Delta Magazine July/August 2023 by Delta Magazine

Delta

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DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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DISCOVER MORE for your child’s educa琀on! Register now for the 2023-24 school year! Call for more information!

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Publisher: J. Scott Coopwood Editor: Cindy Coopwood Managing Editor: Pam Parker Director of Special Projects: Kelli Williams Contributing Editors: Hank Burdine, Maude Schuyler Clay, Lea Margaret Hamilton, Jim “Fish” Michie, Brantley Snipes, Roger Stolle Digital Editor: Phil Schank Consultant: Samir Husni, Ph.D. Graphic Designers: Sandra Goff, Maggi Mosco Contributing Writers: Jim Beaugez, Jack Criss, Emma Ellard, Chatham Kennedy, Don Joe, Sherry Lucas, Susan Marquez, Leanna Miller Photography: Austin Britt, Rory Doyle, Brian Flint, Heacox Creative Co., Timothy Ivy

Magnolia Heights School 1 Chiefs Drive • Senatobia, MS 38668 662.562.4491 • www.magnoliaheights.com

MAIS, COGNIA, and SAIS Accredited

Account Executives: Joy Bateman, Melanie Dupree, Cristen Hemmins, Kristy Kitchings, Wendy Mize, Ann Nestler, Cadey True Circulation: Holly Tharp Accounting Manager: Emma Jean Thompson POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to Delta Magazine, PO Box 117, Cleveland, MS 38732

ADVERTISING: For advertising information, please call (662) 843-2700 Delta Magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials or photos and in general does not return them to sender. Photography obtained for editorial usage is owned by Delta Magazine and may not be released for commercial use such as in advertisements and may not be purchased from the magazine for any reason. All editorial and advertising information is taken from sources considered to be authoritative, but the publication cannot guarantee their accuracy. Neither that information nor any opinion expressed on the pages of Delta Magazine in any way constitutes a solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities mentioned. No material in Delta Magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publication. Delta Magazine is published bimonthly by Coopwood Magazines, Inc., 125 South Court St., Cleveland, MS 38732-2626. Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, MS and additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Delta Magazine, PO Box 117, Cleveland, MS 38732-0117. Delta Magazine (USPS#022-954)

Delta Magazine is published six times a year by Coopwood Magazines, Inc. EDITORIAL & BUSINESS OFFICE ADDRESSES: Mailing Address: PO Box 117, Cleveland, MS 38732 Shipping Address: 125 South Court Street, Cleveland, MS 38732 E-mail: publisher@deltamagazine.com editor@deltamagazine.com

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from the editor

Against all odds his issue marks the twentieth anniversary of Delta Magazine—quite a milestone in the publishing world! Needless to say, the past two decades have flown by in a blink, and the world has changed in ways we couldn’t have imagined. Our children have all grown up, businesses have come and gone, we’ve lost some dear friends along the way, but have gained new ones as well. Such is the ebb and flow of life. Lee and Pup McCarty, graced In 2003, life at the Coopwood house was hectic but our first cover, and rightfully good. Thomas and Jordan were 9 and 7, and baby Travis so. They helped develop the was only eighteen months old. Scott was busy running allure of the Delta, drawing the Delta Business Journal, managing Coopwood thousands of McCarty pottery Communications, our advertising and marketing agency, collectors to Merigold, and their legacy continues to this day. serving on several boards, and juggling fatherhood and family life. And I was busy begging him not to start one more thing. How could he (we) possibly take on something else, let alone another business? What would there even be to write It was a fun day on my porch setting up the hot dog bar photo shoot. Needless to say, our about? He was certain it would work. I was not convinced. But Scott’s boundless energy, friends came over for a feast afterward! larger than life expectations, and natural creativity have always informed his decisions, giving him the intestinal fortitude to proceed, often in the face of great skepticism. Even from me. And when at dinner with the McCartys one night, Scott shared his idea with Pup, who not only loved it, but agreed that she and Lee would grace the front cover— the deal was sealed. Well—Scott’s instincts proved to be right, as it was a time of great growth and change in the area. The Delta was on the cusp of exploding culturally and becoming “cool.” From the very first issue, we knew we had struck a chord. Roger Stolle felt it too—starting the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale the same year. He knew blues music was exploding as a draw for tourists from all over the world to come see where it all began. At the same time, riffs on Southern food was (and still is) a new obsession of chefs and foodies everywhere—and the intricacies of our way of life, from our dinner parties and supper clubs to hunting camps to debutante balls to farm life, was suddenly fascinating to the rest of the world. The Delta was red-hot and we were here for it. It still is—and we still are. So, in this keepsake issue, we’re doing what we always do—telling the stories of our people. People like Marisol and Rory Doyle, who have brought authentic Neapolitan pizza to the heart of the Delta with their new restaurant, Lena, in Cleveland. Also the Photographer Rory Doyle always comes fascinating history of legendary journalist and politician, the late Hodding Carter of in clutch—even if he won’t let me move one thing after he starts shooting! Greenville, contemporary artist Blair Hobbs of Oxford, and remembering the men who created the soundtrack of our lives—Delta Radio DJs during their heyday. With summer well underway and cookouts on the calendar, we share tips and recipes for a fun, but gorgeous, hot dog bar—and if you’re not on the pickleball bandwagon yet, you’ll learn where you can go in the Delta to sign up for the sport that’s swept the nation. In closing, I would be remiss if I did not credit our staff, some of whom have been with us from day one, for the success of this publication. Our sales team, writers and photographers, and graphic designers, who meet every deadline, deserve a huge debt of gratitude for the success of this venture! This anniversary issue is dedicated not only to them, but to our readers, advertisers, and followers as well. Your continued loyalty and love for the Delta has helped us stamp our brand on Scott, with our sons, Thomas and Jordan, at the region, as we continue to share it with the rest of the world. Here’s to the next the 2003 launch party of Delta Magazine, held twenty years! DM RORY DOYLE

at The Warehouse in Cleveland.

Cindy Coopwood Editor @cindycoopwood | editor@deltamagazine.com

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Welcome to Mockingtrail Square—Cleveland’s first planned unit development. With fifty lots, the subdivision has a neighborhood feel and is conveniently adjacent to both the Cleveland Country Club Golf Course and Delta State’s Athletic Fields, which can be accessed by a pedestrian/golf cart bridge. There are five floor plans to choose from, which are architecturally designed to model the upscale environment of Florida’s scenic 30A area, or have a custom design plan for your lot. Call us if you’re ready to take the next step!

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Debbie Davis Real Estate, Realtor Oﬃce: 662.402.0031 debbiedavisre@gmail.com debbiedavisre.com

Partnership Properties, Realtor Oﬃce: 662.843.8850 partnershipprop@gmail.com partnershipprop.com

mockingtrailsquare.com DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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contents JULY/AUGUST

Volume 21 No. 1

departments

38 BOOKS Reviews of new releases and RORY DOYLE

what Deltans are reading now

42 SHOPPING Accessories, furnishings,

112

and gifts for nurseries and dorm rooms

50 ART TELLING TALES, LAYER BY LAYER The intricate and whimsical works of artist Blair Hobbs

56 MUSIC

JAMISON HOLLISTER: Finding his way home

91 HOME

FROM CRADLE TO COLLEGE Designs for modern nurseries, page 92 Dorm room decor, tips, and trends, page 102

42 features

64 Delta Radio DJs Remembering the voices who brought us the tunes of the day

74 The Game with the Funny Name Pickleball is alive and well in the Flatland 84 In the Dome Authentic Neapolitan pizza has made its way from Naples, Italy to the Mississippi Delta

ON THE COVER: A festive hot dog bar with all the fixings spread on the front porch of Scott and Cindy Coopwood. Photo by Rory Doyle. 14 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

112 FOOD RAISING THE BAR Recipes and tips for a fun and festive Hot Dog bar

122 HISTORY

Remembering Hodding Carter: Award-winning journalist, politician and trailblazer

in every issue 18 Letters 26 On the Road Where we’ve been, where we’re going next

30 Off the Beaten Path Roaming the real and rustic Delta

34 Hot Topics 128 Events 136 Delta Seen 144 The Final Word by Don Joe

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LETTERS MAY/JUNE 2023

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Dining in the Delta Best of...Good Eats “Best of” Results ● Restaurant Guide

Historic Club Ebony

Bringing the blues for years to come $5.95US

DINOSAURS IN THE DELTA TINY TOURISTS

Attracting Hummingbirds 7

scan to PLAN

25274 24724

Over the years Delta Magazine has become my travel companion. In addition to the latest author of historic fiction or suspense who has caught my attention, I enjoy your publications on planes and in hotels worldwide...and then leave them for someone else to enjoy. One never knows who might be inspired to contact you or visit the Delta just by reading one of your fine articles. I particularly enjoyed David Malatesta’s article of his youthful years in Shelby (March/April, 2023). The articles always evoke heartfelt memories and keep me in touch with my roots between my all too sparse visits. One never knows who might contribute a sentence that reconstitutes for the reader a year or an era. Holly Hollingsworth Atlanta, Georgia

DUST ROAD in e th

RECOLLECTIONS OF A DELTA BOY

Foreword by

JULIA REED

ij Epilogue by

RICHARD GRANT

A Collection of Stories from Delta Magazine

HANK BURDINE

#Visitvicksburg

I heard Hank Burdine speak and had him sign my copy of his book, Dust in the Road, in mid-April as part of a Viking river tour that my wife and I were on that stopped in Greenville. I asked him about Willie Morris and he noted that he had

several stories about the author and magazine editor from Yazoo. I was blown away by his stories of the Delta and the show that Steve Azar treated us to that day in Greenville. I bought Hank’s book without giving it much thought, but now that I have read it, I am impressed and grateful. Despite its checkered history on race, the Delta has come alive for me through the eloquence and clarity of Hank’s prose. Our visit to Greenville was one of the highlights of our weeklong cruise on the Mississippi River, and I now have a better appreciation for the people, places and culture of the Delta that has broadened my understanding of the South that were formed in my young years in California in the 1950s and early ’60s. You obviously have a love of the river and the land in your homeland, and it resonates beautifully in your superb collection of magazine pieces. Thank you and much future success. Richard Nemec Los Angeles, California

Congratulations on twenty amazing years. I have enjoyed every issue of Delta Magazine and I have learned a lot about our Mississippi Delta. In the May/June issue, I especially enjoyed reading about Dr. Bob Ragan’s new home. I was touched by seeing the name of my late life long friend, the artist Dud Collier, Jr. mentioned in the article. He painted the portrait of Dr. Ragan’s children. Dud and I were classmates in Shaw when we were five-year-olds and have remained friends throughout his life. He was very talented in many ways, a great artist, athlete, musician and photographer. Dud and I also spent a lot of time together in Memphis after graduating in 1958 from Shaw. Again, kudos to both of you and your staff for an amazing job. Stella Corley Chesterfield, Missouri

@VisitVicksburg VISITVICKSBURG.COM

SEND COMMENTS AND LETTERS TO: editor@deltamagazine.com or Delta Magazine, PO Box 117,Cleveland, MS 38732

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Y’all Said

SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS @deltamagazine

We Asked... What was your very first car?

My first car was a 1969 Buick Skylark, maroon with a black vinyl top as I went off to college at Mississippi State! I have always wondered why my older sisters got a Mustang Convertible with three on the floor and a Chevy Camaro with a 327 and four on the floor! When I look back, my parents made a great decision! – Billy Fisher First car: Volkswagen Bug – Sis Hovis 1967 green Volkswagen Beetle! – John Whiteside It was a used 1958 Chevrolet Impala. Ugly car, but ran good and that was what I needed to make it to school. I was a math teacher and cleared an amazing $189 monthly. Oh, those were the good ole days? – Dick Hickson A Simca— but I don't have a picture! – Lynn C. Sutherland

READER RESPONSE deltamagazine.com

Historic CLUB EBONY

ndianola’s Club Ebony is one of the few stillactive venues from the glory days of the Chitlin’ Circuit, the nickname for the network of African American venues across the country during the segregation era. Following extensive renovations, the 75-year-old club promises to entertain many more generations of blues fans. Owned and operated by the nearby B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center, the club will celebrate its reopening June 1–3 with concerts each night by artists including Mr. Sipp and Tony Coleman, King’s longtime drummer.

Much more than a fresh coat of paint, the iconic venue has been renovated with important structural repairs and numerous updates to the interior, ensuring decades of blues music still to come. View from the newly positioned stage at the renovated venue. 62 | MAY/JUNE 2023

B. B. King and Mary Shephard in 1980. Shephard owned club Ebony from the mid-‘70s to 2008.

In addition to stabilizing the building, the renovation work involved adding a new catering kitchen, creating larger ADAcompliant bathrooms, doubling the serving size of the bar, building a large “green room” for visiting artists, and installing a sprinkler system and new exits/load-in doors. New features include a glass-enclosed sound booth, a ticket booth with a window, and cameras set up for livestream broadcasts. The director of the B.B. King Museum, Malika Polk-Lee, says that renovating the club is “like coming back full circle.” “My first major project after coming on as director in 2012 was renovating the club to make it more operable, and I’ve always wanted to get it to this point, so it has a sentimental value. “For us, this is another part of our mission of fulfilling B.B. King’s legacy. He played at Club Ebony for fifty years, and the

COURTESY OF JIM ABBOTT

The B.B. King Museum opened to the public in 2008, the same year King purchased Club Ebony from longtime owner Mary Shepard and subsequently transferred its ownership to the museum to ensure its preservation. The club was still in operation at the time and continued to host concerts, events arranged by the Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola, birthday parties and other celebrations, and most notably, concerts by B.B. King during his annual “homecoming” visits to Indianola. Founded in 1948, Club Ebony remained open continuously until the arrival of the pandemic in March 2020, hosting hundreds of stars of the blues and R&B world. Successive owners have made changes to the club to adapt to new demands from artists and the audience, and the recent renovations were set in motion to address serious structural problems with the south wall of the facility.

