Mississippi Arts Hour

Malcolm White talks with Alexander Bostic and Dominic Lippillo, MAC visual art fellowship recipients featured in the exhibit "A Perspective of People" now on display at the Mississippi Library Commission. Bostic and Lippillo are both art professors at Mississippi State University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey talks with Oxford-based writer Chris Offutt about his new novel, Country Dark. The book is set in Eastern Kentucky in the early 1960s and follows the story of a young moonshine runner and his family. Offutt grew up in the region and the novel was a way for him to delve into the huge changes that took place in Appalachia during the 1960s and 70s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

Melody Moody Thortis talks to Mona Nicholas, Executive Director of the USA International Ballet Competition. The IBC, started in 1979 is held every four years in Jackson, MS and regularly welcomes over 40,000 attendees from 25 nations and 30 states. Melody and Mona speak about the history of the competition and its founder, Thalia Mara and the distinct caliber of this event. You can find more info...

Larry Morrisey talks with author Michael Kardos. His latest novel is “Bluff,” which follows the story of a young washed-up magician who steps into the world of card cheats and gets more than she bargains for. In addition to the details of the book, Kardos also talks about his time working as a magician on the boardwalk at the New Jersey shore. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...

Diane Williams talks with Dr. London Branch, accomplished musician, writer, educator, conductor and retired Jackson State University professor. He was instrumental in building the JSU symphony and still teaches students privately and performs locally. He is joined by one of his former students, Daniel Parker, who currently lives in Memphis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

Larry Morrisey travels to Starkville to talk with photographer and Mississippi State professor Marita Gootee. Her photography focuses on examining the concept of memory, which she has pursued through different processes and techniques, creating a varied and distinctive body of work. Gootee has received two artist fellowships from the Arts Commission and has been featured in the Mississippi Museum...

Malcolm White talks to journalist and author Jonathan Miles. They talk about Miles time in Oxford, his career as a journalist and free-lance writer and his latest novel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey talks with Oxford-based writer Michael Farris Smith about his latest novel, The Fighter. The book follows the story of an aging cage match fighter from the Mississippi Delta who is dealing with the effects of his years in the ring. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Malcolm White talks to visual artists Teresay Haygood and Roger Cleaves. Haygood is the currator for a series of exhibitions co-sponsored by the Mississippi Arts Commission and the Mississippi Library Commission. Cleaves is one of the featured artists. He talks about his carrer, style of work and artistic influences Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turry Flucker speaks with Dominic Lippillo. Dominic is among nine visual artists from around the region receiving a State Fellowship from Atlanta, Georgia-based and MAC‘s regional partner South Arts. In addition to Mississippi, this year’s recipients represent Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Dominic Lippillo's work questions the role of...

Larry Morrisey travels to Starkville to talk with percussionist Robert Damm. Damm is the director of Music Education Partnerships at MSU and is specialist in African percussion. He performs throughout the region with his group and leads drumming classes at MSU Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Malcolm White talks to Jackson based artist Amelia Key. They discuss her artistic influences, her artwork and her job working with stained glass at Pearl River Glass Studio in Jackson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Morrisey traveled to Starkville to learn about the arts and cultural programs at the Mississippi State University Library. Library staffer Sarah McCullough gives details on these programs, including the upcoming Ragtime Festival, the new Ulysses S. Grant Museum and programming at the Historic Cotesworth home in Carroll County. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Malcolm White talks to Mississippi Arts Commission Grants Director Diane Williams about the grant programs offered through the MAC. They also talk about her work as an artist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turry Flucker talks to La Tanya Autry. She currently serves as Art and Civil Rights Curator at the Mississippi Museum of Art. Her role is in partnership with the Tougaloo College, where she will organize exhibitions lecture about works of art related to the African American liberation struggle from the early 20th century to today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turry Flucker talks to Executive Director Stuart Rockoff about the work of the Mississippi Humanities Council. The Mississippi Humanities Council was founded in 1972, and during that time the Mississippi Humanities Council played an important role in helping to bring about social change in Mississippi, organizing and supporting interracial meetings and funding grants to communities to discuss dese...

Larry Morrisey hosts a tribute to the late bluesman and MAC Roster Artist Leo “Bud Welch. Welch passed away in December 2017 at the age of eighty-five and a busy but brief career as a touring musician. Larry talks with “Highway 61” show host Scott Barretta about Welch’s career and his impact on the Mississippi blues scene. He also will speak with Vencie Varnado, Welch’s manager who helped him land...

Malcolm White talks to Jackson based singer/songwriter Chris Gill. They talk about his career, his musical style and influences and his guitars. Chris plays some tunes live in studio as well Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turry Flucker talks with 2018 Governor’s Arts Awards recipient and Artistic Director of Ballet Mississippi, David Keary from Jackson. David Keary began his ballet training with the Jackson Ballet under the direction of Albia Kavan Cooper, and later became the first professional dancer under the direction of Thalia Mara. He completed his training at the School of American Ballet, the official schoo...

Larry Morrisey talks with Governor’s Arts Award recipient Steve Azar of Greenville. Starting in music as a teenager, Azar had major hits on country radio in the early 2000s. He continues to perform, but also is the co-founder of the Mighty Mississippi Music Festival and helps to support Delta-based non-profits through his charitable foundation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more infor...

Turry Flucker talks with Betsy Bradley, director of the Mississippi Museum of Art and former executive director of the Mississippi Arts Commission. A Greenville native, Betsy received her B.A. in English from Millsaps and M.A. in literature from Vanderbilt University. A longtime arts leader, her role as director of the Mississippi Museum of Art has allowed her to expand the Museum's mission, espec...

Larry Morrisey talks with 2018 Governor’s Arts Awards recipient V.A. Patterson from Jackson. Patterson got her start in the arts at an early age, attending performances with her mother a columnist for the Clarion-Ledger newspaper. She spent her career in the arts and culture, working in historic preservation, museum work and heading up the Craftsmen’s Guild and Very Special Arts of Mississippi. Ho...

Malcolm White talks to the Executive Director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, Wayne Andrews. The Council is a recepient of one of the Governor's Arts Awards for 2018. They talk about the goals of the organization and some of their programming. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.