of the most important things coming out of Mississippi. It’s one of the most impactful on American culture,” said Jessica Walzer with the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson.
The museums feature memorabilia from blues pioneers, including Ike Turner’s guitar and B.B. King’s performance jacket, as well as opera singer Leontyne Price’s record. Visitors can also see Elvis Presley’s bathrobe, a nod to his early days in Tupelo, where he dreamed of stardom while sitting on a milk crate with his guitar.
“Elvis first performed at the fairgrounds at 10 years old. Of course, he wasn’t doing rock and roll, but he absorbed these sounds he heard growing up here, and then he turns it into what he put out as rock and roll,” said Roy Turner, curator of the Elvis Museum.
By the 1950s, Presley had achieved global fame with hits including “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Love Me Tender.”
“I’m probably the oldest blues man to be in the world. Surely, I’m the oldest one in Mississippi,” said Bobby Rush, one of the last living legends of blues music.
Rush performed alongside icons like B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters, who popularized a rural style of music that captured the struggles of life using acoustic guitars, pianos and harmonicas.
“If you don’t like the blues, you probably don’t like your momma,” Rush said.
Blues music, which originated in small juke joints in the South, drew its influence from church traditions.
“The blues and gospel is the root of all music,” Rush said.
The Mississippi Mass Choir, adorned in red, white and blue robes, is known as “America’s choir” for its uplifting gospel music.
“Gospel music has always been the music that has given us hope,” said Jerry Mannery, executive director of the Mississippi Mass Choir.