COURTESY OF JIM ABBOTT

BY SCOTT BARRETTA • PHOTOGRAPHY BY RORY DOYLE

Updated venue will keep bringing the blues for years to come

Club Ebony, circa 1953. Courtesy of the B.B. King Museum collection. The “51” sign is an advertisement for the Memphis-based Goldcrest 51 Beer brand. DELTA MAGAZINE 2023 | 63

May-June Issue 2023 Historic Club Ebony by Scott Barretta ~ I’m a big blues fan. Very informative article. So much about Club Ebony and B.B. King I didn’t know. Thank you! – Sandra Keith Thank you for the mention! Yes, Clarksdale’s Juke Joint Festival brings people from all over the USA and the world, including Australia. I enjoyed documenting the Clarksdale Blues story and its contribution to downtown revitalization. And I note that while the JJF brings me back every year, these days it’s the local friends in town whom we love to catch up with. And they have achieved so much over these past twenty years. – John Henshall DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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Rushing Water

PHOTO BY RORY DOYLE

Winding its way from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River has carved its story into America’s history. It has played an important role in defining not only the border, but the culture of the Delta, where it is a source of both recreation and commerce. Beautiful but dangerous, it takes great skill to navigate these waters. Here self-proclaimed river rat, John Ruskey of Quapaw Canoe Company in Clarksdale takes a group out for an excursion on the storied waters. DM

Powering Mississippi since 1923 Ready for the next century We are proudly celebrating 100 years of service to Mississippi. Over the last century, we have put community at the heart of everything we do, from powering economic growth to rebuilding after storms. We believe our successes fuel each other and look forward to an even brighter future. entergymississippi.com

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W O O D, M S EN G RE IN AC TI V E G ET

One of Mississippi’s Oldest Road races 10K Run | 5K Run | 5K Walk One Mile COLOR Run

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ON THE ROAD

where we’ve been, where to go next

CLARKSDALE TUPELO

New lifelike mural, by artist Christopher Keywood, of the late Bill Luckett in Clarksdale. – AUSTIN BRITT

ARKANSAS A larger than life representation of the King of Rock 'n' Roll in his hometown. – MIKE ARMOUR

PHOTO OPS Still standing: Curlys C & R club south of Jonesboro, was a rockabilly hot spot in the ’50s and ’60s. – LARRY HENDERSON

CHATHAM

LAMBERT

Train commerce is alive and well in the Mississippi Delta. – JIM HENDRIX

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Watering the thirsty crops of the Delta. – RIGGS WARE

ROSEDALE

MALMAISON WMA

Landing spot on the riverside bringing tourists to Bolivar County. – ANNE MARTIN

JACKSON

A quiet and easy day in the McIntyre Scatters north of Greenwood. – HART HENSON

& FUNKY STOPS BOLIVAR COUNTY

A tribute to a leader who will never be forgotten. – VISIT JACKSON

DYESS ARKANSAS

Beautiful afternoon storm incoming. – JOEY LAMB

Johnny Cash’s boyhood home. – LARRY HENDERSON Instagram users, follow @deltamagazine

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OFF THE BEATEN PATH roaming the real and rustic Delta

COLLECTIVE SEED & SUPPLY CO. Unique finds in historic downtown Clarksdale BY EMMA ELLARD

N THE EDGE OF CLARKSDALE’S DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, NEAR THE LIBRARY AND THE LEVEE BOARD BUILDING, sits the

tin-and-brick storefront of Collective Seed & Supply Co. Its exterior, decked with plants and banners, is much like its inside—folksy, eccentric, and welcoming. Collective Seed, owned and operated by Ann Williams, is a garden center, general store, and gift shop all in one. Behind the counter, you’ll likely find one of the artists-in-residence who staff Collective Seed (as well as its sister business, the nearby Travelers Hotel) through the Coahoma Collective. It’s a nonprofit and artist co-op—of which the executive director is none other than Ann Williams—where creatives can find work in Clarksdale in exchange for a place to live and work. A canopied courtyard next to the store houses Collective Seed’s impressive array of plants, ranging from flowers to herbs to produce. Inside, shoppers can find gardening supplies, home goods, and gifts—like Delta-inspired reads or stationery—as well as a wide selection of specialty groceries, from locally-grown produce to more offbeat finds, like kombucha or muesli. “I think I’m just most proud,” says Williams, “of having useful, functional, beautiful products that aren’t available anywhere else in our region. It’s not fair that you live in Clarksdale and you have to go to Memphis or Atlanta or even Jackson to shop for cool gifts.” Collective Seed offers hard-to-find items to the community of Clarksdale, sure—but more importantly, the store stands for the hope that Williams has for Clarksdale: growth, creative revitalization, and a strengthened sense of community. Between the creative energies of the minds and hands behind Collective Seed, the store’s unique offerings, and the connections and seedcounter conversations it has already fostered among Clarksdale residents, it’s exciting to watch where Collective Seed—and the rest of downtown Clarksdale—will go in the coming years. 145 Delta Avenue, Clarksdale 662.624.2381 collective-seed.com, coahomacollective.org 30 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Owner Ann Williams sells a wide variety of both unusual and functional items at Collective Seed & Supply Co., many of which are Delta inspired and locally produced.

STEPHENSVILLE STORE Good food, live music, and so much more BY EMMA ELLARD

OR MUCH OF HIS LIFE, RICHARD HARRIS FARMED THE FIELDS OF INDIANOLA.

Now, he’s the owner and operator of the Stephensville Store, where he and his family serve up hearty food, live music, and convenience store goods. Four years ago, the Stephensville Store was the Stephensville Mini Mart, a small roadside convenience store. Then, as a retirement project, Harris took it over. Alongside his family and friends, Harris transformed the mini mart into a buzzing local store-slash-restaurant, and even turned the space behind the rustic country building into an ever-growing RV park. Between the store and the RV park, Harris is proud to say that after only four years, business is booming. As Harris jokes, “These people won’t quit coming!” It’s easy to see the draw. Harris’s love for his family and attention to his customers shine through his business’s practices. “Our whole family works the store,” Harris says. “Our cook, Rosie, she’s the only one that’s not family, but she really is family—we’ve known her all our lives.” The Harrises and Miss Rosie all help bring simple-yetdelicious southern fare to their loyal customers, as well as a welcoming environment to dine, socialize, and unwind. Harris’s message for the readers? “Come and enjoy this food! I’m telling you!” The store serves breakfast and lunch daily— Harris recommends the fried chicken and pork chops—but don’t miss their weekend specials. On Friday nights, they have allyou-can-eat seafood (and sometimes karaoke!) from 6–9 p.m., and on Saturday nights, they have live music and fanfavorite steak and oysters. Next time you pass by Indianola, it’s worth the slight detour to experience the Stephensville Store’s rustic charm. 498 Highway 448, Indianola 662.884.1056 stephensvillervpark.com Visitors to the Stephensville Store, located on the outskirts of Indianola, will find delicious daily breakfast and lunch options, the occasional karaoke night, and mouth-watering steaks. DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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T H E R A N G E T H AT STA RT E D A C U L I N A RY R E VO LU T I O N Almost 40 years ago Viking set the American standard for the modern luxury kitchen when it launched an entire industry from the heart of the Delta. We’ve made quite a few upgrades over the years, but these are still the ranges people see when they dream of a professional kitchen. From cooking and ventilation to refrigeration and cleanup— Viking delivers professional performance and stunning design—proudly made in Greenwood, Mississippi. VIKINGRANGE.COM

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HOT TOPICS JUSTIN’S DELTA Q Serving Mouth-Watering Food in Belzoni Billy and Margaret Parks of Belzoni cook their meat “low and slow” and folks are raving about their BBQ at their new brick-and-mortar location right off Highway 49 called Justin’s Delta Q. Cooking, smoking specifically, has always been part of the Parks family’s life. While their three sons were growing up in Belzoni, Billy liked to smoke mostly on Holidays and in the hot Delta summers, starting around Memorial Day. When it came to their family gatherings and hosting loved ones, there was always something delicious on the smoker. Billy is a farmer in Belzoni, so he knew he wanted the restaurant to be in their home town. In winter 2019, Billy decided he wanted to start this concept and venture out into the restaurant business for their three sons to one day continue. They acquired the property where their business is now located in 2019. Then, COVID-19 paused everything. Billy is a third-generation producer and has the farmer “do-it-yourself” mentality, so he did not give up on the restaurant idea. Justin’s Delta Q opened on April 1, 2023, and they did most of the leg work themselves. Justin’s Delta Q has a team that does all the cooking. Margaret and Billy’s son Joshua is the pit master, with son Fabien working alongside. There are two smokers. One, Mr. Billy built himself,

and the other is an Ole Hickory. Since they just opened in April, they are still figuring out the desires of their customers. Right now, pulled pork appears to the most popular menu item. They also have their wellliked Boston butt, and their butts and briskets cook for fourteen hours. They anticipate holiday special orders—they prepare, and you come pick up. Justin’s Delta Q’s hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 4:30–8:30 p.m. You cannot miss the bright red building with large lettering. Margaret says to come visit them today! 14813 Highway 49 West, Belzoni; 662.318.5004 Facebook: Justin’s Delta Q

LUSH HEALTH DRINKS AND VEGAN EATS Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Choices While serving in the military on a tour in Iraq almost twenty years ago, Hugh Robinson had the vision of Lush Health Drinks. To Hugh, “lush” meant an array of vegetation that is good for the body and soul. He and his wife, Alicia, started the venture together, initially serving up smoothies and detox drinks. After Alicia had a health journey of her own, she felt led by God to do something bold: let the meats go. From there, Hugh and Alicia merged their fresh sips with vegan eats. The Robinsons first experimented with vegan recipes on their family, and the reactions were of complete surprise. “Of course, no one wants to eat salads and raw veggies all the time. So, we got in the kitchen and started cooking some of our favorite meals—only substituting the meat with nutrient-rich replacements like mushrooms, pecans, chickpeas, and jackfruit.” Said Alicia, “None of them believed our vegan dishes had no meat! They said it was too good to be meatless!” In March 2021, Lush Health Drinks and Vegan Eats became a

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business reality for the couple. While landing small catering gigs and juice preps, they saved for a mobile food trailer and secured one in November 2021. Vegan and vegetarian meals were sold for the first time on-site in March 2022. The most popular menu items are the veggie lasagna, their cauliflower “wingz” and the pecan-meat tacos. Other dishes include the pepper mushroom brown rice and gravy, veggie pasta Alfredo, the cheesy “chickUn” over brown rice, and much more. When asked why go vegan in Greenville, the Robinsons say it was a must for them to start in Greenville—they wanted to offer their hometown healthy options in the middle of a food dessert. Lush operates from a mobile food trailer so they do not have set times or locations, but strongly advise following their Facebook page. Lush caters for all events and holidays, and especially advocates for considering vegan/vegetarianfriendly options at any event. 662.822.5842; Facebook: Lush Health Drinks and Vegan Eats; Instagram: @lush_drinks_veganeats

MISSISSIPPI BOOK FESTIVAL Annual Event Held in Jackson On Saturday, August 19, the Mississippi Book Festival—the giant literary lawn party on the grounds of the state capitol building will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.—it is free and open to the public. This one-of-a-kind event will bring together nearly 200 authors for a jam-packed day of literary learnings, events, and fun. Attendees will have the chance to see and listen to dozens of panel discussions, get books signed by their favorite authors, discover new writers, and add to their book collections by books from several vendors and booksellers representing the state of Mississippi. The Mississippi Book Festival will take advantage of its historic setting with tours of the Mississippi State Capitol. Families can also plant the roots for a lifelong love of reading by bringing children to enjoy the festival’s interactive Kids Corner, where kids will focus on books and authors to ignite the imagination. Food trucks will be on hand to serve the hungry

crowd, designed especially for those who often get so lost in a book they forget to eat. The heart of the festival can be found at Authors Alley, an open-air vendor setup where bibliophiles can get up close and personal with their favorite published authors, buy their newest releases, and get them to sign their copies. Some of the participating authors this year include, Lois Lowry, Ann Patchett, Jeff Shaara, Simon Winchester and James McBride. Mississippi State Capitol Building and Grounds; 400 High Street, Jackson msbookfestival.com

YAZOO RIVER FRAMES Ann Ross Williams Creates Distinctive Designs When Ann Ross Williams of Greenwood heard a long-time custom frame building team was calling it quits, she answered the call to fill a need and has done so beautifully. “Back in 2021, a professional photographer was doing a four-yearold portrait of my daughter. He mentioned to me the people who used to do frames in our area were retiring, and suggested I ask they teach me everything about making frames. I took his advice that very day!” Ann Ross can build “any size” custom frame. She can build a frame for your favorite painting, your family portrait, or your uniquely-sized creative work, whether it is six feet by six feet, or four inches by four inches in measurement. Her business, Yazoo River Frames, launched in December 2021. Right now, she runs the frame shop out of her garage with her father, Hal Williams’ help. She procures her moulding from a special retailer and tries to purchase all her supplies locally. For her process, Ann Ross applies stain on the back of the wood before painting. She then uses an orbital sander to distress the wood and has a method she follows from paint to stain. All work is done by hand, including cutting and measuring the wood. Ann Ross said, “The process is long, an unbelievable amount of work.” The most popular frame is white with metallic gold.

Always an artist, Ann Ross had a long career in cosmetology and is certified to teach meditations, exercise and dance with hoola-hoops and studied in New York. Before frames, she was making windchimes with agates and creating pendants with any kind of precious stone imaginable. The custom- framing business has stolen her heart now, and Ann Ross finds tremendous satisfaction in creating a frame to enhance the beauty of her customers’ subject matters. Her frames are featured at Lamb’s Photography. For holiday orders, she requests six weeks before. 724 Crockett Avenue, Greenwood Facebook: Yazoo RiveR Frames

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Financial solutions focused on your business needs.

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BOOKS

Buzzworthy Comments

The Pat Brown Jr. Story, A Life Played Well by Jim Fraiser (Pelican Publishing) In 1966, one of the world’s greatest professional athletes was reborn in blood and pain. Pat Browne Jr., a New Orleans attorney and former star athlete at Jesuit High School and Tulane University and a New Orleans AllAmerican golfer, was blinded in a car accident. Although the road was long and cloaked in darkness, Pat refused to succumb to his losses. He returned to the world of sports and forged a career for himself as a championship blind golfer. Browne would go on to win twenty-three blind pro golf tournaments and was nominated by Arnold Palmer for the World Golf Hall of Fame. As he made his mark on the sport, Pat resolved to give back to others Jim Fraiser along the way and raised millions of dollars for those who had suffered blindness and other difficulties in their lives. His journey led him to cross paths with presidents, other sports, stars and celebrities. This inspiring book by Jim Fraiser is Pat Browne Jr.’s story. (Special/DM Staff ) We Are Too Many: A Memoir [Kind Of] by Hannah Pittard (Henry Holt and Co.) Hannah Pittard, in her first work of nonfiction, We Are Too Many, sharply observes her own heartbreaking story, using multiple forms to recount the affair between her husband and her best friend. Pittard gives concise, distilled recollections—some real, some partly real, and some imagined—to walk through the experience with the reader. Most people might shy away from writing about such a pain point, but Pittard writes with such clarity, generosity, and fairness. The result is that the exploration provokes the reader to take a good look at blame, subconscious self-sabotage, and the subtleties of relationship. She begins the book with an interesting discussion of memory and how it is, in fact, imagination. She also addresses the writer’s conundrum of stealing Hannah Pittard from life to create art and what that means for the people who populate the writer’s life. This semi-memoir is an interesting, inventive, and fast read. (Liza Jones) Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo (Ecco) Award-winning author Elizabeth Acevedo has a proven track record with young adult fiction, but with her first adult novel, Family Lore, she beautifully displays her craftsmanship with a multigenerational novel told mostly through the perspectives of four Dominican-American sisters: Flora, Camilla, Matilde, and Pastora. In the vein of Gabriel García Márquez magical realism, some of the characters have special gifts. In Flora’s case, she can predict when someone will die, and so she is throwing a living wake for herself, unbeknownst to her sisters. The story skips and spans time and place to tell the stories of the Marte family in the days leading up to the wake. They reflect especially on the experience of their mother and their misperceptions of her. This is a lovely novel, complex and pensive, with familial love and Elizabeth Acevedo culture at the colorful heart of it. Acevedo is truly talented. (Liza Jones)

We asked Facebook friends and Delta Magazine fan page group members to share the one book they have read they feel everyone else should read. o Donna Buford Bryant, professor Glendora, Mississippi

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom It shows courage and resilience, grace and faith, faithfulness and trust. It’s a view of history everyone should be shown because it shows the worst and the best of humanity. o Mark Stowers, freelance writer Royal Oak, Michigan

Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain The adventures of a “river rat” is at times hilarious, creative, and even flirting with danger. In those days of finding your own fun and adventure, Tom and his gang found plenty while still getting their chores done. Unplug and go old school with stories that will never lose their luster. o Beth Foley Barnes, development strategist Greenwood, Mississippi

Bluff by Michael Kardos Though this book was released in 2018, five years later, I’m still thinking about the main character, Natalie Webb, and her journey. Kardos came to Turnrow Books in Greenwood for a book signing and wowed the crowd with a few card tricks. There are no tricks up the author’s sleeve in Bluff. It is a refreshing read, especially for people that like wild podcast stories. Bluff is an original, so be prepared to read it in one sitting. It is that good.

