Mississippi Arts Hour
by MPB Think Radio
Each week, members of MAC's staff host The Mississippi Arts Hour, a radio program broadcast on Mississippi Public Broadcasting's FM and digital radio networks. The show features interviews with Mississippi artists, musicians, craftspeople, and others involved in arts and culture from around the state.
Episodes
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Mississippi Arts Hour | James & Jamel Wofford - National Folk Festival Preview
In advance of their performance at the National Folk Festival in Jackson, Larry travels to Tupelo to talk with James and Jamel Wofford, father and son musicians in the Church of the Living God. The church uses the steel guitar as the lead instrument in their worship service and the Woffords are...
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Gilroy Chow - Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum
On this Mississippi Arts Hour, host Kristen Brandt talks with Gilroy Chow of the Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum in Cleveland about the history and traditions of Chinese American communities in the Mississippi Delta. From family stories and historic photographs to Chinese-owned grocery...
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Artist, A.J. Haynes
This week Leslie talks with interdisciplinary artist, A.J. Haynes. Both a solo artist and lead vocalist for the nationally and internationally acclaimed band, Seratones, A.J. recently performed on the Grammy winning album, A Tribute to the King of Zydeco. She is a Louisiana native, but has lived...
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Craftsman, Fletcher Cox
Larry visits with Fletcher Cox, a master woodworker and craftsman who lives in the Jackson area. Cox is a past Governor’s Arts Award recipient and current member of MAC’s Artist Roster. They talk about his roots as a self-taught craftsman, how his work has evolved over the years and how he has...
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Painter, Josephine Alexander
David visits with the painter Josephine Alexander from Ashland, Mississippi. A native of Maine, Alexander runs a small vegetable farm and makes oil paintings. She received an Artist Fellowship grant from MAC this summer. They talk about her roots in the Northeast, coming back to painting after…
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Musician, Eric Deaton
Larry talks with longtime north Mississippi blues performer Eric Deaton. A native of North Carolina, Deaton moved to Mississippi in his late teens and learned the Hill Country blues style by playing with the masters of the music, including Junior Kimbrough and R.L.Burnside. Deaton has played with…
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Author, Diane Williams
Kristen talks with author and visual artist Diane Williams about Fostering Love, her memoir of growing up in a troubled family. Diane talks about the challenges of telling a difficult personal story and the insights she gained through the project. Also joining the conversation is Meredith Coleman...
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Jimbo Mathus
Larry talks with musician, bandleader and producer Jimbo Mathus. They talk about the upcoming reissue of his 1997 album Plays Songs for Rosetta and the origins of that project, as well as his recent work with the Parchman Prison Band on their upcoming recording.
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Laura Kittrell, Showrunner, TV Writer & Executive Producer
This week Leslie talks with television writer, producer, and showrunner, Laura Kittrell. Laura's work includes Insecure, High School, and The Michael J. Fox Show. Her most recent project Elle (from the world of Legally Blonde) premiered on Amazon Prime earlier this summer. Laura discusses the…
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Pianist, Bill Perry
Larry finishes his recent trip to Oxford by visiting with Bill Perry, a jazz pianist and bandleader in the city. Perry tells about his beginnings as a musician,playing in a family band. He then branched out into jazz, leading a number of different groups. Perry also talks about his work creating...
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Mississippi Arts Hour | ELSIE
David travel to Hattiesburg to speak with singer/songwriter Elsie, who is currently competing on America's Got Talent tv show. She tells David about her years growing up in Columbia, Mississippi, the lessons she learned as a church musician, and her travels throughout the world.
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Writer, Larry Wells
Larry talks with Oxford writer Larry Wells about his new book, Backstory: A Literary Life on the Run. Co-authored with his late wife Dean Faulkner Wells, the book highlights the couple’s years working as freelance journalists, traveling throughout the U.S. and writing stories on wing walkers…
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Penny Kemp - Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience
David travels to Meridian to visit with Penny Kemp, President and CEO of the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAEX). They talk about Kemp’s roots in Meridian and her previous work in the arts. They also highlight MAC’s upcoming “Day for Artists” convening at the museum and several...
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Musician, Arnie Brenn
This week Larry travels up to Oxford to talk with singer/songwriter Arnie Brenn. Brenn is a Laurel native who creates multi-layered psychedelic influenced rock. They talk about Brenn's childhood working as a church musician, how the bass lines in his music originate from him playing sousaphone in...
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Remembering Calvin Phelps
This week, we’re playing a classic “Arts Hour” show featuring the late Calvin Phelps, founder and longtime director of Pike School of Art who passed away last month. Through PSA, Phelps produced a lot of innovative arts programming in McComb and across the county. The interview was recorded in…
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Scott Barretta
Larry catches up with Scott Barretta, host of Highway 61 on MPB. They talk about a number of things in the current blues scene in Mississippi, including the re-constituted blues band at the state penitentiary (Parchman), Mississippi artists at the Chicago Blues Festival and some of the young...
