Mississippi Arts Hour

This week, Larry talks with Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport , a 19-year old blues guitarist and Vicksburg native who has been taking the national blues scene by storm. Davenport has just released Young Rell , his debut album that features his own original songs. He is touring throughout the U.S. and Europe through the end of this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guest host Julian Rankin (Walter Anderson Museum of Art) visits with painter and visual artist Jerrod Partridge from Ocean Springs. They talk about Jerrod’s recent artist residency at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum and his current project documenting the shrimpers on the Gulf Coast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Larry speaks with Price Walden , an Oxford-based composer and musician. Walden received this year’s music composition award from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters. A native of Booneville, Walden composes a wide range of compositions, including pieces for vocalists, wind ensembles, and choral groups. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To celebrate the Arts Hour’s twentieth anniversary, we’re sharing some classic shows with you. This one from 2016 features two current MPB hosts. Deep South Dining’s Malcolm White interviews Jim Dees from Thacker Mountain Radio . They talk about Dees’ new book. Also joining them in the studio is the late Ron Shapiro, a legendary Oxford businessman and arts supporter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

This week Larry speaks with Jackson-based muralist Gavin Bird . Bird paints outdoor murals for communities and private companies throughout the state. One of his more notable recent works was a large mural completed in Oxford that features several legendary artists who lived in the city. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever thought about becoming a teaching artist or wondered how you would even begin the process? This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Leslie talks with Amanda Koonlaba and Erin Mulligan. Both members of the Mississippi Whole Schools Team, they discuss their personal artistic journeys and how those paths converge with teaching. Amanda and Erin share valuable resources, practical advice,...

Larry visits with sculptor and ceramicist Harold Miller from Brandon. Miller talks about starting into art while growing up in Vicksburg and the influence of the neighborhood on his current work. He also explains how he has built up a clientele through years of exhibiting at art shows around the region. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, Mississippi Poet Laureate Ann Fisher-Wirth speaks with fellow poet Danielle Sellers about the Walt Whitman poem, “I Saw in Louisiana a Live-Oak Growing.” Sellers received her MFA from the University of Mississippi, where she held the John Grisham Poetry Fellowship. She teaches at Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, Texas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

Larry travels to Kosciusko to catch up with Reverend Marvin Myles, Sr, the leader of the Myles Family Singers, a traditional gospel group. He talks about growing up in Friars Point, singing with his brothers and how he taught his children to sing together in their family group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, we sit down with playwright and director Topher Payne to talk about bringing ‘The Attala County Garden Club’ to life on stage at New Stage Theatre. Known for his sharp wit and deep love of Southern storytelling, Payne shares insight into his creative process such as what drew him to this story, how he approaches directing his own work, and the unique dynamic...

While packing his bags for Venice, Italy, Adam Trest stops to chat with David Lewis on this week’s episode of the Arts Hour. Adam and David catch up on all the many projects Adam has been up to, including a new series of works and the debut of three pieces at the Venice Biennale. They recap the many things that Adam has been up to, from licensing his work for home decor to developing a series base...

This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Leslie talks with Belhaven University’s Dean of Fine Arts, Krista Bower. Krista also serves as Professor and Chair of Dance. In our conversation, Krista tells us about her personal journey as a dancer, including co-founding the Mississippi-based contemporary dance company, Front Porch Dance. She also shares information about Belhaven’s artistic offerings for...

This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Larry talks with painter and 2025-26 MAC Artist Fellowship grant recipient Rick Anderson from Clinton. They discuss his roots in the Mississippi Delta and its imprint on his work, his long career as an arts educator, and his current work with an international watercolor society. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB.&nbs...

This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, we’re joined by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, an award-winning author whose work explores a deep love of the natural world and powerful examinations of identity and belonging. Known for her bestselling essay collection World of Wonders, Aimee brings her signature sense of curiosity and compassion to readers of all ages. Her newest book, Night Owl, is a luminous col...

This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, we sit down with Starkville-based musician Patrick Artigues to talk about his recently released EP and the creative influences behind it. Patrick offers an honest and insightful look into his artistic process from initial inspiration to final production. Listen by subscribing to the Mississippi Arts Hour podcast through your favorite podcast app or listen on...

Larry Morrisey travels to Greenville to talk with photographer Euphus Ruth. He has been an active photographer in the Delta for over 30 years. Ruth’s work is focused on the use of historic photographic processes, including wet plate and panoramic cameras.. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB.   https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast .  ...

Leslie Barker talks with the Director of Oxford Community Market, Betsy Chapman, and Music at the Market Director, Luke Fisher. This year-round farmers market builds community through food, music, and an extra serving of southern hospitality. Recently, the market extended a hand and hundreds of warm meals to those in need after the brutal ice storm. They share stories of how the community came tog...

Larry Morrisey talks with Nashville-based musician and author Paul Burch about Meridian Rising, his new book. It’s a fictional memoir of Jimmie Rodgers, the legendary Mississippi musician from the 1920s and 30s. The book blends historical moments with imagined scenes, creating a new consideration of Rodgers’ life and work. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB...

Larry Morrisey visits with poet Angela Ball from Hattiesburg. They talk about her beginnings as a writer and poet, her work as a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi and the themes found in Steeplechase, her new collection of poetry. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB.   https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast .   Hosted...

Leslie Barker talks with one of MAC’s newest staff members, Emmi Sprayberry. Emmi’s documentary photography has gained international recognition. At her core, she is a storyteller who is passionate about accessibility in the arts and supporting emerging talent. Join us for our conversation about the arts in Jackson and Emmi’s new project that examines the relationship between music, community, and...

David Lewis sits down with the 2026 Governor’s Arts Award recipient for Excellence in Arts Education, Dorothy "Dottie" Armstrong. Dottie is an arts educator who has developed arts programming within the Newton community. In this episode, Dottie shares stories about her upbringing, how she didn't see herself as an artist at first, and the work in her community. Listen by subscribing to the Mississi...

Kristen Brandt sits down with Janet Reihle and Crafton Beck of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra (MSO), an institution that has shaped Mississippi’s cultural landscape for more than 80 years. The MSO is the 2026 recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Performing Arts. They talk about the orchestra’s history, its impact on communities across the state, the challenges and joys of presen...

Larry Morrisey visits with blues musician and Governor’s Arts Award recipient, Jesse Robinson. Robinson grew up in the Delta and came to Jackson as a teenager. He’s been playing music around the Jackson since then, including being one of the central musicians at the Subway Lounge, the legendary late-night blues spot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Mississippi Arts Hour, Leslie talks with the 2026 Governor’s Arts Award recipient for Excellence in Music Composition, Heather Christian. Heather is a composer, lyricist, playwright and performer creating music centered shows and rituals. She is a Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, and two-time Obie Award winner. Most recently, Heather was named a MacArthur Fellow, an honor commonl...

Lauren Rhoades talks with author Kelly Foster Lundquist about her striking debut memoir titled Beard: A Memoir of a Marriage. In the book, Kelly revisits her relationship with her first husband twenty years after their divorce as she investigates the "beard" trope in literature, culture, and her own romantic life. Kelly now lives in Minnesota, but is from Yazoo City, Mississippi, and much of the b...