For the Record Books Delta Magazine fans are currently reading o Jerry Ferguson The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells

o Julianne Bailey Downton Shabby by Hopwood DePree

o Ruthie Mitchell Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

o Leigh Bradley American Sirens by Kevin Hazzard 38 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

o Walter Herbison The Anti-Communist Manifesto by Jesse Kelly

o Connie McClellan This Isn’t Going to End Well by Daniel Wallace

o Kim Wilson The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

o Van VanZant The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

o Tracey Renfro Where Are the Children Now by Mary Higgins Clark

o Morgan Parker It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

o William Casey Murphy The World Crisis by Winston Churchill

o Mary Parker Redditt The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai (Viking) Author of The Great Believers, and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, Rebecca Makkai tackles multiple social issues in her newest novel, I Have Some Questions for You, a mixture of dark academia, crime and legal thriller, and femicide mystery. Bodie Kane is a film professor and podcaster who returns to the New Hampshire boarding school where she went to high school to teach a film and a podcasting class. Returning to her old school brings up questions around Thalia Keith, a girl in her class who was murdered during their senior year. When one of her students wants to do a podcast about the murder, she herself ends up doing a deep dive and realizes she knew more than she thought she did back then. And that, perhaps, the wrong man was arrested. Makkai is adept at creating beauty within dimensional characters and relationships, but what makes this novel shine is her craft at building the world of an elite boarding school campus fraught with teenage angst, hierarchy, and classism. (Liza Jones) Twelve Days: How the Union Nearly Lost Washington in the First Days of the Civil War by Tony Silber (Potomac Books) In the popular literature and scholarship of the Civil War, the days immediately after the surrender at Fort Sumter are overshadowed by the great battles and seismic changes in American life that followed. The twelve days that began with the federal evacuation of the fort and ended with the arrival of the New York Seventh Militia Regiment in Washington were critically important. The nation’s capital never again came so close to being captured by the Confederates. Tony Silber’s riveting account starts on April 14, 1861, with President Lincoln’s call for seventy-five thousand militia troops. Washington, a Southern slaveholding city, was the focal point: both sides expected the first clash to occur there. The capital was barely defended, by about two thousand local militia troops of dubious training and loyalty. In Charleston, less than two days away by train, the Confederates had an organized army that was much larger and ready to fight. Told in real time, Twelve Days alternates between the four main scenes of action: Washington, insurrectionist Maryland, the advance of Northern troops, and the Confederate planning and military movements. Twelve Days tells for the first time the entire harrowing story of the first days of the Civil War. (Special/DM Staff ) His Word From the Porch: Thoughts to Encourage & Challenge Your Spiritual Journey by Dr. Joe Cole (Self Published) His Word From the Porch is a collection of 200 devotions. These short but thought-provoking devotional thoughts come from Dr. Joe Cole’s thirteen years of sending out (somewhat) daily devotionals. His email campaign, known as “Evotions,’’ has both encouraged and challenged readers across the country and the world as they have been shared and re-shared. The book’s title sprang from the fact that Brojoe (his preferred moniker) often finds inspiration for his messages while sitting on his west Tennessee front porch with Bible in hand. These easy-to-read thoughts and their accompanying Scriptures will encourage you in your daily spiritual journey and help you grow in faith. (Special/DM Staff ) DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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IN THE DELTA

Monday-Saturday: 5-10 PM 314 Howard Street • Greenwood, MS 662.455.4227 • giardinas.com

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SHOPPING SISTERHOOD SURPRISES Celebrate her new letters and colors with a custom-made basket of happies that is sure to keep her representing in many different ways. Olive Juice Gifts, Oxford Instagram: @olivejuicegifts 662.259.2696

PILLOW TALK

Nurseries, Nests, & Dorms Galore From “cradle to college,” we want our kid’s nests to feel special. Here we’ve gathered an array of accessories, furnishings, and gifts that will add the perfect touch to any nursery or dorm room—or just to brighten your college student’s day during recruitment week!

Show your school spirit in style with these adorable throw pillows, perfect for everything from beds to futons. Little Birdie Instagram: @shoplittlebirdie 662.628.4172

LATE NIGHT LIGHT Burning the midnight oil is a rite of passage for your student—at least it can be lit in a chic way Oxford Home Furnishings, Oxford Facebook: Oxford Home Furnishings 662.638.3522

TREASURE BOXES Help organize college belongings for the guys and gals—perfect for jewelry, desk supplies, knickknacks and more! Mississippi Gift Company, Greenwood Instagram: @themississippigiftcompany 662.455.6961

DOUBLE DUTY Multitasking is the name of the game with this functional dorm cabinet. It can house a mini-fridge, snacks, and more—and serve as a nightstand, as well. After Five Designs, Jackson Instagram: @afterﬁvedesigns 601.331.9845 42 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

INITIAL INVESTMENT Shared spaces in dorms can get tricky, but not if their goodies are in a monogrammed bag! These adorable zippered carry-alls are the perfect way to keep stuff organized.

TASTEFUL TALISMANS Jewelry artist Jane Win has designed a special line of 14k gold-plated amulets with the purpose of commemorating special milestones in life, symbolizing abundance of positivity, strength, hope, and luck. The perfect gift for your student as they hit special accomplishments!

Provision Oxford, Oxford Instagram: @provisionoxford 662.638.0480

Jane, Oxford Instagram: @jane_oxfordms 662.281.8711

TRAVEL PROUD Pack a punch of color in the dorm with a vibrant stack of popular lifestyle and travel books. They are not only a gorgeous accent, but pull double-duty as a tropical escape during study breaks! The Olive Tree by Cumbaa Design Instagram: @theolivetreestarkville 662.722.3019

STYLIN’ STORAGE Form and function meet chic and streamlined in this neutral but elegant storage ottoman. After Five Designs, Jackson Instagram: @afterﬁvedesigns 601.331.9845

PRINT PERFECTION From recruitment parties to date nights, an adorable (and cool) sundress cannot be beat! Especially on those warm Mississippi days and nights. Lucky Chics, Greenville Instagram: @shop_luckychics shopluckychics.com

SERVICE WITH A SMILE

RAISE A GLASS Bring your favorite bubbly brand in to your decor with bright and fun coasters, glasses and bags! Lucky Chics, Greenville Instagram: @shop_luckychics shopluckychics.com

Life is busy. If you need a hand with recruitment week or Bid Day gifts, seasonal deliveries, and other services, Oxford Concierge is available to deliver happies, gift baskets, balloons, and more—as well as stocking your condo and party planning! So if you’re out of town but need to have a gift delivered to a homesick student, or just want to brighten someone’s day, give them a call! – Oxford Concierge @oxfordtownconcierge oxfordtownconcierge.com DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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PICTURE PERFECT

CUSTOMIZED COLLECTION The winged Whimsical Flight original painting by Cleveland artist Allyson Hardy is the perfect way to start your little one’s art collection at an early age! This piece is currently available, as are custom pieces and commissions upon request.

Classic gingham and bows complement any nursery—plus framed pics make the perfect gifts for family!

Art by Allyson Hardy, Cleveland Instagram: @artbyallysonhardy 662.588.1080

Sprout, Greenwood Instagram: @shopsproutgreenwood 662.219.0327

LUXE AND COZY Custom pillows in beautiful fabrics are a great way to complete your design, plus they are quite comfy when rocking baby to sleep! The Olive Tree by Cumbaa Design Instagram: @theolivetreestarkville 662.722.3019

TRAY CHIC On a dresser, changing table, or night stand, these white vegan leather trays are a stylish way to organize supplies, books, and other necessities. Piqué by Parker Kennedy Instagram: @piquebypk 800.377.8504

FABULOUS FOLIAGE Bring an unexpected, elegant touch to baby’s ﬁrst room—or any room in the house—with this porcelain and gold leaf orchid. Stunning on a bookshelf or dresser! Piqué by Parker Kennedy Instagram: @piquebypk 800.377.8504

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IN THE ROUND When space is an issue in a nursery, there’s nothing better than a dual-use item! This oversized ottoman in a custom print can double as a foot prop and table—just add a tray! Plus, no sharp corners make it babyproof! Premier Fabrics, Germantown Instagram: @premierfabricsgermantown 901.758.0090

IN STITCHES A beautiful monogrammed quilt is not only a wonderful gift new parents will treasure, it’s a classic keepsake that can be passed down for generations. Young Ideas, Indianola Instagram: @young_ideas 662.887.5539

SWEET DREAMS Late night cuddles never felt so comfy as with this Barefoot Dreams blanket, with perfect nursery colors to boot! Mod + Proper, Cleveland Instagram: @modandproper 662.400.3111

HEIRLOOM HARE The sweetest Herend bunny gives a touch of classic and sweet, and can be kept as a collective for years to come. Social, Memphis Instagram: @socialmemphistn 901.766.6746

BABY BLUE One classic trend we love is the use of blue and blue grey for any nursery, especially when the pieces can be transitional! This 6 drawer chest and sculpture-like lamp can graduate with your little one. World’s Apart, Memphis Instagram: @worldsapartmemphis 901.529.0844

A CUT ABOVE The most precious, and sentimental, birthday knives you ever will see comes with a special poem about using it for many birthdays to come, and then again once your prince or princess gets married. Sure to be a wonderful addition to any family traditions. Punkin Patch, Cleveland Instagram: @punkinpatchcleveland 662.843.0434

FIELD OF DREAMS Artist Haley Farris always loves to tell boy moms that landscapes are versatile enough to be moved out of the home or stay with them as they transition, and we couldn’t agree more! Haley Farris Fine Art Instagram: @haleyfarrisﬁneart DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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ART

Telling Tales, Layer by Layer The intricate and whimsical works of artist Blair Hobbs explore the art of story telling—with art

BY SUSAN MARQUEZ • PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIMOTHY IVY

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Hobbs’s studio workspace boasts a colorful conglomeration of supplies and materials.

the artwork of Blair Hobbs, it’s as if a magical world is unfolding on the canvas. At ﬁrst glance, one takes in the colorful paintings on an aesthetic level, but soon follows the realization that there is much more to see. Each unique piece reveals layers that appear the longer one gazes at it. The work is vivid, whimsical, and provocative. Beautiful for sure but this beauty is often juxtaposed with a dark side hidden in plain sight. Hobbs’s work is as interesting as the artist herself, with each piece telling a story, sometimes in images only, but often with written words incorporated into the design.

studio filled with all kinds of art supplies. She always encouraged me.” While she loved art, Hobbs decided to focus on creative writing in college, with art as a minor. Hobbs’s artistic style developed organically. “In grad school, I wrote a manuscript of poetry. Art helped me study.” During this time she also became interested in feminism. As her individual style was emerging, she began incorporating different, everyday materials, such as sequins and crafting supplies, into her creations. “I love using ribbons, broken Christmas ornaments, and other sparkly things,” she explains. “I try to honor women’s ‘hobby’ art by turning it into fine art. Additionally, while teaching ekphrastic poetry (a creative way of It makes sense that her works tell a story. describing art with verse), Blair spends a lot of Hobbs is also a writer, having earned a master of time in museums. arts in creative writing from Hollins University Hobbs lives in Oxford with her husband, and a master of fine arts in poetry from the John T. Edge, and their son, Jess. Edge is a University of Michigan. She is currently a senior storyteller in another realm—as founder of the lecturer at the University of Mississippi, where Southern Foodways Alliance and the Mississippi she teaches creative writing. So, it stands to Lab, the renowned author and host of the reason that the rich imagery in Hobbs’s creations television show TrueSouth often tells his tales often carry a narrative, making each work even Dealt a Card on Breast Lace through food. The family lives in a house more distinct. situated on an eighth of an acre. While it may be small, the home Born in Oxford, Hobbs grew up in Auburn, Alabama, where her has two studios, one for both John T. and Blair, with a serene garden mother, Marleah Hobbs, was an art professor. “I’ve been making art that separates them. for as long as I can remember,” she says. “My mama had a great DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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The garden outside Hobbs’s studio is a place of rest, reflection, and inspiration.

Blind Folly

Not Yet, Angel 52 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

“The garden is an important part of my process,” explains Hobbs, noting that observing nature and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the garden provides much inspiration. Accessed by a flagstone path, the garden features a seating area with chairs around a firepit. Along the path are raised bed planters filled with aromatic herbs, and tomatoes growing in colorful pots. Native plants and interesting art fill the area as well, from a concrete chicken to a bottle tree to capture the haints. Hobbs likes to discover “weird surprises in the mundane world,” primarily, finding bright oddities in plants, animals, and the human body. That interest took on a whole new meaning for her when she saw friend and Oxford caterer, chef, and Today show food contributor Elizabeth Heiskell, on the show one morning. “Elizabeth said she

was in the best shape of her life when she discovered she had breast cancer. That was not on her radar at all.” Hobbs openly shared about this moment on her Instagram page, “Thankfully, I saw friend Elizabeth Heiskell on the Today show bravely reporting her breast cancer journey. In that morning moment, I realized I was late to a mammogram. My thereafter appointment revealed cancer. Mine is hormone fed and my lymph nodes are clean. I’m lucky. I’ll be fine.” Since her diagnosis, she has shared and explored her scattered emotions through her art. “Maybe others can find comfort in it.” One piece Hobbs created features a mermaid with slashes across one breast. A colorful catfish swims across the bottom. Handwritten words such as “electro,” “magnetic,” “electric catfish,” and “radiant” make a clear reference to the radiation treatments she has endured. Other paintings in that series are Living Room Flowers inspired by Titmouse House, and Venus de Flytrap. Olidon Redon Hobbs’s creative process is one she has developed to achieve the depth and texture she desires in her work. “I start by painting on paper. I draw the characters and cut out everything, then glue or sew it to canvas. I also do borders on my paintings. I think of them as church windows that contain a narrative. I do a lot of layering. I sew and it feels like quilting .” Besides the expected acrylic paints, colored pencils, and ink one typically finds in an artist’s studio, she also incorporates materials such as glitter, thread, gold dust, duct tape, candy wrappers, and broken Christmas tree balls. The result of her labor is a fantastic fantasy Electromagnetic Catfish world that captivates and holds the attention of those who view it. She describes her creations in her personal bio as follows, “Each canvas is a box of assembled visual cues that form an imagined narrative, and those narratives range from bittersweet (or just bitter) to magical to eerie to humorous.” The title for each piece is as fun as the art itself. “I always try to teach my students to respect the pun,” she laughs. For example, in her Rural Mythology series, she explored rural Southern landscapes visited by mythical figures. Bacchus the Bootlegger is the title of one of those pieces. The Freak Show series, which was created not to make fun of the freak, but Mama’s Angel to celebrate all God’s freaks of nature, both real and unreal, includes titles such as Lobster Roll Boy, Swordfish Swallower, Jimmy Hosta, and Peony Envy. Hobbs’s work can be found at Southside Gallery in Oxford. “I got settled into Southside when I moved here twenty-six years ago,” she says. She has also exhibited at Fischer Galleries in Ridgeland. Coming up she will have a show in Atlanta at Spalding Nix Fine Art from November through January 2024. “I’m really excited about that show. It will hang within the gallery’s red velvet room, and my hope is to transform the space into a spellbinding jewelry box.” DM To see Hobbs’s artwork, check her Instagram, @hobbsblair, or visit her website at blairhobbs.com.

I Dwell in Possibility This commissioned piece was for a New Orleans home, where it will be situated over an antique altar table. It depicts a house blessing angel with angel trumpets, passion flowers, and Emily Dickinson’s “I Dwell in Possibility.”

Namazu Beneath the Surface “The catfish piece is looking into the future for renewal. The water lotuses symbolize the renewal, and the catfish is based on Namazu, the Japanese catfish that was gigantic and responsible for earthquakes and tsunamis generated from beneath the surface. It symbolizes the danger beneath. For me, that danger was breast cancer, small and only detected by ultrasound waves,” says Hobbs.

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MUSIC

Finding His Way Home For jet-setting Mississippi musician Jamison Hollister, ‘home’ isn’t just a place. It’s in every note he plays BY JIM BEAUGEZ

amison Hollister is well on his way—but to where, exactly, only his airline tickets know.

In the background of a recent call from his Oxford home, the sounds of rustling clothes and bags, and zippers securing their contents, are unmistakable. In a few hours, he’ll catch a familiar flight from Memphis to Los Angeles, where he’ll reconnect with country star Dwight Yoakam for a one-off gig. “I don’t necessarily go back and forth to L.A.,” Hollister says, as he readies his luggage. “I go back and forth to the airport, somewhere—I just don’t know exactly where it’s always going to be.” Last week, it was Minnesota, he says, and next week it’ll be Colorado. “That’s just the touring musician way of life.” And it’s been Hollister’s life since in 2012, when he left Mississippi for L.A. with his fiancée, filmmaker McGhee Monteith of Lake Cormorant, whom he soon married. Since then, the serial multiinstrumentalist from Greenville has performed on television shows like American Idol, The Voice, Glee, and the Grammys telecast, and has recorded or performed with Dolly Parton, John Fogerty, Blake Shelton, Brandy Clark, Jimbo Mathus and more. He’s been in Yoakam’s band for six years now, playing gigs between scoring music for the ABC show American 56 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Koko, produced by Oscar-winner Viola Davis, and the Netflix series Bloodline. Hollister’s never-ending journey began in the Delta with piano lessons before elementary school, and continued through drums, guitar, mandolin and a catalog of other instruments as he explored his family’s record collection. “I just loved music when I was a kid,” he says. “I was obsessed with the sounds and the textures and how things were put together. I would sit and listen to my parents’ CDs and read through the liner notes, and just pore over Alan Jackson and Alabama and Garth Brooks.” His musical education took off from there. Andy Alexander, Hollister’s late stepfather, played music with drummer Gary Worsham, whose son is Grenada native and Nashville fixture Charlie Worsham, himself a prodigious talent who has secured a spot in Music City history. Back then, the two shared some watershed musical experiences, like when Greenville physician Hilton O’Neal brought them to Germantown, Tennessee, for a concert featuring Doc Watson and Sam Bush. “I got to hang out after the show with Sam Bush, as we stayed at the same hotel and he was in the lobby,” he says. “I’m a high schooler, and me and Charlie are just hanging out with Sam Bush, who for me is an acoustic music guru. Those experiences and seeing bluegrass music early on was what really just set me off and made me want to do this.”