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Brejenn Allen
This week, David visits with painter and visual artist Brejenn Allen from Meridian. They talk about her rural roots and the creative spirit within her family, her studies at the Art Institute of Chicago, and the role that Mississippi plays in her work and artistic practice.
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport
This week, Larry talks with Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport, a 19-year old blues guitarist and Vicksburg native who has been taking the national blues scene by storm. Davenport has just released Young Rell, his debut album that features his own original songs. He is touring throughout the U.S. and...
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Jerrod Partridge
Guest host Julian Rankin (Walter Anderson Museum of Art) visits with painter and visual artist Jerrod Partridge from Ocean Springs. They talk about Jerrod’s recent artist residency at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum and his current project documenting the shrimpers on the Gulf Coast.
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Price Walden
This week, Larry speaks with Price Walden, an Oxford-based composer and musician. Walden received this year’s music composition award from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters. A native of Booneville, Walden composes a wide range of compositions, including pieces for vocalists, wind...
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Mississippi Arts Hour Classic | Jim Dees (Dec 2016)
To celebrate the Arts Hour’s twentieth anniversary, we’re sharing some classic shows with you. This one from 2016 features two current MPB hosts. Deep South Dining’s Malcolm White interviews Jim Dees from Thacker Mountain Radio. They talk about Dees’ new book. Also joining them in the studio is…
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Gavin Bird
This week Larry speaks with Jackson-based muralist Gavin Bird. Bird paints outdoor murals for communities and private companies throughout the state. One of his more notable recent works was a large mural completed in Oxford that features several legendary artists who lived in the city.
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Amanda Koonlaba and Erin Mulligan
Have you ever thought about becoming a teaching artist or wondered how you would even begin the process? This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Leslie talks with Amanda Koonlaba and Erin Mulligan. Both members of the Mississippi Whole Schools Team, they discuss their personal artistic journeys…
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Harold Miller
Larry visits with sculptor and ceramicist Harold Miller from Brandon. Miller talks about starting into art while growing up in Vicksburg and the influence of the neighborhood on his current work. He also explains how he has built up a clientele through years of exhibiting at art shows around the...
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An Arts Hour Extra!
On this episode, Mississippi Poet Laureate Ann Fisher-Wirth speaks with fellow poet Danielle Sellers about the Walt Whitman poem, “I Saw in Louisiana a Live-Oak Growing.” Sellers received her MFA from the University of Mississippi, where she held the John Grisham Poetry Fellowship. She teaches at...
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Marvin Myles
Larry travels to Kosciusko to catch up with Reverend Marvin Myles, Sr, the leader of the Myles Family Singers, a traditional gospel group. He talks about growing up in Friars Point, singing with his brothers and how he taught his children to sing together in their family group.
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Topher Payne
This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, we sit down with playwright and director Topher Payne to talk about bringing ‘The Attala County Garden Club’ to life on stage at New Stage Theatre. Known for his sharp wit and deep love of Southern storytelling, Payne shares insight into his creative…
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Mississippi Arts Hour | Adam Trest
While packing his bags for Venice, Italy, Adam Trest stops to chat with David Lewis on this week’s episode of the Arts Hour. Adam and David catch up on all the many projects Adam has been up to, including a new series of works and the debut of three pieces at the Venice Biennale. They recap the...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Krista Bower
This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Leslie talks with Belhaven University’s Dean of Fine Arts, Krista Bower. Krista also serves as Professor and Chair of Dance. In our conversation, Krista tells us about her personal journey as a dancer, including co-founding the Mississippi-based…
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Rick Anderson
This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Larry talks with painter and 2025-26 MAC Artist Fellowship grant recipient Rick Anderson from Clinton. They discuss his roots in the Mississippi Delta and its imprint on his work, his long career as an arts educator, and his current work with an…
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Aimee Nezhukumatathil
This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, we’re joined by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, an award-winning author whose work explores a deep love of the natural world and powerful examinations of identity and belonging. Known for her bestselling essay collection World of Wonders, Aimee brings her signature...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Patrick Artigues
This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, we sit down with Starkville-based musician Patrick Artigues to talk about his recently released EP and the creative influences behind it. Patrick offers an honest and insightful look into his artistic process from initial inspiration to final production....
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Euphus Ruth
Larry Morrisey travels to Greenville to talk with photographer Euphus Ruth. He has been an active photographer in the Delta for over 30 years. Ruth’s work is focused on the use of historic photographic processes, including wet plate and panoramic cameras.. If you enjoy listening to this podcast,...
