After a considerable turnout in its inaugural appearance, the “Mississippi’s Best” Grassroots Entertainment festival returns to Lee Hall Tuesday evening, featuring the works of local artists and performances from six musical acts as well as a dance group.Starting at 6, the artists will exhibit their works in the lobby before the performances begin in the auditorium at 7.
Program director Cindy Melby said her inspiration to get “Mississippi’s Best” started was from her natural desire to expose others to the underappreciated talent in the North Mississippi area.
“As a teacher in public schools for 26 years, the desire to educate never really leaves you. The goal of ‘Mississippi’s Best’ is to educate the public as to different music genres and art mediums that are practiced in North Mississippi,” Melby said. “I wanted everyone to know about this wealth of talent that existed in North Mississippi.”
Reita Jackson, who is a member of the “Mississippi’s Best” entertainment performance board, said the event is a celebration of Mississippi’s rich musical heritage.
“We’re trying not only to entertain but to educate students on the great thing that is traditional music,” Jackson said.
The seven artists to be featured are Martin Arnold (mixed media/portraits); Kathryn Davis (stained glass); Carole McReynolds-Davis (acrylics); Dott Bailey (folk art/paper cutting); Betty Jane Chatham (oils/landscapes) and Melissa Neuman (pottery).
Three Starkville High School students will also be featured in the showcase, exhibiting photography and charcoal drawings.
Program art exhibit director and MSU curriculum and instruction lecturer Mary Melby-Codling said the wide range of styles sampled in the showcase should appeal to a wide audience.
“Bailey does a German form of paper cutting called scherenschnitte,” she said.
The art will also be available for purchase. “The artists will be on hand to show and sell their works,” Melby-Codling said.
This year’s musical lineup of “Mississippi’s Best” mainly features newcomers to the festival as well as Starkville band Nash Street, which performed last year. Local dance group Rhythm Elite from Dancing Fleet Academy will also be making its debut at “Mississippi’s Best.”
“Last year all the performers were musicians, so we’re glad to have Rhythm Elite this time,” Melby said.
This year’s musical acts include guest star and emcee Shelly Fairchild (blues/soul); Ace Cannon (saxophonist); Nash Street (bluegrass); Robert “Wolfman” Belfour (blues); Chase McGinnis (country) and the Starkville High School Gospel Singers.
Melby said “Mississippi’s Best” is unique in that it has a celebrity guest host.
“Southern Miss has something called ‘Roots Reunion’ that does this same thing. They do not include a celebrity guest star,” Melby said. “That makes us unique, but I think it is important to our other musicians for inspiration.”
Clinton-based Fairchild is currently signed to Columbia Records and has performed on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” She has also opened for such artists as John Fogerty, Tim McGraw and Keith Urban. She will be playing with her band, The People.
Grenada native Ace Cannon has been inducted in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame as well as the Rock and Soul Hall of Fame for his saxophone prowess.
Like Fairchild, Nash Street has also opened for Tim McGraw and recently won the Colgate Country Showdown. The group consists mostly of MSU students with one a senior at Starkville High School.
Belfour comes from Holly Springs and studied under such legendary artists as R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough. The hill country blues guitarist has an album, What’s Wrong With You, on Oxford-based Fat Possum Records.
This year’s edition also includes an MSU student emcee. General business administration sophomore Kim Fron won a contest held by Campus Activities Board to earn the gig.
Melby said the two-hour entertainment portion will be jam-packed.
“Everybody will be on stage for no more than 15 minutes,” she said. “We’ll have a finale at the end of the show where all the acts get on stage and perform together.”
Sponsors for the event include the National Endowment for the Arts, the Misssippi Arts Council, Holmes Cultural Diversity Center, MSU Campus Activities Board and Starkville businesses.
“One thing we want to stress to everybody is that this event is free,” Melby said. “We’re encouraging people to get there at 6 p.m. to see all the art.”
Melby said she hopes even more people will come this year and that the festival will be an eye-opening experience for students who may not realize the many musical and artistic talents featured in the region.
“I would hope that events like this that are free to the public will encourage parents to come out and bring the whole family,” she said. “It will be an education in true Mississippi arts in all their diverse glory.