RICHARD WRIGHT

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BETSY ALEXANDER

Hollister back home in Greenville.

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Hollister, a multi-instrumentalist, jams away on a Fender Telecaster.

The pair eventually teamed up in a bluegrass band called the Wabash Cannibals, and spent one spring break jamming in pubs across Ireland with O’Neal instead of relaxing on a beach with their classmates. “My first impression of Jamison was that I’d met a long-lost brother,” Worsham says. “He loved John Hartford—check—he played fiddle—check—and he played steady gigs in Oxford—check. Needless to say I was intrigued, and it didn’t take long for us to become fast friends.” Hollister also played in groups like the Mayhem String Band while studying Mississippi fiddle music for a master’s degree in Southern Studies at Ole Miss. At the time, a burgeoning Americana music scene in L.A. drew him westward, where his steel-guitar abilities quickly found a home on network television after an American Idol producer saw his ad soliciting gigs on Craigslist. “It’s a really unheard-of story, but then again, most people don’t play pedal steel when they move to L.A. They happened to be looking for what I did,” he says. “On the phone call, [the producer] goes, ‘Now, you play pedal steel, right? You don’t just own one?’ But it’s L.A., you have to ask. It was the funniest thing.” Proving the adage that nothing succeeds like success, that gig led to an audition with Lisa Marie Presley, who was entering her own roots-music phase with the Storm & Grace album, produced by T-Bone Burnett. Hollister played in her band for several years and toured the world. “We always had a bit of a mid-South connection,” he says. “I think she dug that I was the least L.A.-type of person. We really got along. She was a lovely, lovely, wonderful human being.” When he began composing music for film and television, Hollister’s jack-of-all-trades pedigree set him apart. Instead of being highly skilled on one particular instrument, as many composers tend to be, his broad knowledge of instruments and musical styles enabled him to compose and perform entire scores without going over-budget hiring specialist musicians. He could simply do it all himself. “The whole world of film and television composition is so diverse and so spread out. Everyone has their own strengths, and you can tell within an instant when they put music up to a picture,

whether this is the right person or not,” he says. “There are people who want a beautiful orchestral or classical score; I’m not really that person. But if they said, ‘We want gritty guitars and banjos and weird sounds,’ I’m your guy.” Those out-there sounds helped him land the job scoring The Good Lord Bird, a 2020 series on Showtime based on the novel about abolitionist John Brown, starring Ethan Hawke. The project brought him back to blues and bluegrass, the music of the Delta and his Mississippi home. He even wrote and performed the main thematic music on a fretless banjo given to him by O’Neal, his old friend in Greenville. But scoring the film brought him home to his Mississippi roots in more ways than one. All those years spent with music in his head, he was also developing an appreciation for how film engages more of our senses to convey emotions than music can muster on its own. “I always was watching a movie or a show, those Steven Spielberg films like Indiana Jones, and I would sit on my couch and pick along with the guitar. And I was like, ‘That’s what I wanna do,’” he says. “You’re combining acting, you’re combining cinematography, you’re combining music, and editing the way it’s all put together. It’s this beautiful symphony, and I can’t think of any other form of art that encompasses so many things quite as beautifully as a well-crafted film does.” When he’s not catching flights for his next road gig, or composing music for television and film, Hollister creates production music for libraries—so, the next time you hear a sound bed with dobro, fiddle, accordion, bagpipes, or any of a number of instruments in his toolshed, it just might have come from his home studio in Oxford, where he lives now. Musically and otherwise, he always finds his way home. “I’m grateful for all the music Jamison and I have made together over the years,” Worsham says. “From college dorm rooms to bluegrass festivals to some of country music’s biggest stages, Jamison always brings his A-game and raises the bar for the entire band. Perhaps more importantly, he keeps everyone smiling even on the longest drives and in the dingiest green rooms.” DM DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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Early Wright’s “Soul Man” broadcast at WROX spanned over fifty years.

Delta Radio DJs Remembering the Glory Days BY JACK CRISS Jim Gregory

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Dan Diamond at WDDT, 1970s.

“Town to town/Up and down the dial...” Those lyrics from the theme of the late 1970s’ TV sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati perfectly embody the transient lifestyle of the much-fabled American cultural icon, the radio DJ. The profession usually attracted career nomads who would indeed move “up and down the dial” seeking better pay, bigger markets, and hopefully, greater fame. This was especially true in the heyday of locally run and operated radio stations, roughly from 1965-1980, when the music was (arguably?) better, the DJs took on personas sometimes larger than life while acting as confidantes to their audiences, and the immediacy of the genre led members of a given community to their transistors or car radios for the latest in news and weather. The Mississippi Delta certainly had its share of what can only be called “characters” in radio—mainly young men who shared their talents and spun the hits all the while creating memories that now, many years later, still resonate. Some stayed here for a number of years, some for only a few. For every Delta radio legend who has been on-air for decades, such as Jim Gregory, there were those who passed through briefly before moving on. Names (some real, others not) like Abby Taylor, Bradley Wilkerson, Doug Johnson, Mark Sommers, Charlie “The Tuna” Stone, and the legendary station owner Eddie Fritts of Indianola—who later became the President of the National Association of Broadcasters—are remembered fondly from those aforementioned golden years by many Deltans. Following are just a few recollections and shared memories of those Larry Dee and Ann Gibson at WDDT, “The Big times by people who lived through and helped shape them. Sound of Greenville.”

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Grayson today. Rob Grayson at WDDT, 1970s.

Charlie Ross back in the day.

Walt Grayson, 1960s.

Dade Moore at WDDT. 66 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Jim Gregory still behind the microphone.

Charlie Ross’s career in the radio industry has stood the test of time. Ross today.

Early Wright Early Wright of Clarksdale, born on a plantation in 1915, was the first Black disc jockey in Mississippi. His “Soul Man” broadcast on WROX in Clarksdale spanned over fifty years. Musicians Wright hosted on WROX included Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Little Milton, Ike & Tina Turner, Pinetop Perkins, Charley Pride, and many others. A mechanic by trade, he went to Clarksdale’s WROX, a Whiteowned station, as the manager of a gospel group called the Four Star Quartet. The group had a fifteen-minute Sunday morning program. The station’s manager, Preston “Buck” Hinman, impressed with Wright’s charisma and on-air personality, offered him a regular show as WROX’s first Black announcer in 1947. Before accepting the job, Wright consulted his preacher to make sure there wasn’t anything sinful about playing blues music, according to Wikipedia. Wright developed a dual on-air persona for his four-hour nightly show: As the “Soul Man,” he played blues music; then he’d switch to Gospel music and became “Brother Early.” Wright provided Ike Turner with one of his earliest gigs, and Turner’s Kings of Rhythm sometimes played on Wright’s show. Elvis Presley also appeared on Wright’s show early in his career. In 1988, the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi honored Wright with a scholarship in his name. And every year, the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival in Clarksdale gives the Early Wright Blues Heritage

Award to non-musicians who have helped “preserve, promote, perpetuate, and document blues in the Mississippi Delta.” Clarksdale named the road that went past his house, Early Wright Drive.

The WDDT team back in the early ’70s.

Bubba O’Keefe, current ClarksdaleCoahoma County tourism director, was first a fan of Wright before he got to know him. “Growing up, my first song request made on radio was to Early,” recalls O’Keefe. “And I can remember seeing him walking around downtown, always immaculately dressed—sharp, with a coat and tie—and driving a nice car. Both Black and White audiences loved his show back in those days.” O’Keefe laughs when recalling how Wright would hook his radio show advertisers—for life. “He’d go on-air and

say, ‘The first three people at Kroger right now get a free loaf of bread,’ which was a total shock to the managers at Kroger. But, sure enough, they’d hear what Early had announced and give out whatever he promoted. It was absolutely magical and unreal, unlike anything that could be done today.” He was a true star,” continues O’Keefe. “He switched over from gospel to soul and blues effortlessly and did all of this during the height of segregation, you have to keep in mind. Early also was a promoter and performer, all while being such a famous disc jockey. Look, he had Elvis on-air before Colonel Tom Parker had claimed him, and Presley picked up tips from Early from what I’ve heard. Early had one of the longest continuing radio programs of all time—if not the longest.” Charlie Ross Still a popular fixture on Delta radio, Ross’s career has spanned decades, not only in Mississippi but throughout the South. “The great station back in the old days, where so many of us in the business got our start, was WDDT,” recalls Ross. “The studio was located inside the Delta Democrat Times building, hence the name, and Hodding Carter and Jim Gibson owned the station. I was hired as an on-air personality by the great Dan Diamond, our program director, and worked with some other well-known jocks at the time like Mike Mitchell. The late Jimmy Carr (nicknamed “The Sharecropper”) was the station manager. “Those were great times for me,” continues Ross, “because I was not only on the air, but I also worked in sales for the DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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back when. Radio stations and guys like me who were on the air were a special community in those times before MTV and then, later, social media came to dominate how people listened to their music.”

Jim Phillips, Program Director Dan Diamond, and Rob Noisworthy, 1970s.

station. So I can remember walking through the studio back to the coffee room for sales meetings and seeing the newspaper sales staff pasting up their ads. I’d always make sure to catch the names of the advertisers so I could go call on them myself!” he laughs. WDDT was a Top 40-format station, says Ross, and daytime only. “Sunup to sundown,” he said, “and, of course, we’d play the National Anthem when we went off the air, as all of the radio and TV stations did in those days. And while we played the hits of the time, we also had allrequest hours where we’d open up our phone lines and take on-air dedications. And, truly, the music really was better in the late ’60s and throughout the ’70s—I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.” Ross also fondly recalls the live remotes that were a big part of radio at the time. “Of course remotes still take place, but in those days, prior to social media, that’s how we got to meet our audience. They’d come up to say hello and visit for a bit and it was great to have that kind of interaction that you couldn’t get in the booth or over the telephone. And back then, the bands themselves would be on the road and often come to the radio stations to meet the jocks and try and get their records on the air. There was a lot more interaction then.” Is, or was, there something special about being a DJ in the Delta? “Oh, heck yeah,” enthuses Ross. “There’s no doubt 68 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

that this was—and still is—the most unique part of the state. And of course, that uniqueness includes our musical heritage which was always front and center. Back in the ’70s, the Delta was represented in the Top 40 with major hits and artists. You’ve got to think about guys such as Bud Cockrell, who was from Greenville and one of the founders of Pablo Cruise and sang and wrote of lot of their hits; of course, Bruce Blackmon from Greenville and Starbuck, with “Moonlight Feels Right” which exploded in 1976; and Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds, with Joe Frank Carollo being a Leland native and who had fronted Joe Frank and the Knights in the ’60s. Those guys struck lightning twice with “Don’t Pull Your Love” in the early ’70s and then “Fallin’ In Love” in 1975. It was an incredibly creative period for our Delta musicians and national recognition. Bruce and I also played together in Eternity’s Children—a well-known Delta band in the late ’60s—and we scored a minor hit with one of his songs, ‘Mrs. Bluebird.’” Ross has been on-air in the Delta consistently since 1982, and is currently with Max99 in Greenville, which is itself a classics station. “As long as I’ve been in radio, I’ve considered my main job to be making people smile,” he says. “And when I look back at the combination of great music and great personalities back in the day, maybe more people used to smile way

Kevin Cox Another well-known and longtime Delta radio personality is Kevin Cox, who currently owns Radio Cleveland Incorporated, or RCI Delta, the largest locally owned media/broadcast group in the state’s region. “In a geographical sense, Delta radio used to be slightly balkanized,” says Cox. “These individual stations would really only represent their particular community where they were located—I call it ‘heritage radio.’ For example, in Cleveland, it was WCLD AM, which went back over fifty years. George Shurden, who was really the father of Cleveland radio and a Delta radio legend, bought the station in 1957, and it evolved into what we are today.” Known while he was an on-air DJ as Kevin “W.” Cox, he says, he still has people call him just that,“W.” “A lot of the DJs in the past would use sobriquets or make up a persona for their shows. And it really was more of a show, or a performance, in a lot of ways. People would tune in during specific shifts to hear their favorite jocks play their favorite music. There are people like the great Jim Gregory, who has been doing radio for over fifty years, who still has that special touch and following—but there’s not that many anymore, anywhere. And that kind of connection is rare today in radio. I think Charlie Ross has that kind of connection with his audience, too. Jim and Charlie are

Radio personality, Kevin Cox of Radio Cleveland Inc.

guys I’d call Delta radio legends—folks have been listening to them for years. And, besides the great music, I can remember listening to the late Stan Sandroni on the radio calling the Delta State Lady Statesmen’s games in the mid1970s when they were winning nationally,” says Cox. “So sports was a big part of local radio for so many of us back then, too. Plus, radio was the only source for immediate weather broadcasts and news as well. Before the internet, that’s how people in the Delta learned about what was going on in their communities and towns. We even used to go to the local courthouses and do live election returns! Radio was the primary source to get those tallies, even more so than television. We’d stay up at the courthouse for hours on end while votes came in and were tabulated. I covered many elections myself. We’d set up our little mini-transmitters and do remote broadcasts from the circuit clerk’s office— it was ‘must-tune-in’ radio!” he laughs.

Scott Mateer in Jackson on WJDX. “We had the number one show in the state,” he says. “Bill Tanner was the program director and people listened from all over. “And look, the music from the mid1960s to about 1980 or so was just great, and the Delta had guys represented in the national Top 40,” continues Chick. “You had Motown, the British Invasion, folk music, the singer-songwriters, Stax out of

have fond memories of being in high school and buying a little beer on a Saturday night, icing it down, heading out to the cotton turnrows on the outskirts of Greenwood and turning the local radio station—for us, WSWG—way up. We’d stay out for hours and it was a blast.”

