Mississippi Arts Hour

Larry Morrisey talks with Tom Booth, Executive Director at Tupelo Community Theatre. They discuss the group’s long history in Tupelo, their work restoring the historic Lyric Theater and how TCT has become a gathering point for the theater community in Northeast Mississippi. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Malcolm White talks with Ke Francis, a Tupelo-based visual artist known for his prints and paintings. Francis, along with his wife Mary, owns Hoopsnake Press, a fine art press that publishes artist books and prints. Malcolm and Ke talk about the artistic process, teaching and what it was like growing up in Tupelo. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Larry Morrisey talks with Oxford-based writer Lee Durkee. They discuss The Last Taxi Driver, his new novel that follows the adventures of a small town Mississippi taxi driver who transports a wide range of locals, including elderly residents, hospital patient escapees and a wanted man. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Malcolm White speaks with Oxford-based author Michael Farris Smith about his newly released book, Blackwood. Known for his Southern fiction, Smith is an award-winning writer whose latest book centers on themes of justice and grace in a rural Mississippi town. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Melody Moody Thortis speaks to Salam Rida and Travis Crabtree, urban designers and long-term planners for the City of Jackson and co-owners of Jackson’s The Ecoshed, about “The Fertile Ground Project,” a winner of 2018’s national “Public Art Challenge.” They discuss their efforts to use the Fertile Ground project to bring together both local and nationally recognized artists, designers and architects to work alongside farmers, chefs, nutritionists, policymakers and community members. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Larry Morrisey speaks with arts educator Amanda Koonlaba, a former art teacher in the Tupelo public schools and a member of MAC’s Teaching Artist Roster. Koonlaba runs Party in the Art Room, a space within the Link Centre where she offers visual arts classes to children in the community. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In honor of Jim Dollarhide, near the anniversary of his tragic death, this is a rebroadcast of Malcolm White’s 2012 interview with the legendary Mississippi filmmaker. Best known for his work in documentaries, Dollarhide also produced commercials for national brands and local organizations, owned and operated a successful production company based in Mississippi, earned many awards and accolades, and influenced a generation of the state’s artists.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Larry Morrisey travels to Tupelo and visits with painter Charlie Buckley. They talk about Charlie’s early beginnings, starting painting when he was in elementary school and his studies in high school and at the University of Mississippi. They also discuss his current work, including his “Stacked Houses” series, which considers how changes in the climate may effect homes in the future. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Malcolm White talks with Randy Bell, a veteran journalist about his longtime career in radio. The two talk about Randy’s 40+ year career, which spanned nine governors, four major hurricanes, three floods, many tornadoes, and an array of state and national elections. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Melody Moody Thortis speaks with the Director of the Chickasaw Development Foundation, Sean Johnson. Sean has worked throughout his career to use the arts as a catalyst for revitalizing small towns and mid-sized cities including New Albany and Houston, Mississippi. Sean shares his passion for community development, his love for the arts, and his advice for others looking for ways to transform their local communities. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Highlights of the Governor's Arts Awards ceremony for 2020. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This Sunday, Larry Morrisey visits with singer/songwriter Spencer Thomas from Jackson. Thomas was the drummer and co-founder of the roots band Young Valley. He’s recently released his first solo album, “Hangin’ Tough.” They talk about his process recording the record and his recent touring with a number of veteran musicians, including Jimbo Mathus and Justin Kinkel Schuster. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Malcolm White talks with Meridian native Patrick Sansone, a talented multi-instrumentalist who has toured, written, and produced for well-known rock band Wilco since joining the band in 2004. In 1999, prior to Wilco, Sansone formed The Autumn Defense with Wilco’s bassist. The group went on to release three full-length albums. In 2010, he published 100 Polaroids, a book of photography.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Longtime Mississippi Arts Hour host Turry Flucker guest hosts this episode to interview the president of Tougaloo College, Dr. Carmen J. Walters. Tougaloo College will receive a 2020 Governor’s Arts Award for Preservation of the Arts. The Tougaloo College Art Collection was started during the Civil Rights Movement and has grown to include more than 1,500 pieces of fine art. It represents the first collection of modern art in the state. In July 2019, Walters became president of Tougaloo College with a commitment to advance the College’s mission—to provide students with an affordable and high-quality transformative education—and its ongoing commitment to social justice. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Melody Moody Thortis talks to musician Steve Forbert about his 40 year career as a singer and songwriter. Forbert will be awarded a Governor's Arts Award this year for "Excellence in Music." Photo credit: Jay Blakesberg See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Larry Morrisey visits with Maurice Surrell of the Jackson Southernaires. The group is celebrating their 80th anniversary this year and they continue to be a popular group on the gospel touring circuit. The group is a recipient of one of this year’s Governor’s Arts Awards. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Larry Morrisey talks with ballet master and 2020 Governor's Arts Award recipient Henry Danton. Danton is a native of England and began dancing in London during World War II. Now 100 years-old, he has traveled throughout the world performing and teaching. He has lived and taught in the Hattiesburg area for the past 23 years. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Malcolm White talks with Richard Kelso, a 2020 Governor’s Arts Award recipient. Kelso is a Cleveland, Miss., native and well-known Mississippi painter whose work focuses on capturing the beauty, time and place of Mississippi’s land.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Malcolm White talks with author and publisher Neil White. Best known for his book "In the Sanctuary of Outcasts," Neil White lives in Oxford where he operates a small publishing company, writes plays and essays, and teaches memoir writing. His newly released book is titled, "Stories from 125 Years of Ole Miss Football.” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Larry Morrisey travels to Greenwood to visit with visual artist Yolande Van Heerden. A native of South Africa, Van Heerden has been working and teaching in the mid-Delta for several years. Most recently, her sewing classes for middle and high school students have been very popular in Greenwood. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.