Music & Festivals
Jimmie Rodgers Music Festival
Rising stars to headline weeklong musical event
An annual parade , a gospel brunch , a talent competition and a few rising county music stars are all in store as Meridian gets ready to remember native son Jimmie Rodgers , described by many as the “ Father of Country Music ,” during a weeklong festival slated for May 12-19 .
The 71st annual Jimmie Rodgers Memorial Festival , presented by First Mississippi Federal Credit Union , is expected to bring thousands of festival goers to downtown Meridian during the event , said Leslie Lee , executive director of the Jimmie Rodgers Foundation .
“ The Jimmie Rodgers Festival is not only something that we can boast about for our city , but it ’ s on a national level ,” she said . “ It is an honor to have the oldest running music festival in the U . S .”
Organizers are excited about this year ’ s line-up of musical acts and are pleased to announce the festival will be bringing back the Jimmie Rodgers Celebrity Golf Tournament for the first time in more than 30 years , she said .
“ They used to have a celebrity golf tournament every year , so we are pleased to be able to bring it back for the first time since the early 1990s ,” Lee said .
Participants will play in four-man teams , and registration information and celebrity golfers will be announced on the Jimmie Rodgers website in April .
The festival is a tourist draw for downtown Meridian . Based on ticket sales from last year ’ s festival , at least 34 % of ticket holders came from outside Lauderdale County , Lee said .
Trey Lewis performs Saturday , May 18
By Glenda Sanders
“ As anything would in 71 years , it has gone through changes , it ebbs and it flows , but it is still going , and it still has the energy and passion behind it that started it ,” she said of the festival , which began in 1953 as way to honor Jimmie Rodgers and his influence on the birth of country music .
This year ’ s Jimmie Rodgers Festival will kick off Sunday , May 12 , with a 2 p . m . Mother ’ s Day matinee featuring the Sucarnochee Revue at the Temple Theatre . Hosted by country music singer and songwriter Jacky Jack White , this year ’ s show will feature a wide range of performers , including Carl Ray , Delnora Reed Acuff , Britt Gully , Mississippi Chris Sharp , Piper Sharp Myers , 2nd Mile , Terrill Carter , Tyler Carroll , Tanya N Steve Purvis , Bill Pippin and Jonathan Quigley and My Savior Story . Warming up the audience before the show will be local country singer and guitarist Aiden Williamson .
“ It ’ s a mix of musicians we will have coming to the Sucarnochee Revue ,” Lee said . “ We have blues , we have gospel , we have country . We have a little bit of everything .”
Tickets for the show are $ 10 and can be purchased at the Temple Theatre or on its website at www . thetempletheatre . com .
On Monday , May 13 , Jimmie Rodgers fans are invited to a music history showcase featuring Nashville-based musician Paul Burch , whose album “ Meridian Rising ” paid tribute to Rodgers and his influence on country music . The event , free and open to the public , will be held at 6 p . m . at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience downtown ( The MAX ).
Jimmie ’ s Jam Session will be held at The MAX on Tuesday , May 14 . Participants are encouraged to sign up on the Jimmie Rodgers website in April .
“ I like to think of it as musical karaoke . Instead of you getting up to sing , musicians get up and jam ,” Lee said . “ And we will have a celebrity musician leading the band .”
On Wednesday , May 15 , the famous Jimmie Rodgers Talent Competition , which has been going on since 1953 , will be held at 6 p . m . in The MAX courtyard .
According to legend , a relatively unknown Elvis Presley entered the competition in 1953 and finished in third place , then came back to headline the festival in 1955 . Randy Houser and Faith Hill also both entered the competition in different years and failed to win the top spot .
“ The story is that you never want to come in first
36 • MERIDIAN LIFE