“Dan Diamond” One of the best-known Delta DJs years ago, also with WDDT, was the voice known as “Dan Diamond” who started at the Greenville station in August 1966 after being hired by program director Larry Dee and who went on to be a radio fixture in town until 1987—by that time with other stations. “My on-air name came about from when I got out of the Navy in the late ’50s,” the now-Florida resident, who chose not to reveal his actual name, says. “A buddy of mine and I were starting hitchhiking through the Midwest where I happened to hear a DJ named Dave Diamond. That just stuck with me except that I changed it to “Dan” when I Jim Chick subsequently entered the radio business Greenwood native, Jim Chick—who is myself, starting in a number of markets all still in the business, though now living and over the Southwest. So by the time I got to working behind the scenes in Memphis— Greenville in ’66, I had been ‘Dan Jimmy Karr, Dan Diamond, Wayne began his radio career in the Delta in 1970. Diamond’ for a while.” Bennette, Casey Cole, JK Ward, Rob “I actually started off on kind of a lark Diamond was a morning-drive Grayson at WDDT, 1973. through a program at Greenwood personality while in Greenville. High School,” he laughs. “It was a “WDDT had been around for quite a job/work credit thing that would let while, with Delta legends like Ernie you get out of class at noon and get Phillips on board. And rock and roll paid too. On the list of job openings didn’t come to the station until a little was one in radio at the station later in the game. When I got there, WJPR—“We Just Play Records”—a we had two little wire spindles that station owned by Bruce Benny and you could put the 45 rpms onto, and Buddy Gresham. Benny was the one of those spindles had music for operations manager and he taught me one time slot and the second was for the craft when I was just a kid.” The another. The songs were mainly a little previous year, Chick said he ran the rock and roll and some blues. In fact, camera on weekends at WABG-TV for we were one of the first stations to play the Uncle Funny and Romper Room the blues to a larger audience. shows. “So I was the media guy in high Dan Diamond made some innovative changes while When I became program director program Director at WDDT. school!” he chuckles. in 1967, I got rid of those two Chick would go on to act as an spindles,” says Diamond. “We began occasional fill-in DJ at Paul Artman, Sr.’s Memphis, the Philly sound, the to program individual records as requested easy-listening station in Greenville, California/Beach Boys sound, funk, classic and not deal with pre-set formats. I would, WBAQ, and at WDDT, as well. “Radio album rock—the list goes on and on. And though, color code certain types of was so much fun back then, so different then, of course, Charlie Ross and Bruce music—I didn’t want us to rattle windows than it is now with all of the pre-recorded Blackmon from Greenville show up with at eight o’clock in the morning with harder stuff,” says Chick. “These on-air Eternity’s Children on American Bandstand rock, for example. I also allowed the start personalities were larger than life and in the late ’60s. Just great music and great of song and record dedications at WDDT, meant so much to their audiences.” Chick times. Radio was where it was at, and “it” just using first names of the callers. We had himself became one of Mississippi’s best was mainly AM radio back in the late ’60s a great homemade reverb machine, and known radio personalities with the Dawn and early ’70s—not FM. I, along with a lot we’d put the people’s names through an Busters morning show he co-hosted with of other Delta folks who grew up then, echo effect! It was just fun, personable, DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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community radio—we locked our followed Percy around with my arm in a leave WNLA in Indianola, drive to audience in back then, without a doubt.” sling! But I learned the business inside and WDDT to do my show, and then I got Diamond says he got to work with out, especially on the technical side.” another spot at Paul Artman, Sr.’s easyother radio legends in Greenville, such as Dunaway then went on-air in listening station in Greenville, WBAQ, “Charlie Tuna.” “And we would have onIndianola at WNLA, working under and would go there after WDDT signed air competitions that the listeners loved,” Eddie Fritts. “I was there for a little over a off at sundown to do the late-night show, he says. Diamond also worked briefly with year before I was comfortable enough to from 9 p.m. until midnight. Three a DJ named Marc Coppola, whose uncle go ask for a gig at WDDT, that I grew up different shows, three different stations a is none other than famed film director listening to, from Dan Diamond,” he day!” he laughs. “And, true story, when I Francis Ford Coppola and whose brother recalls. “That’s where I became one of a would return to Indianola in the is Nicolas Cage. “Mark was not in mornings, where we played Greenville for very long—it was in rock/pop, I’d get calls from these 1977 or 1978—but he’s still in the kids saying, ‘Man, you gotta play business today in New York City. some rock. My parents are listening He was also the voice of the radio to some idiot at night on this announcer in his uncle’s famous Greenville station playing snooze film Apocalypse Now.” music!’ Of course, that ‘idiot’ was Looking back at his Delta radio me!” laughs Dunaway. “I’d agree days, Diamond says the most with them and say, ‘Yeah, that guy’s special thing that stands out to him not cool.’ But then, I’d get calls is the people. “Listeners would call from parents when I went to us up—as DJs—voices in their WBAQ that night complaining radio—and dole out the most about ‘Sonny Day!’ It was a funny, intimate details of their lives, things crazy time,” he says. “A lot of they would never tell anybody else. listeners didn’t like my dual roles, We were like therapists, or close but I did make some pretty good friends. And not in the creepy Play money, though!” Misty for Me kind of way—just Dunaway says that WDDT was lonely folks who sometimes wanted just a click away on the AM dial Dave Dunaway pulled double duty at both WNLA in Indianola or needed to talk to the friendly and WDDT in Greenville. from the all-night famous radio voice they always heard on the station, WLS, out of Chicago. “So radio. They had trust in us—men, when WDDT went off the air at women, students. We’d get calls sundown, your radio would almost after break-ups or other tragedies, automatically go to WLS,” he says, and I remember the conversations; “and folks would listen to that for they stay with you.” the rest of the night, or until they went to sleep, and then wake back Dave “Sonny Day” Dunaway up to WDDT. It was unbelievable. Dave Dunaway was one of the “We were immediate, live, many Delta DJs who went by the spontaneous, and acted as a moniker “Sonny Day.” “I worked companion to our Delta listeners,” as ‘Sonny Day’ in Greenville at concludes Dunaway. “And let me WDDT in the late sixties,” says tell you, WDDT was a special Dunaway. “I was a football player station at the time. I look back and on Delta State’s team, but one am honored to have been a part of night, at the VFW in Cleveland WDDT control room. that station’s history and legacy, after a few beers, I was horsing which I think still remains.” around with a guy, went to jump on him, host of jocks who took on the name missed, and ended up breaking my ‘Sonny Day.’ There was a jingle they used Jim Gregory clavicle! That was the end of my football to play at the station that went, ‘Sonny A veteran—and legend—of Delta career and the start of my radio career at Day, WDDT!’ and a guy would just be radio for the past fifty-one years, Jim WJPR in Greenville,” he laughed. plugged in to fill a slot, and I was one of Gregory is currently the morning voice at “Initially, I called sports on-air, which my them. Actually, Walt Grayson, the now Majic 107.5 in Cleveland. “I actually dad had done over the radio as well. legendary Jackson-based broadcaster and began my career in Drew, Mississippi, WJPR was an AM station that had been author, was the very first ‘Sonny Day.’ though, at a station called WDRU. In around for years, and while there, I Interestingly, and none of the those days, our playlist was all over the learned from a guy named Percy Kuhn, a concerned parties knew this,” continues map: we’d play a lot of big band songs, to brilliant chief engineer at the station. It Dunaway, “I was hosting about three a few Top 40 tunes we’d sneak in at our was an easy-listening format, and I shows at the same time for a while. I’d own risk,” he laughs. “Basically, whatever 70 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Jim Gregory early in his career.

management—and advertisers—told you to play, well, you played it! I even recall the great Greenville legend from Starbuck, Bruce Blackman, pulling up outside the station and bringing in a copy of the soonto-be-monster-hit, Moonlight Feels Right, that he had gotten out of his trunk. Those were golden days and, honestly, the music was so much better and diverse in the early ’70s. In the Top 40, back then you’d hear everything from The Who to Perry Como and Sly and The Family Stone to Glen Campbell.” Gregory eventually made the move to Cleveland to work at station WCLD. “I have to admit that, to me, it was like walking into the studios of WLS in Chicago!” he laughs.”I was in awe of working for the great George Shurden, who was the GM at the time.” Gregory went on to spend some years on-air in the Jackson radio market before returning to Cleveland in 1991. “Radio, in the early days, meant so much to our listeners and to the community at large,” recalls Gregory. “People connected with us and tuned in for news, weather—just about all of their information—and, of course, the music. And at that time, every community in the Delta had its own station that was truly tailored for their specific town and they all had a ‘super jock,’ or so we thought we were back then! It’s not the same these days—it was special.” Gregory says he has no plans to leave the industry he’s been a part of for these many years and has influenced so heavily. “Look, I’ll probably fall head first into the microphone when I go, and that’ll be fine by me!” DM

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The Game with the Funny Name

THE SPORTS CRAZE THAT HAS SWEPT THE NATION IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE FLATLAND BY CHATHAM KENNEDY

74 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Former tennis instructor Taylor Taylor of Memphis has combined her passion for pickleball and her background in social work to create PickleMania, which teaches “Pickleball with a Purpose” in underserved communities.

A group of players at Twin Rivers Club in Greenwood.

here is something to be said for the art of simplicity, and for better or worse, the pandemic ushered in an unexpected era of simplicity.

During this time, older pastimes such as the art of baking bread and front porch picnics once again became a common occurrence, and neighborhood walks took place almost every day. New found activities arose from this time as well. Virtual clubs and organizations allowed individuals with common interests to connect from anywhere in the world. A surge in recreational biking resulted in a bike shortage and hiking became significantly more popular. One new activity whose name was seldom mentioned before the onset of the pandemic is pickleball. Combining elements of badminton, ping pong, and tennis, this paddle/ball sport rose to prominence due to its simplistic nature and easy accessibility. In the Mississippi Delta, pickleball courts grew like wildflowers, appearing in indiscriminate locations such as home garages, fire stations, and church

gyms. This easy-to-learn game allowed friends and family to get together while social distancing. And now the rapidly growing sport has changed the landscape of the Delta, causing country club tennis courts and church basketball courts to become multipurpose. Clarksdale, Cleveland, Greenville, and Greenwood are just a few of the towns in and around the Mississippi Delta that have newly established pickleball courts and coinciding competitive leagues. Cypress Hills Tennis Club in Greenville recently reconstructed their four pickleball courts, drawing crowds to the facility. Joe Robert Campbell saw a need for a successful facility that would allow locals to enjoy tennis and pickleball. After purchasing Cypress Hills in 2022, he renovated and resurfaced the tennis and pickleball courts, creating a space for pickleball enthusiasts to gather. “Membership is coming in great;

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Taylor Taylor’s organization, Picklemania, uses pickleball to teach life lessons and athletic skills to eager young students!

Taylor Taylor smiles with two of her students.

Pickleball courts at the newly renovated Cypress Hills Club in Greenville.

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pickleball is a huge draw right now!” He hopes to host the area’s first pickleball tournament this fall. The need for state-of-the-art courts in the flatland is being felt as far away as Clarksdale as well. Stephanie Oliver, a certified pickleball instructor, advocated for the Clarksdale Country Club to turn select tennis courts into pickleball courts, to meet the growing demand. This summer she will be hosting children’s clinics at the country club to fine tune the youngest players’ skills. Former tennis instructor Taylor Taylor,

Opponents ready for battle at Twin Rivers Club.

of Memphis, a nationally ranked, junior tennis player and Division I athlete, brings her pickleball expertise to under-served communities in the southeast. Combining her passion for the sport and her professional background in social work, Taylor’s organization, PickleMania, has created a curriculum known as “Pickleball with Purpose.” Using social-emotional learning, the program helps reduce toxic stress and teach life lessons and athletic skills, while empowering the next generation of leaders. “In a time where there is a lot of divisiveness in our communities, this [pickleball] is a bright light to bring people together for physical activity and mental well-being and emotional support,” says Taylor. Her skill and love for the game has also influenced the spread of pickleball from Memphis to Cleveland. Along with her father, Clevelander Huey Holden, and Jason Woods, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation, Taylor helped organized the first clinic at the US Army National Guard Armory, back in the fall of 2021, where they created a makeshift court with tape and ingenuity. Word quickly spread about “the game with the weird name,” as Taylor prefers to call it, and the ten people at the first clinic turned into thirty people by the second clinic. Today, the town is working on establishing their first pickleball club. Unlike Cleveland, the sound of pickleballs bouncing off of concrete has long been heard throughout the velvet ditch. In 2016, Neil White discovered a small community of players in Oxford. And in the past seven years, he has watched

Worth Dupierer and Neil White sport gold medals after winning a pickleball tournament.

Clarksdale Country Club pickleball courts.

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A group of players volley at The Farmstead in Oxford.

Cleveland's pickleball group stops to take a picture inside the National Guard Armory.

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this community which started with roughly fifty players grow to nearly five-hundred players. When White started playing—in his mid-fifties—he was one of the youngest players. Today, he is one of the oldest. “A lot of this [the age shift] had to do with Covid because people were trying to go outside, and it was a safe thing to do,” says White. Today, White competes in tournaments and participates in training programs across the south.“It is not a fad,” says the pickleball champion. “This is the real thing.” However, some tennis players have been hesitant to embrace this change. “I was what you call a quintessential tennis snob,” says Worth Duperier of Oxford, who refused to give in to the pickleball craze. “Playing doubles on a small court with a wiffle ball and a paddle didn’t sound too fun to me.” Nevertheless, Duperier tried the game anyway. Ten minutes later, he was hooked. It did not take long for the former tennis player to become a certified pickleball instructor and now teaches beginner group classes as well as private lessons. Since becoming an instructor, his passion for the game has only intensified. “My goal is to get people hooked on it and to get them off the couch,” says Duperier. “There are so many health benefits and social benefits. One of our regular players has Parkinson’s disease. Once he gets up to the kitchen, [the section of the court that is seven feet away from both sides of the net] he is as good as anybody. He swears that the progression of his Parkinson’s has halted.”

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Neil White at the indoor Nationals in Birmingham.

The Oxford Park Commission (OPC) currently has twelve indoor courts as well as several outdoor courts and individuals in the city are building pickleball courts in their backyard. The neighboring Goose Creek Tennis Club has three courts and regularly hosts pickleball competitions. “People are moving from Germantown, Tennessee to Oxford because of the availability of courts,” says Duperier. In Greenwood, courts are becoming as prominent as magnolia trees. Greenwood is proud to be the first town in the Delta to build city courts solely dedicated for pickleball. Marko Lovrinovic, a tennis and pickleball coach at Twin Rivers, calls pickleball “the fastest growing sport in the nation.” Recently, Twin Rivers completed a dedicated indoor court to complement their already established gym court. “It is the best court I ever played on,” says Dee Dee Thach, an avid pickleball player who learned the game by watching Youtube videos. She enjoys playing with a group of ladies at Twin Rivers and at North Greenwood Baptist Church, which has three indoor courts that have been lined with tape. The socialization mixed with the competitive nature of the game has Thach wanting to pick up her paddle day after day. There is a sense of camaraderie that comes with the game of pickleball, one that can be felt throughout the multigenerations that participate in this up-and-coming sport. This air of socialization meshed with the simplicity of the game has resulted in pickleball stretching its influence across the Mississippi Delta, allowing friends and family to come together to play “the game with the funny name.”DM 80 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

MUSIC

The Germantown Symphony Orchestra on the lawn of the historic Cherry Mansion

Headliner Jo Dee Messina, Chase Wright and more on Savannah Main Street.

Gospel Concert at Pickwick Lake State Park. Free Admission, Outdoor Event

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The University of Mississippi Museum and Historic Houses 412 UNIVERSITY AVE.

ADMISSION

OX F O R D , M S I S F R E E MUSEUM.OLEMISS.EDU 6 6 2 . 9 1 5 . 7 0 7 3 Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm. Closed Saturday−Monday and most University Holidays. For assistance related to a disability call 662.915.7073. photo: Robert Jordan

June 10-September 17, 2023 This survey of recent artworks created by contemporary artists living and working in Mississippi features 2 artists from Cleveland: Rory Doyle and M. Robyn Wall.

MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART • DOWNTOWN JACKSON MSMUSEUMART.ORG Rory Doyle (b. 1983), From Modifying on the Mississippi series, 2019 - present. digital photography

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Explore The Westin Jackson A destination within a destination located in the heart of downtown Jackson, The Westin Jackson offers travelers a welcoming sanctuary complete with an on-site restaurant, Estelle, and a full-service spa, Soul Spa. To make a reservation, visit www.westinjackson.com or call 601.968.8200.

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IN THE DOME Hand-tossed and wood-fired, authentic Neapolitan pizza has made its way from Naples, Italy to the Mississippi Delta

The large dome oven at Leña cooks perfect Neapolitan pizzas—at about 800 degrees. Chef Marisol Doyle spent weeks in Italy last year training with the masters to learn every nuance of the process, before bringing her newfound skills home to the Delta. 84 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Everything bagels slathered with cream cheese and breakfast sandwich bagels are a favorite on Saturday mornings. BY JACK CRISS • PHOTOGRAPHY BY RORY DOYLE

he brainchild and lifelong dream of Marisol Doyle of Cleveland, has now come to fruition, much to the delight of this small Delta town and pizza connoisseurs around the region. Doyle’s new

Doyle proudly displays her business license.

restaurant, Leña, which means “firewood” in Spanish (a nod to her Mexican heritage), offers her a chance to use her culinary skills to their fullest, as well as incorporate new techniques she and her husband and co-owner, Rory, learned in intense cooking classes in Naples, Italy last year. The restaurant opened with limited hours in April to rave reviews, and is now up and running and can already boast a very loyal patronage. “I have been working and cooking with dough all of my life,” explained Doyle, “and actually owned a business, Big River Bagels, in Clarksdale with a partner making and selling fresh bagels. So at Leña, I’ll be preparing my own dough on-site for the pizza and plan to keep it as simple, yet authentic, as possible. “A lot actually goes into dough preparation, more than people probably realize!” she laughed. “The same is true for cooking pizza in a brick oven, the

traditional Italian way. It’s a very fast process but it keeps the flavor intact and creates a better dish. To begin with, I want to keep our pizzas as traditional as possible with a somewhat smaller menu,” added Doyle. “But we also make and sell bagels on Saturday mornings. We typically sell out of bagels very fast, and most of the DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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Leña has quickly garnered a loyal patronage of pizza lovers. The huge Papier-mache pizza and bagel sculptures by Maggie Harrison add an appropriate artistic touch to the overall design.

time, the line is out the door. We’re grateful that so many people come out and support us.” Leña always offers the classic Italian pizza, the margherita—but their number one seller is the “PeppeRory” named after Rory, which incorporates pepperoni. It goes without saying everything is housemade. “We use san marzano tomatoes for our red sauce, but each week, we also offer white parmesan sauce options as well. The exciting thing about our menu is that each week we try to introduce one or two new specials where we experiment with different toppings.” While the Doyles are currently perfecting their pizza offerings, they plan to eventually expand the menu to offer salads, sandwiches and dessert options. “We currently offer a garlic confit bread and cheese appetizer and a popular Nutella and mixed berry dessert calzone. We also sell beer and wine and have a pretty nice selection of wines by the bottle,” Doyle explains. “I feel that customer service has always been a strength of mine,” she continues, “and I’d also always wanted to run my own business. When my partner in Clarksdale had to leave for personal reasons, it led to our closing that business, so I thought the time would be right to go out on my own. I missed making the bagels—and Rory absolutely loves pizza— 86 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

of any kind,” she laughs, “so we decided to take the plunge and began experimenting at home and learning more on our own.” That plunge was a deep-dive which led to Marisol and Rory traveling to Italy twice last year to be trained by the masters. “We decided to go to Naples last summer [2022] and take a class together,” said Doyle, “I was so proud of Rory because he jumped right in there with me.