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The Mississppi Arts Hour | Oxford Community Market
Leslie Barker talks with the Director of Oxford Community Market, Betsy Chapman, and Music at the Market Director, Luke Fisher. This year-round farmers market builds community through food, music, and an extra serving of southern hospitality. Recently, the market extended a hand and hundreds of...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Paul Burch
Larry Morrisey talks with Nashville-based musician and author Paul Burch about Meridian Rising, his new book. It’s a fictional memoir of Jimmie Rodgers, the legendary Mississippi musician from the 1920s and 30s. The book blends historical moments with imagined scenes, creating a new consideration...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Angela Ball
Larry Morrisey visits with poet Angela Ball from Hattiesburg. They talk about her beginnings as a writer and poet, her work as a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi and the themes found in Steeplechase, her new collection of poetry. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Emmi Sprayberry
Leslie Barker talks with one of MAC’s newest staff members, Emmi Sprayberry. Emmi’s documentary photography has gained international recognition. At her core, she is a storyteller who is passionate about accessibility in the arts and supporting emerging talent. Join us for our conversation about...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Dottie Armstrong
David Lewis sits down with the 2026 Governor’s Arts Award recipient for Excellence in Arts Education, Dorothy "Dottie" Armstrong. Dottie is an arts educator who has developed arts programming within the Newton community. In this episode, Dottie shares stories about her upbringing, how she didn't...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra
Kristen Brandt sits down with Janet Reihle and Crafton Beck of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra (MSO), an institution that has shaped Mississippi’s cultural landscape for more than 80 years. The MSO is the 2026 recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Performing Arts. They talk about...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Jesse Robinson
Larry Morrisey visits with blues musician and Governor’s Arts Award recipient, Jesse Robinson. Robinson grew up in the Delta and came to Jackson as a teenager. He’s been playing music around the Jackson since then, including being one of the central musicians at the Subway Lounge, the legendary...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Heather Christian
On this episode of the Mississippi Arts Hour, Leslie talks with the 2026 Governor’s Arts Award recipient for Excellence in Music Composition, Heather Christian. Heather is a composer, lyricist, playwright and performer creating music centered shows and rituals. She is a Lucille Lortel, Drama…
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Kelly Foster Lundquist
Lauren Rhoades talks with author Kelly Foster Lundquist about her striking debut memoir titled Beard: A Memoir of a Marriage. In the book, Kelly revisits her relationship with her first husband twenty years after their divorce as she investigates the "beard" trope in literature, culture, and her...
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An Arts Hour Extra!
In this next installment of the Favorite Poem Podcast Project hosted by Mississippi Poet Laureate, poet and memoirist Mike Smith brings us Marianne Moore’s intriguing poem “The Fish.” Please listen—and enjoy!
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Keri Davis
Kristen Brandt talks to Keri Davis. Keri is an artist, teacher, musician, and owner of Pacesetter Gallery, which opened in Flowood in 2021. The gallery features over 60 artists from across Mississippi. Keri has hosted hundreds of events, from art classes, workshops, plein air painting…
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Charlie Buckley
Larry Morrisey travels to Oxford to catch up with painter Charlie Buckley. Buckley remembers his years studying with artist and 2026 Governor’s Arts Awards recipient, Dottie Armstrong. He also explains how his “stacked houses” paintings have transformed into a long-term project for him. He’s now...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Ace Atkins
Lauren Rhoades talks with New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins about his new novel EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD, a rollicking comedic thriller set in 1985, in which a suburban teen suspects his mom's new boyfriend is a KGB agent. Atkins is an award-winning author of more than thirty...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Emma Pittman
Leslie Barker talks with performer, choreographer, and director Emma Pittman. Currently, you can see Emma as Cherry Valance on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning production, The Outsiders. After winning “The Search for Roxie,” she made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago. Join us for a...
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | William Boyle
Larry Morrisey travels to Oxford to talk with the writer William Boyle. Boyle published his eighth novel, ‘Saint of the Narrows Street,’ earlier this year. He tells about the influence of legendary Mississippi writer Larry Brown’s work, his use of music as a way to describe his characters, and…
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The Mississippi Arts Hour | Wade Acuff
Kristen Brandt talks to Wade Acuff. Wade is an animator and illustrator living in Brandon, Mississippi. He has worked with major studios such as Netflix, Paramount, and Nickelodeon, and been involved in the production of films including Ma, Big Bad, and the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. His...
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An Arts Hour Extra!
Welcome to the fourth installment of the Favorite Poem Podcast series, hosted by Mississippi Poet Laureate Ann Fisher-Wirth. In this podcast, Melissa reveals the intricate complexity of H. D.’s beautiful, short Imagist poem “Oread.”
About this show
Each week, members of MAC's staff host The Mississippi Arts Hour, a radio program broadcast on Mississippi Public Broadcasting's FM and digital radio networks. The show features interviews with Mississippi artists, musicians, craftspeople, and others involved in arts and culture from around the state.
Hosted by
MPB Think Radio
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