It was an intense class taught by a restaurant owner there, Fabio—who we’ve kept in touch with since—and several of his assistants. It was an incredible experience and we both learned a lot. “We went back in November of last year for an additional two and a half weeks where we did a lot of research and I took another intensive Neapolitan pizza class,” she said. This intense course Doyle took was through the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, an organization that sets the

rules to determine if a pizzeria can be classified as Neapolitan. “It’s taken very seriously in Italy. I had a private teacher who taught me everything from start to finish—how to make the dough, the sauce, cheese preparation, olive oil requirements, how to cure the woodfire oven and the traditional way to cook the pizza,” Doyle adds. The couple was also very serious about their goal of opening Leña by the time they returned in November, in fact before they returned to Naples in November, they had already begun renovations on their building. “We had a lot of renovations to do in the restaurant before we were ready to open. We took out a drop ceiling, added new floors, repainted all the walls, and Rory and I had to think through every inch of the layout to maximize space. We like that our food is prepared in front of customers, so the design of the kitchen was very strategic.” When planning the interior of Leña the couple chose to keep a minimalistic theme. They wanted the creative focus to be on the food and the oven—works of art on their own. But they did want to incorporate a few key pieces of art to accentuate the design, calling on local artisans to help out. “Maggie Harrison, a Delta State art grad, made our incredible pizza and bagel

sculptures out of Papier-mâché. They are so realistic, and are each about three feet wide. They look amazing installed on the wall. Sculptor Lawson King handcrafted the Leña sign that hangs on our storefront. It’s stunning—we really love how sharp it turned out. And local woodworker Doug Pinkerton custom-designed our bench seating. These folks really helped bring Leña’s unique design to life,” Doyle adds. The massive authentic woodfire oven, which was imported from Italy, is the anchor of the space, and rightly so. “If you visit Naples, most pizzerias have a very similar dome oven like the one we have, so it’s pretty cool to provide the same experience in Cleveland. We really love how much the flavors come to life thanks to the wood fire—we cook the pizzas at around 800 degrees, and much, much lower when we finish our bagels in the oven. Things just cook better and taste better,” says Doyle. She continues, “It’s been really exciting to use these recipes and apply what we learned in Italy. We want to thank Cleveland and the Delta, and we’re grateful to give the community a new, unique dining experience.” Located at 331 Cotton Row, Leña is open Thursday-Saturday for dinner from 5–9 p.m. and Saturday mornings for bagels at 10 a.m. until sold out. DM More information can be found on Instagram at Leña (@lenapizzabagels) and lenapizzabagels.com.

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(844) 215-0731 • WWW.PTCOA.COM DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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HOME

From

Cradle to College

Few days are as memorable for a parent as the day you welcome your new baby into your

home—but a close second is the day you send them off to college. Both events are extremely special, emotional, and can be daunting, whether preparing a nursery or a dorm room. We’ve gathered photos, design tips, sage advice and some favorite trends from several interior designers who’ve helped decorate rooms for all ages—from cradle to college! BY SHERRY LUCAS

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NURSERIES

The four-poster spindle crib hand-built by Taylor’s father, Rhett Shaffett, now serves its second generation. Taylor and her brother, Ben, both used it as a baby.

e m o c l e W Home

Modern nurseries are embracing fun but lasting trends with new textures, rich colors, wallpaper, and elaborate finishing touches 92 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Other details: 1. Taylor applied lattice on the ceiling to define the space and add texture. 2. A Molly Mahon print of tiny pink hearts was used for the valance and canopy. 3. A lantern fixture from Visual Comfort adds a bright focal point. 4. The mirror above the Gabby dresser, drapery hardware and custom frames tie together the antique gold Taylor prefers. 5. The lilac Kate Spade lamp from Visual Comfort picks up the hue of the crib’s bedding and bows. 6. She recovered the rocker from her son’s nursery, finishing it with trim from Samuel & Sons.

PHOTOS AUSTIN BRITT

eart and heritage are almost always part of the package when a new bundle joins the family, and nursery decor reflects that in pieces and mementoes that connect the generations. Increasingly, though, these rooms are gaining new sophistication, too—maintaining their sweet charm and functional ease, but with fresh trends and an eye to the future. “I honestly do not think a space is complete without something that tells a story and speaks to who you are,” said Taylor Armstrong, a freelance designer through Tay Armstrong Interiors in Clarksdale. “That is one of the best ways to express yourself, show your true heart and what matters most to you.” Armstrong’s thrill about her baby girl finds polished, pretty expression in the nursery that welcomed her daughter Annie into this world. Treasured pieces from her own childhood, on point details and family heirlooms come together in a cozy space that’s easily her favorite room in their home. In addition to the personal touches, future functionality is equally important to young parents these days. “Clients are more interested in creating a space that’s transitional,” Indianola designer Mary Clair Cumbaa (Cumbaa Design Company) said. “They don’t want it to be too ‘baby.’ They want it to grow with the child.” Cool lighting fixtures, unique mirror accents, performance qualities in fabrics and rugs, bolster pillows in the crib, stylish wallpaper and art selections have staying power long past the toddler years. Crib valances, canopies and crib skirts soften the design, while trim details add a custom top note. “When they’re investing in the nursery, I try and keep that in mind for the main

Bookshelves are packed with loving reminders of previous generations, topped by a teddy bear crafted from one of Taylor’s maternal grandfather’s shirts. “He was very special to me and I wish he would have had a chance to meet my kids,” she said. DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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“I normally like to put a mirror over the chest, just because babies like to see themselves and that’s a safer place to put a mirror than over the crib,” Cumbaa said. 94 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

elements, like the rug and the chest and the lighting—for those pieces to grow with them,” Cumbaa said. Interior designers agree that nursery design starts with the must-have pieces—the crib, a rocker/glider with a side table and a chest that doubles as a changing table. “Those are really the key elements we can’t live without,” said designer Sarah Smythe, owner of Lagniappe, based in Greenville and Oxford. The design expands from there. “Wallpaper, curtains, fabric choices that are very special, and the layering of details and color give it a one-of-a-kind nursery feel.” Versatility is key, so the family can get the most out of the design. “I always try to purchase pieces for the nursery that will grow, and can be used in the home for years to come,” Smythe said, noting her selections for Morgan McCain’s nursery for her son, Ben, in Cleveland. “All the artwork can be used elsewhere, the changing table is a very classic blue chest, and all the furniture could, visually- and design-wise, be transferred elsewhere.” As baby nurseries grow up in terms of sophistication and design, some stylish details can ensure a more seamless connection with the home’s overall decor. Other touches can supply an individual stamp for the brand new personality just starting to emerge.

PHOTOS B. FLINT PHOTOGRAPHY

For her son Thomas’s nursery, designer Mary Clair Cumbaa wanted to remain true to her 1920s home’s traditional feel. The wallpaper and crib’s bolster pillow fabric by Thibaut, textured chocolate brown chest covered in grasscloth, modern mirror, traditional brass rail crib, chocolate and white gingham plaid drapes and the mounted spikes over the crib accomplish that with a period, masculine aesthetic.

PHOTOS HEACOX CREATIVE CO.

Her client’s modern taste sets the tone for this nursery Mary Clair Cumbaa designed in Helena, Arkansas. The clear acrylic crib offered a unique element from the outset. “Everything about it was different, and that’s what this client liked,” Cumbaa said. The gold Sputnik chandelier by Arteriors and the pink block print wallpaper—Lotus from Galbraith and Paul—are standouts. A white lacquer chest with gold details in its trim and hardware, and in the lamp and mirror, add more eye-catching shine. Artwork from Scout Design Studio of Dallas, with concentric circles of pink butterflies, hangs above the cribe and helps pull the look together. DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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Trim details in the painted French blue chest add interest, as does the blue Asian bowl from Mod and Proper on top. The mirror framed with a beautiful Greek key design fits well with the chest, but could work anywhere in the home.

Peter Rabbit figurines and small books are keepsakes from Morgan McCain’s own childhood. Ben’s handmade christening gown by Deanna Harper of Greenville is based on a design Morgan loved. Nesting baskets with scalloped liners are by Ballard Designs.

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PHOTOS AUSTIN BRITT

Morgan McCain’s style is traditional, but her Mod and Proper boutique in Cleveland keeps her abreast of design trends. Both come through in the nursery for her baby boy, Ben. She knew designer Sarah Smythe, who planned her wedding to Blake McCain a few years ago, “would be the perfect one to tie it all together for us,” she said. “I wanted it to welcome a baby boy, but still be functional for a girl’s room if needed in the future. I wanted to look back and love it years later.”

“The biggest impact we made was with the wallpaper,” Sarah Smythe said of the marshy blue/green/gray scene. “That took the room from just basic to beautiful.” The pattern and pretty hues set the tone for the entire nursery, with the colors a repeated thread in framed Italian fragment in shades of blue over gold, the custom crib skirt, bolsters and curtains, available through Lagniappe. The muted blue/green Oushak rug and the glider’s linen and Fortuny silk pillow are classic touches.

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PHOTOS HEACOX CREATIVE CO.

Green Juicy Jute grasscloth by Phillip Jeffries and darker wood tones contribute to an atmosphere of cozy warmth that, even with the presence of a crib, doesn’t read “baby” in this design by Mary Clair Cumbaa. The antelope rug brings in more brown tones with a style plus, and the brass light fixture from Visual Comfort, with a flush mount, works with the low ceiling and still makes a statement. The ottoman from One Kings Lane fits comfortably with the chair in oatmeal linen.

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DORMS

DORM ROOM Delights From classic to funky, custom to off-the-rack, these dorm rooms, run the gamut on style and have ALL the basics covered 102 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

hether it’s Magnolia at Mississippi State, Martin at Ole Miss or Lawler Harkins at DSU the oft dreaded freshman move-in day is right around the corner at dorms across the South. Many parents and students opt for help when designing their first home away from home. But one thing is certain, from custom-made bedding and hand-monogrammed pillows, to second-hand cabinetry, to off-the-rack and on-line purchases, there are endless ways to create a welcoming, unique space for your collegebound student. Here we share tips, trends and sage advice from the pros! Modern acrylic chairs are functional but don’t compete with the other design elements.

Functional Style, Classic Simplicity “Working with small spaces can be both fun and challenging, and my approach to a dorm room is simple and classic.”

– PARKER KENNEDY OF PIQUÉ BY PARKER KENNEDY

Parker’s Tips ◼ I tend to stay away from the more flashy trends I see in many dorm room designs—although I can see how much fun they can be! ◼ I always try to focus on longevity and the multiple uses of the items I place in a dorm room. For example I usually monogram the shams on each bed and then place beautiful, timeless art above the headboards. This transforms the pieces you buy for a dorm room into an investment that will be enjoyed for all of the college years and beyond—as opposed to just one year of use. I believe in quality over quantity any day! ◼ When using the existing stock pieces that the universities offer, I typically cover the desks or nightstands with a high durability fabric table skirt (so it’s easily dry cleaned or washed) to soften the room. ◼ When it comes to linens and bedding, I suggest upgrading the size to a full/queen which will fit the elevated beds better, as well as allowing for extended use past freshman year. Especially if opting for nicer linens, it’s definitely worth the investment in a size that will be practical beyond typical dorm twin beds. DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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Storage cubes or ottomans serve multiple purposes, from extra seating, storing odds and ends, or providing a step up to the elevated bed!

Individual Inspiration “We’re accustomed to all the challenges. After doing this for twenty years we’ve gotten used to dealing with the limitations on size and storage options in such a small space—what remains the biggest challenge is waiting on the elevators!” – DAWN THOMAS OF AFTER FIVE DESIGNS

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Q and A with Dawn Thomas What is your inspiration for each room? Having several meetings with the girls is really important. Each room’s design elements come together from letting them tell me what their inspirations are—and we go from there. What are the biggest challenges in such a small space? None—waiting on elevators to move in is the challenge! The size isn’t a challenge after twenty years it’s what we are accustomed to. Do you have any tips for storage? Yes—Sterilite containers! They will slide right under the bed when it’s elevated.

Main advice for move in day? Plenty of patience. Other details you add to make each room special? Remembering that less is best. Any other advice you would like to add? I suggest they stay out of big box stores. Usually they don’t need any extras, or the list on the facebook groups! Have you designed dorm rooms at many universities? Yes. And I can say after installing rooms across the South, I think Mississippi State has the best dorms and Alabama has the best move-in system.

One of Dawn’s signature pieces is a center cabinet to house a mini-fridge and much more, while also serving as a bedside table.

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Make sure the height on the lamps is taller so that it draws your eye up and provides for ample reading light beside the elevated beds.

Mary Clair’s Tips

Anchored by Art “I love using a bright and bold piece of art to go above the center console. This can act as a focal point in the space and tie multiple colors and fabrics together in the room.” – MARY CLAIR CUMBAA OF CUMBAA DESIGN CO & THE OLIVE TREE

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◼ I recommend using a fabric on the euro sham that grabs your attention and acts as a statement piece. My client was drawn to the fabric on her euro shams and her bolster pillow, so we really used this as an inspiration to start the whole design process in her room. ◼ I love the idea of using an indoor/outdoor rug in dorm rooms because they get so much traffic and use—and they can usually be cleaned with water easily. Indoor/outdoor rugs available at The Olive Tree, in Starkville. ◼ It’s important to organize and utilize the space under the bed—I would recommend doing this to get the most use of your space!

“The piece of artwork for this room, as well as rugs and other accessories, were from my design store, The Olive Tree in Starkville. I didn't design the entire room, but the accents really pulled the room together.” Mary Clair Cumbaa

◼ Accessories go a long way! Using a tray on a coffee table in the room with a vase and a picture frame or so can really make the space feel more at home. ◼ Using a neutral upholstered headboard is a good idea because it makes the room feel clean and allows other colors to stand out. DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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“We went into it thinking items would sell. The bedding and curtains were not custom but rather Target and Home Goods so we were able to repurpose them as spares if needed. To our surprise, we did have requests to sell those as well.”

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Funky, Fun, and Fabulous “Sometimes it’s hard to combine styles of roommates. Just try to create a space they will both be happy to come home too. Don’t get hung up on the particulars of what everyone else is doing. We didn’t overthink it–just made it unique, fun and casual!” – LISA DYESS OF LISA DYESS DESIGNS

Embrace the negative My inspiration was the mustard gold color that was already on the walls in Martin Hall at Ole Miss. I decided to embrace the color as part of the design rather than try to ignore it, and came up with a fun Palm Springs vibe! Mix it up This is a mix of off-the-rack, on-line and second-hand purchases. We were all over the map! The bed skirts and futon were second-hand—only the desk skirts were custom-made. Storage is key We lifted the beds so the dorm dressers provided could be pushed underneath. This made more room for additional storage between the beds. We purchased a secondhand cabinet to house the refrigerator, microwave, and food and bought secondhand desk hutches. Many people also use the plastic three drawer units for extra storage underneath the bed. Biggest challenge The elevators had a longer than two-hour wait, so hauling everything up crowded busy stairs was quite a challenge. Think backwards When packing for move-in day, remember to pack and unload items according to when they need to be placed. For example, load the rug last so you can unload it first because it needs to be put it down before any furniture is placed.

Vinyl wall decals were used as wall paper then framed with peel and stick rubber molding, as not to damage the walls.

Resale Tips College resale sites will be full of offerings typically starting as early as January. Most require items to be picked up by first of May when the girls move out of dorm. This is an excellent way to save money and definitely comes in handy when it’s time to move out! DM

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FOOD

RAISING the bar

SET UP A HOT DOG BAR for a creative way to serve your favorite

franks for BBQs and other parties this summer. Follow our tips to create a festive spead with various toppings and tasty sides so your family and guests can create their own hot dog masterpiece. Throw in your favorite bakery cookies plus a summer cocktail—and your party is complete! BY CINDY COOPWOOD AND PRIESTLEY CLEGG PHOTOGRAPHY BY RORY DOYLE

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Combination Inspiration (L to R): Classic dog with mayo, guacamole, tomatoes, cheddar, and red onion; Creole sausage with mustard, candied jalapenos, and pickled onions; all-beef dog with dill pickle spear, sautéed peppers, and feta cheese; and smoked sausage with mustard, mayo, and topped with oil and vinegar slaw.

The Set Up Even a simple and casual meal can be presented with style, and in this case we felt that “more is more” was the approach to take! We chose patriotic colors—perfect for a 4th of July celebration, but a festive choice all summer long—and then threw in a mix of old and new elements. Below is the breakdown of our tablescape: ● A large table providing plenty of space to spread out ● Vintage floral fabric—an $8 flea market find—draped across as a tablecloth ● Estate sale blue and white plates, and mismatched vintage utensils ● Inexpensive navy cotton napkins, with new bamboo napkin rings ● Collected wooden trays, serving pieces, and baskets ● Inexpensive white serving pieces ● Clearance sale margarita glasses adding a touch of sparkle

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A Good Foundation Don’t forget the foundation of a good hot dog—the bun! Split top brioche buns, classic buns, and even sub rolls are all good choices—and if you serve larger sausages, make sure your buns are large enough to support them.

The Dogs The first thing to do is choose the kind of hot dog you want to serve. There are many seasoned options and sizes, or you can also use bratwurst or other sausages. Plan to serve two per guest.

GERMAN POTATO SALAD Unlike mayonnaise-based potato salads, German potato salad is tossed in a vinegarbased dressing. We used baby red and yellow potatoes in this simple, refreshing take on traditional potato salad! 3 pounds potatoes, chopped into large chunks ½ red onion, diced 6 strips bacon, cooked well and chopped 6 green onions, sliced salt and pepper to taste ½ cup curly parsley, chopped 1 cup swiss cheese, cubed chopped parsley and bacon, for garnish

For dressing: ½ cup apple cider vinegar ½ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup warm water 2 teaspoons grainy mustard ¼ teaspoon white pepper ½ teaspoon sugar

Place potatoes in a large pot and add water and salt to cover; bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. While potatoes are boiling, fry and chop bacon. Drain potatoes, reserving ¼ cup of the warm water, and set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, toss together the warm potatoes, red and green onion, bacon and parsley; season well with salt and pepper. Mix together all dressing ingredients and pour over salad and toss well, while still warm. This will help all the flavors blend, and provide a slightly creamy texture. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Garnish as desired. May be served warm or chilled.

Hot Dog Bar Toppings Using a large shallow basket to assemble our toppings and condiments, we chose some of our favorites, and used what we had on hand. Here is a list of other great options: ● Pickled onions Chili—pick your favorite ● Sauerkraut Shredded cheese—cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby-Jack, even crumbly feta ● Variety of pickles and relish or blue cheese Condiments ● Sautéed onions and peppers—we ● Ketchup used red and yellow peppers ● Mustard: classic yellow mustard, ● Diced red and yellow onions grainy mustard, or creamy Dijon ● Crumbled bacon ● Mayonnaise ● Diced tomatoes ● Siracha sauce ● Guacamole, or sliced avocados ● BBQ sauce ● Pickled jalapeno peppers (we used the ● Ranch dressing candied version) ● ●

TIP

To simplify your set up, prepare the toppings ahead of time placing them in small serving bowls. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble the bar.

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TIP

A few shakes of Everything seasoning add flavor and garnish the top

Oil and Vinegar Slaw with Kale

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OIL AND VINEGAR SLAW WITH KALE This tart oil and vinegar slaw is a great complement to a perfectly grilled hotdog, burger or alongside pulled pork! 2 cups purple cabbage, shredded 2 cups green cabbage, shredded 1 cup chopped kale 1 cup shredded carrots 1 teaspoon salt

For dressing: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons dijon mustard 2 tablespoons maple syrup ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 clove garlic, grated or minced 1 green onion, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon celery seed 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

In a large bowl, toss cabbages, kale and carrots with salt until evenly coated. Set aside. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, pepper, and garlic until smooth. Stir in green onion and seeds. Pour dressing over slaw and toss to coat.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA SALAD This is a favorite go-to salad that complements almost any summer meal. If in a pinch for time, use your favorite store-bought vinaigrette and add some extra lemon juice and oregano for an extra punch of flavor! 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 medium cucumber, chopped 1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped 1 pint container cherry tomatoes, halved ½ red onion, thinly sliced 1 cup sliced kalamata olives ½ to 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled salt and coarse pepper to tast

For dressing: ½ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon dried oregano salt and coarse pepper to taste

In a large bowl, toss together all salad ingredients. Whisk dressing ingredients together until well-blended, pour over salad, and toss well. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Top with extra feta crumbles and enjoy! DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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RANCH WATER Three simple ingredients come together to make classic ranch water, a favorite summer cocktail–but feel free to make it your own by substituting the lime juice with grapefruit or orange juice. 3 ounces blanco tequila 1½ ounces fresh lime juice

Topo Chico mineral water, chilled Fresh lime wedge for garnish

Pour lime juice and tequila into glass of your choice. Fill the glass with ice and top with Topo Chico. Garnish with a lime wedge.

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120 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

DELTA DEMOCRAT-TIMES

HISTORY

Hodding Carter III at the helm of the Delta Democrat-Times after taking over from his father, DDT founder, Hodding Carter, Jr. The Greenville paper was a stand-alone progressive newspaper revered for its stances and editorials on racial and social relations during the civil-rights era.

Remembering Hodding Carter III Delta newspaper trailblazer, presidential spokesman, award-winning broadcaster BY HANK BURDINE 122 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

In fact, some newspaper editors become part of history as is the case of the late Hodding Carter III. Carter, formally of Greenville, passed away on May 11. His death made worldwide news as he and his family were trailblazers in the Mississippi newspaper business because of their groundbreaking editorials and coverage of race relations in the Mississippi Delta during the 1960s with their Greenville newspaper, the Delta Democrat-Times. Carter was born in New Orleans in 1935 and soon moved to Greenville when his father, Hodding Carter, Jr. was recruited by William Alexander Percy, David Cohn and others to start a local newspaper in relief for a lackluster Daily Democrat-Times. Within two years the older newspaper was bought out and the Delta Democrat-Times emerged as a “base for Carter’s broadsides against reactionary politicians and the Citizen’s Council.” In 1946 the elder Carter won a Pulitzer Prize for his editorial commentary that attacked the racist Mississippi Senator Theodore G. Bilbo and also his rebuking the U.S. Government for its treatment of Japanese Americans. Outspoken in his beliefs about social, economic and racial intolerance, Hodding III later described “Big” Hodding as “not a classic liberal, he was a ‘Disraeli’ conservative, an international in a parochial setting, and a man who could not stand to see organized power used against people.” Carter once said it was during those turbulent times that “our family lived in a ‘sporadic state of siege’ during the long period of time when the elder Carter was a lonely white voice in opposition to Mississippi’s segregationist forces. He kept an arsenal of guns to defend himself and rallied members of his family to maintain an armed vigil at his Greenville home

TERASA ZABALA/ THE NEW YORK TIMES

ome newspaper editors come and go and some stay in our minds for the rest of our lives because of the impact they delivered to the world.

Serving as Assistant Secretary of the Press in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, Hodding Carter III (no relation) for months reported daily on the Iran hostage crisis.

during the 1962 fight over the integration of the University of Mississippi.” Noted Mississippi author Curtis Willkie said when Hodding Carter, Jr. died in 1972 he was “lionized for his fierce defense of the First Amendment, for his courage in confronting influential enemies, and for championing unpopular causes.” It was during these times and atmosphere that young Hodding Carter III grew up. “He came from a family that courageously fought lonely battles against the segregationists in Mississippi,” according to Bob Giles, retired curator of the Neiman Foundation and classmate. Hodding grew up under the stress of helping keep alive the single voice that challenged the racist community the newspaper served.” Attending Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire before graduating Greenville High School in 1953, Hodding got his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University before joining the Marines for two years and returning to Greenville to

begin working as a reporter at the Delta Democrat-Times. The DDT was known for recruiting and hiring journalistic luminaries from all over during the civil rights movement. Once Hodding III took over his father’s role as editor and publisher, he wrote thousands of editorials persevering in his stance on racial inequality even with threats and boycotts from white supremacists. One Deltan who directly worked for Hodding from 1969 to 1975 was Bill Rose from Shelby. Rose left the DDT and went straight to work for the The Miami Herald where he covered the South before retiring to Oxford many years later. “Because of his considerable presence on the national stage, people forget how passionate Hodding was about covering local news in Greenville,” says Rose. “He immersed himself in the city’s social and civic life and even required his reporters to join a civic club to get close to the people they covered. He saw to it that Greenville was better covered than any city in Mississippi. He cared deeply about his hometown. The DDT’s reporting DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hodding Carter III, right, in 1980 with Canadian Ambassador to Iran, Kenneth D. Taylor. Ambassador Taylor helped shelter six Americans after Iranian militants overran the United States Embassy in Iran.

fact—death. As the civil rights movement began to crest and the federal government stirred from its 80-plus years of moral slumber, white Mississippi—ﬁrst my dad’s and then mine, reacted like a baited bear. Its aim was to repel the outsider, punish the white dissenter, and shove the Black man back into the ditch. Real courage consists of looking your fear in the eye, then soldiering on. Dad was afraid much

of the time, I was afraid much of the time, too. Mortal men and women set course, encounter the adversity, are terriﬁed—and

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

alongside Hodding’s editorials and inﬂuence in local aﬀairs made Greenville a better place.” As stated in a recent Nieman/Harvard article regarding a 2006 Nieman Reports story, Hodding III recalled, “Running a Mississippi newspaper that questioned racist verities was an invitation to blackballing, economic pressure, physical violence—potentially rather than ever in

At a faculty council meeting at the University of North Carolina, Professor Hodding Carter III speaks. 124 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Presidential campaign poster during reelection campaign for Carter-Mondale in 1980.

SUSAN WALSH/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hodding Carter III speaking at a Greenville Arts Council function at E. E. Bass Cultural Center.

As President and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, beginning in 1998, Hodding Cartrer III helped the endowment of the organization grow by almost $2 billion, significantly increasing its grants to journalists and news organizations.

press on. Not gods or superheroes—mere men and women. The enemy can be as determined and vicious and lethal as the white racists of Mississippi a half a century and less ago—or even worse or even less. What is required, what Dad showed me, is that you suck up your gut and do the best you can.” “You could leave the DDT, but you never left Hodding,” says Rose. “He continued to mentor his reporters long after they left Greenville. I never made a move in my career without checking in with Hodding, who always had good advice. The man had a big intellect, but an even bigger heart. Just ask his children, whom he adored.” During the civil rights movement of the 1960s Carter served as co-chair of the Loyalist Democrats, a diverse group of civil rights advocates that won a credentials battle to unseat Mississippi’s all-white delegation at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968. Carter later worked on the presidential election campaign of Jimmy Carter in 1976 and became assistant secretary of state for public aﬀairs under Cyrus Vance reporting daily on the Iran hostage crisis. “And when Iranian students overran the U.S. embassy and took our diplomats hostage, the Carter administration wisely turned to Hodding to be its spokesman on the issue,” says Rose. “For months you couldn’t turn on the TV without seeing Hodding and hearing his distinctive magnolia drawl.”

Carter went to work as a broadcast journalist anchoring “Inside Story” where he won four Emmy Awards and an Edward R. Murrow Award. He worked with PBS, CBS, CNN and the BBC. He has contributed to the New York Times, The Washington Post and other newspapers and magazines. “He was incredibly versatile, going on to run his own TV production company and produce award-winning reports criticizing the shortcomings of America’s news media,” says Rose. He later became the president and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in 1998.

“He was a smashing success there at the Miami-based Knight Foundation, which is one of America’s largest non-proﬁts.” Carter also taught journalism at the University of Maryland during the 1990s and was a professor of leadership and public policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he ﬁnished his career. Hodding Carter III passed at eightyeight years old and is buried in the Carter family plot in Greenville, Mississippi. “He was, in every sense of the phrase, larger than life.” says Rose. DM

Bill Rose, right, interviews Carter at the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media in Oxford in March 2011. DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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Sept.

Sept. The Commodores

Nov.

Oct. Air Supply

Nov. Pablo Cruise

Collage Dance Collective

Larry, Steve & Rudy – The Gatlin Brothers

Dec.

Oct. Johnny Cash: The Official Concert Experience

Diamond Rio Holiday & Hits

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EVENTS July 4, 8 pm

Vicksburg

Vicksburg Independence Day Fireworks Celebration Downtown Vicksburg visitvicksburg.com

July 5, 8 pm

Memphis

Alicia Keys: Keys to the Summer Tour Fedex Forum fedexforum.com

July 6-9

Tunica

Dash for Cash Productions Barrel Races Tunica Arena & Expo Center tunicatravel.com

July 7-9

FESTIVALS, MUSIC & FUN THINGS TO DO

Renasant Convention Center animeblues.com

July 8, 7 pm

Triple Annie

Margarita Fest

Bert Kreischer’s Fully Loaded Comedy Festival

Horseshoe Casino caesars.com

Overton Square overtonsquare.com

Autozone Park midsouthpride.org

July 1, 4 pm

Tunica

July 1, 4 pm

Horn Lake

July 3, 3 pm

July 3, 6:30 pm

Memphis

Hernando

July 8

Grand Fireworks Display & Festival

Children’s 4th of July Bike Parade

Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors

Latimer Lakes Park hornlakeevents.com

Hernando Courthouse Square visitdesotocounty.com

Levitt Shell overtonparkshell.org

July 1, 7:30 pm

Oxford

July 4

Southaven

July 12-15

Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man

Fireworks Extravaganza

Freedom Fest

Gertrude Castellow Ford Center for the Performing Arts fordcenter.org

Snowden Grove Park southaven.org

Renasant Convention Center freedomfest.com

July 4 July 1-2

Memphis

All-American Weekend Graceland graceland.com

Olive Branch

Celebrate Your Independence Fireworks & Festival

Hernando

July 13, 7 pm

Memphis

Hernando Civic Center cityofhernando.org

Fedex Forum fedexforum.com

Jackson

July 14, 10 am

Jackson

Farm Bureau Watermelon Classic

World Snake Day

Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame runsignup.com/Race/MS/Jackson/Watermelon

MDWFP’s MS Museum of Natural Science mdwfp.com

Brothers Osborne, July 14

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Memphis

Future and Friends: One Big Party Tour

Olive Branch City Park visitdesotocounty.com

Parker McCollum, August 12

Memphis

Front Porch Fireworks

July 4, 7:30 am July 3

Memphis

Anime Blues Con

3 Doors Down, August 11

Karlous Miller, August 4

July 14, 6:30 pm

Memphis

Memphis Summer Cocktail Festival Shelby Farms Park memphisfestivals.com

July 14, 7 pm

Memphis

Disciple Getwell Church disciplerocks.com

July 14, 8 pm

Memphis

Brothers Osborne

Book online at contourairlines.com or download our mobile app

Memphis Botanic Garden membg.org

July 20, 7:30 pm

Fly Nonstop From Greenville, MS to Dallas Fort Worth

Brandon

Sam Hunt Brandon Amphitheater brandonamphitheater.com

July 21, 10 am

Connections available worldwide with our interline partner Jackson

Water Journey Festival MDWFP’s MS Museum of Natural Science mdwfp.com

July 21, 7:30 pm

Memphis

Erykah Badu: Unfollow Me Tour Fedex Forum fedexforum.com

July 21, 8 pm

Jackson

The Cleverlys Duling Hall dulinghall.com

July 21

Tunica

Air Supply Horseshoe Casino caesars.com

Sam Hunt, July 20 DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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Disciple, July 14

Alter Bridge, August 22

July 21-30

Hernando

August 4, 8 pm

Jackson

August 12, 2:45 pm

Memphis

Cats

Karlous Miller: At the End of the Day

Bill Cherry… The Final Curtain

Hernando Performing Arts Center kudzuplayers.com

Thalia Mara Hall thaliamarahall.net

Halloran Centre orpheum-memphis.com

July 22, 8 pm

Memphis

August 4

Tunica

August 12, 6 pm

Memphis

Funk and R&B Live

Craig Ferguson

Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival

Cannon Center for the Performing Arts thecannoncenter.com

Gold Strike Casino Resort goldstrike.com

Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium Field memphischickenandbeer.com

July 23, 1 pm

August 5, 7 pm

Memphis

August 12, 7:30 pm

Memphis Bridal Show/ Christmas in July

Karlous Miller: At the End of the Day

Parker McCollum

Whispering Woods Hotel & Conference Center memphisbridalshow.com

Orpheum Theatre orpheum-memphis.com

Landers Center landerscenter.com

July 23-28

Jackson

Jxn Film Festival

August 12

Luke Bryan, August 13

Gold Strike Casino Resort goldstrike.com

Memphis

August 13, 7 pm

ZZ Top: Raw Whiskey Tour

Luke Bryan

Orpheum Theatre orpheum-memphis.com

Brandon Amphitheater brandonamphitheater.com

July 26

Tunica

August 17, 7:30 pm

John Anderson

Clint Black

Gold Strike Casino Resort goldstrike.com

Graceland Soundstage gracelandlive.com

July 28, 7 pm

Southaven

August 18, 7 pm August 8, 6:30 pm

Jelly Roll “Backroad Baptism Tour 2023” BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove bankplusamphitheater.com

July 29, 7:30

Memphis

Graceland Soundstage gracelandlive.com

August 19, 6:30 pm Landers Center landerscenter.com

Thalia Mara Hall thaliamarahall.net

Graceland graceland.com

August 19, 8 pm

July 29

Jackson

130 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Memphis

Southaven

Graceland Soundstage gracelandlive.com

BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove bankplusamphitheater.com

August 19

35th Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival 1 Blues Alley Lane sunflowerfest.org

Memphis

Richard Marx

3 Doors Down

August 11-13

Keath Killebrew Memorial Rodeo Feat. Chapel Hart & Drake Milligan Mississippi Coliseum killebrewfoundation.org

August 11

Southaven

20th Annual Tri-State Blues Festival

Elvis Week

Crosstown Concourse memphisliteracyconference.org

Southaven

BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove bankplusamphitheater.com

August 9-17

Justice through Literacy: Memphis Literacy Conference 2023

Memphis

Motionless in White & in This Moment: The Dark Horizon Tour

Jackson

Memphis

Brandon

Lindsey Stirling with Walk Off the Earth

Liverpool Legends “The Complete Beatles Experience”

July 29

Tunica

Elvis Elvis Elvis - A Tribute to the King

Jackson Convention Complex visitjackson.com

July 26, 8 pm

Southaven

Clarksdale

Tupelo R&B Festival Cadence Bank Arena cb-arena.com

Tupelo

DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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The Doobie Brothers, August 26

LITERARY EVENTS C. E. O’Banion

Chinese New Year July 8, 12 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson Author Panel

Malfunction Junction Vol. 2: Close Encounters of the Third Street Kind July 8, 2 pm: Novel, Memphis Elizabeth Boyd

Southern Beauty July 11, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr

A Few Days Full of Trouble: Revelations on the Journey to Justice for My Cousin and Best Friend, Emmett Till July 13, 12 pm: DSU Student Union 2nd Floor, Cleveland Derrion Arrington

August 19

Memphis

1st Annual Memphis Music Conference and Showcase

August 25, 7:30 pm

Southaven

Koe Wetzel BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove bankplusamphitheater.com

Memphis Music Room memphismusicroom.com

August 25, 8 pm

Jackson

Mississippi Book Festival

The Black Jacket Symphony Presents Eagles “Hotel California”

Mississippi State Capitol msbookfestival.com

Thalia Mara Hall thaliamarahall.net

August 19

August 22, 7 pm

Jackson

Memphis

August 26, 4 pm

Alter Bridge

Wowe End of Summer Festival

Orpheum Theatre orpheum-memphis.com

Old Armory Pavilion oxfordarts.com

August 22, 8 pm

Memphis

August 26, 7 pm

Standing Firm in the Dixie July 13, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson Daniel Silva

The Collector July 21, 7 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson Phyllis R. Dixon

Intermission July 25, 6 pm: Novel, Memphis

Oxford

Erin A. Craig in conversation with Hannah Whitten

House of Roots and Ruin July 28, 6 pm: Novel, Memphis

Memphis

Brooks Lamb: Love for the Land

LL Cool J: The F.O.R.C.E.

Frankie Valli

Love for the Land

Fedex Forum fedexforum.com

Orpheum Theatre orpheum-memphis.com

July 29, 2 pm: Novel, Memphis J. Stephen Beam

August 24, 7 pm

Memphis

Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show Tour

Hayley Arceneauz

August 28, 6:30 pm Memphis

Halloran Centre orpheum-memphis.com

Cadence Bank Arena cb-arena.com 132 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Wild Ride August 8, 6 pm: Novel, Memphis

Fedex Forum fedexforum.com

Michael Oher

When Your Back’s Against the Wall Memphis

Jackson

August 14, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson

Bluey’s Big Play Ann Patchett in conversation with Lindsay Lynch

Thalia Mara Hall jacksonbroadway.com

Graceland Soundstage gracelandlive.com

Koe Wetzel

Memphis

WWE Monday Night Raw

August 28-29

Black Jacket Symphony

August 24

The Death Letter August 8, 5 pm: Lemuria Books, Jackson

Brandon Amphitheater brandonamphitheater.com

Naturally 7

August 24, 8 pm

Jackson

The Doobie Brothers

Fedex Forum fedexforum.com

August 24, 7:30

August 26, 8 pm

Tom Lake and Do Tell August 29 Tupelo

Black Flag Duling Hall dulinghall.com

Jackson

August 18, 6 pm: Novel, Memphis

Circa 1857

DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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DELTA SEEN

Event hosts, Paul Janoush and Nancy Havens

Lisa and Todd Cooley

Maggi Mosco and Allie Blackwood

Alex Janoush and Robert Ming

Ryan Redditt, Michael Wright, Michael Boulanger, and Rob Brown

136 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Photos by Carley Brown

Jimmy McClellan, Jr., Judson Brown, and Cliff Burd

Kerri Mosco, Kim Buehring, and Stephanie McGarrh

Alanna Mosley

Bolivar County Friends of Scouting Fundraiser in Cleveland on May 4

Kristi Rohr and Robert Heslop

Joe Janoush, Nash Knighton, and Ken McGarrh

Todd Nokes and Milan Killebrew

Beverly Janoush, Nan Sanders, and Kitty Kossman

DELTA SEEN

Erik Van Rens Artist Exhibit opening reception at Delta Arts Alliance in Cleveland on May 4 Photos by Lyndsi Naron

Lee Aylward, Signe Adams, Debbie Powell, Don Conger, Carol Tatum, and Nan Sanders

Sarah and Erik Van Rens with Laura and Frank Howell

Alexa Hayward, Pat Wood, and Janice Roberts

Dave Alford, Carol Hilburn, and Lauren Powell

Ron Koehler, Lawson King, and Ben Powell

Bob Wilbanks, Amber Kincaid, and Bob Ragan

Hilda Povall and Harley Metcalfe

Ann Shackelford and Tricia Walker

Cristi Carter, Scott and Cindy Coopwood, and Walter Carter DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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DELTA SEEN

Opening reception for John Meek Art Exhibit at Museum of the Mississippi Delta in Greenwood on May 9 Photos by Johnny Jennings

Terry, Carlysle, Sallie, John and Peg Meek celebrate at John’s art exhibit in Greenwood

Renae Hardy with Julie and Jeff Warren

May Cookston, Linda and Charles McCoy, Lisa Cookston and Ronnie Stevenson

Allen Wood, Swayze Hicks, Beth Foley Barnes, Mary Neff Stewart, and Forrest Hodge

Carol and Jim Luckett 138 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

Gail Fondren, Susan and Rob Spiller, and Betty Aden

Olivia Ellis, Preslee Magee, Lisa Theunissen, and Bob Milam

Sallie Meek and Maudie Schuyler Clay

George Whitten and Floyd Melton

88th Annual Delta Council Meeting on the campus of Delta State University in Cleveland on June 2 Photos by Faith Barnett

DELTA SEEN

Richard Coleman, Damean Shaw, Kirk Satterfield, James Cunduff, and Ben Guthrie looking sharp at Delta Council

Deputy James Winston, Deputy Shemelia Burns and Deputy Nakia Hall

Incoming President, Bubba Simmons, with Danial Shannon and outgoing President, Wade Litton

Wade Litton, Gov. Tate Reeves, Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Ag Recently crowned 2023 Miss Commissioner Andy Gipson, Mary Taylor Montesi, Speaker of the Catfish, Georgia Neill, of Carrollton House Phillip Gunn, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, State Auditor Shad White, and State Treasurer David McRae

Marilyn Starks and Richard Coleman

Adrianna and Bethany Cantrell

Jennifer, Tuck, Trent, and Megan LaMastus

Sarah, Wyatt, and Clay Vance

Michelle and Meagan Richardson with Arlene and A’Daniel Johnson with new Delta State Maurice Batemon President, Dr. Daniel Ennis DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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DELTA SEEN

Malika Polk-Lee, Derek Trucks, Raful LilRay Neal, Susan Tedeschi, and Robert Terrell celebrate at the grand re-opening of Club Ebony in Indianola

Jesse Robinson with Bruce Howard, Bobby Rush’s longtime drummer

140 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

A collection of photos from Delta Magazine readers

Mr. Sipp, the Mississippi Blues Child entertains the crowd

Music historian Scott Barretta, with Sue Evans, former wife of B.B. King

Elizabeth Fisher, Cathy Miller and Ginger Farris at the recent wedding reception for Farris Miller

Kayleigh McEnany and Lyndsi Naron

Grand reopening of Historic Club Ebony in Indianola on June 1

Raful LilRay Neal, Teeny Tucker, and Mickey Rogers

Wolf Stephenson and Jewel Bass

Dianne Furtick, George Scott, Drew Long, and Bill Dossett at a recent event at the Cleveland Country Club

Kelly Connell and Laura Howell on a recent, and successful, fishing trip in Utah

Nancy Pasternack and Vasti Jackson

A Delta Gathering in the Big Apple: Kate Hayes, Thomas Coopwood, William Dossett, and Mary Claire Hayes

Sarah Bramlett with Ed Sheeran in Houston, Texas

DELTA SEEN

Willie Newman, Alan Stockton, Jim Fraiser, Bill Bailey, Frank Odom, Leroy Brewster, Coach Rex Keaton, members of the 1972 Greenwood High School District Champion Baseball Team

Jim Belushi and Allyson Duckworth at the Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford

Wright Thompson, Ramon’s Restaurant owner, Beverly Ely, and Hayden Hall at the recent book Beth and Ana Parker Davis in the Ben Griffith, Fish Michie, and Bruce Levingston in Oxford signing of Thompson’s book, Pappyland, at Dominican Republic Ramon’s in Clarksdale

Anthony Wilson with men’s clothier and Mississippi native, Sid Mashburn, at his Los Angeles store

Emelia Weiss, daughter of Anne Rene and Rich Weiss, of Clarksdale proudly shows off a stunning Magnolia bloom she picked from her yard

Front row: Liz Partee Sutton, Cheryl Imrie, Jenny Sutton, Kris Jaeger, and DD Felton. Back row: Kent Imrie, Jeff Jaeger, John Sutton, Garrett Sutton, and Paul Felton at the Grammy Museum

Judd and Kelli Williams in Greece

Sarah Hayek, Isabelle Millwood, Alli Malone, Paige Suares, Gwen Azar, Nadine Hayek, Cecilia Azar and Reya Hayek at the recent Delta Soul Ladies Luncheon DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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142 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

DELTA MAGAZINE 2023

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Thefinalword

Thinking Out-of-the-Box

Don Joe lives in Cleveland with his wife Nancy and three children. He owns Compass Financial Strategies, an insurance and financial services company.

elta Magazine celebrates its 20th Anniversary with this edition. Time flies when you’re having fun, or is it that times are fun when you fly? In any event, I remember the first edition of Delta Magazine in the Summer of 2003 that prominently featured Delta icons Lee and Pup McCarty on the front cover, as well it should have. At that time, there were many “firsts” taking place around the Mississippi Delta that culminated and paved the way for the progress that we see today in our region of the state. The creation of this magazine that so beautifully has captured all of this can certainly be considered one of those “firsts.” In the late 1980s and 1990s, my brother, chef Wally Joe of ACRE Restaurant in Memphis, and I set our sights on producing the best culinary experience in the country that was located in a small town—once dubbed the “Oasis in the Middle of Nowhere” by noted writer and former Washington Post wine columnist, John Hailman. He was writing about KC’s, the

144 | JULY/AUGUST 2023

BY DON JOE

fine-dining restaurant we opened in Cleveland which put the Delta on the culinary map as never before. We successfully built that vision when everyone said we were “crazy.” Maybe we were, but patrons came in droves, some flying in from around the South to experience gourmet dining in the most unexpected place—the heart of the Mississippi Delta. Sometimes, it takes people who think out of the box, who come up with what may seem like a “crazy” idea to others, to manifest the things that no one else would have even imagined or that could have happened. One evening while at KC’s, not long after Scott launched the Delta Business Journal, he confided in me he was going to start a lifestyle publication called Delta Magazine. However, he said this one was going to be a much larger undertaking and he shared with me some uncertainty of the Mississippi Delta embracing a publication onto its own because there was already a Mississippi Magazine and a Memphis Magazine, but they were located in metro areas where advertising dollars were abundant. To say the Mississippi Delta has changed in the past twenty-five years is an understatement. I can remember when McCarty’s Pottery, Doe’s Eat Place, and KC’s Restaurant were the main regional destination attractions where people would drive or fly a long distance to shop or dine. However, times have changed, visionaries have come forward, and during the past twenty-five years other ideas have come to fruition that have forever changed the Mississippi Delta causing it to become an international destination. Some of these out of the box ideas range from the Juke Joint festival and Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale to The Alluvian Hotel in Greenwood, the B.B. King Museum in Indianola, and the various Festivals held in Greenville on the waterfront.

During this time period in my town of Cleveland, our downtown has undergone a total transformation with the addition of a number of unique restaurants and coffee shops, cool boutique stores, and most recently, the Cotton House hotel, that is our anchor. The Grammy Museum, the Bologna Performing Arts Center, the Ellis Theater arts complex, and the Lyric Hotel also add to our town’s cultural offerings. This is just a short list of the many wonderful ideas that became reality around the Delta at that time that changed the landscape. All began with a unique vision, determination and hard work, and all have brought people to our region that have in turn added to the economy. And perhaps all of this activity is why Delta Magazine has not only survived, but has thrived—capturing the transformation of the Mississippi Delta like no one else. Fast forward to its twentieth year and Delta Magazine is found in stores, on coffee tables and bookshelves across the state, often dogeared from having been browsed through many times to see what this unique area has to offer. As the writer in this edition of the Final Word, I’m proud to be included—along with my brother Wally Joe, Scott, and so many others—in a group of people who came up with a “crazy” vision and took a chance, when everyone said it couldn’t be done. Our region of the state is a better place because of the people who rolled the dice to simply find out what could be—or, to better put it—enhance our “Oasis in the Middle of Nowhere” as John Hailman once coined. Congratulations to the team of Delta Magazine, both past and present, for twenty years of being pioneers and capturing our beauty and the specialness of the Mississippi Delta. Cheers to the next twenty years!. DM

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