Soul Sessions Jackson

In this Soul Sessions Extra, guest host Yolanda Clay-Moore reconnects with Alex Davis, founder of the HBCU Labor Day Classic Battle of the Bands, ahead of the event's second year in Jackson, Mississippi. Davis reflects on what drew him back to Jackson after last year's historic gathering of ten HBCU marching bands, and previews Bethune-Cookman's first-ever appearance in the city. He also walks through what's changing this year — more open gates, reserved seating, and dedicated parking — after lessons learned from year one. The conversation closes with Davis sharing the full 2026 lineup and details on how to grab tickets before the Classic returns to Veterans Memorial Stadium on Sunday, September 6. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-hbcu-labor-day-classic

On today's show, we're talking with Timothy Orey about how JXN Run Club grew from four friends at the Mississippi Museum of Art into the engine behind the 601 Day race — a race that sold out twice and pulled runners in from six states. It's a conversation built around the phrase he coined years ago and still lives by: that every pace is legal. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-timothy-orey

Mary Sanders Ferriss Cavicchi, founder of Ferriss and Company, returns to Soul Sessions to talk about stewarding Jackson landmarks like Campbell's Bakery and Hal & Mal's, restoring the Kennington Mansion in Belhaven, and mentoring the next generation of designers through Downtown Jackson Partners' Urban Design Studio. She traces her love of historic preservation back to Babalu at Duling School and a mentorship with the late Bill Latham. The conversation covers what makes a small space feel intentional rather than just big, why Hal & Mal's still unifies Jackson across generations, and what's next for her firm — including work for the restaurant Josette, opening in Fondren this fall. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-mary-sanders-ferriss-cavicchi

On today's Soul Sessions EXTRA, we're handing things over to the Big Apple Inn's Geno Lee for the first episode of JXN's Table, a limited series podcast he's hosting for us. His first guest is Guillermo Salinas — pastry chef, chocolatier, and the force behind Just Vanilla at Duling Hall in Fondren. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-jxns-table

On today's show, we're talking with Joe Kosin, VP and Head of Programming at Innovation Arts & Entertainment, the company behind Broadway in Jackson, about the five productions coming to Thalia Mara Hall this season, what the hall's reopening means for touring Broadway, and why getting Jackson back to a week-long run of a blockbuster show is the goal — and why he thinks that's actually within reach. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-joe-kosin

On today's show, we're sitting down with Jerry Douglas — Alison Krauss and Union Station anchor and board member of the National Council for the Traditional Arts — ahead of his performance at the National Folk Festival, November 13th through 15th in Jackson. His latest album, The Set, his first solo release in seven years, captures exactly what makes him irreplaceable: a player who's always adapting, and always home. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-jerry-douglas

Jackson, Mississippi marks Juneteenth with seven free events across eight days — from a folk opera premiere at Jackson State University to a Ranger Talk at the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument to an inaugural gospel celebration at LeFleur's Bluff State Park. We've got the full guide, plus a conversation with Brad Franklin, the organizer behind the 10th Annual Juneteenth on Farish, on what it means to plant a decade-long tradition on one of the most historically significant streets in the South. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-juneteenth

On today's show, David and Jason talk about what it actually takes to bet on a neighborhood like Fondren — and why, for two people who aren't planning to go anywhere, that bet only keeps getting bigger. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-david-pharr-jason-watkins

On today's Soul Sessions Extra, we're talking about Jubilee: A Folk Opera — a collaboration between Jackson State University and Yale University debuting this summer, free and open to the public, right here in Jackson. I'm joined by Patricia Syner, Communications Director at the Margaret Walker Center. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-patricia-syner

On today's show, we're talking with urban strategist Josh McManus — partner at M|B|P, co-creator of JXN Rising, and the driving force behind Better Together, the effort to bring architect Sambo Mockbee's personal archive back into public view for the first time in 25 years. Josh has spent three decades working in post-industrial cities from Chattanooga to Detroit, and now he's turned his attention to Jackson — not as an outsider with answers, but as someone who keeps showing up with tools and a blueprint. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-josh-mcmanus

On today's show, we recorded live on location at the Mississippi Museum of Art during Third Space JXN's Soulfood Sunday event this April with our guest, Third Space founder Aisha Carson. We find out what it actually takes to build intentional community in a city that deserves to see itself celebrated. Her belief is rooted simply in this: that narrative change is where all other change begins, and that when people start experiencing their city differently, they start talking about it differently, too. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-aisha-carson

On today's show, we're talking with Andrea Patterson, Executive Director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum about 30 years of preserving Mississippi's greatest sports legacy, a $4 million renovation that's redefining what the museum can be and why the stories told inside those walls still stop people cold. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-andrea-patterson-2026

On this EXTRA, we're talking about Jackson Coffee Festival. One day, one location. More than a dozen of the region's best specialty coffee producers all under one roof in Jackson, MS on May 2 at the Mississippi Trade Mart. https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-coffee-fest

On today's show, Dr. Robby Luckett, President of the Farish Street Main Street Association Board of Directors, shares insights on reigniting a legacy of resilience and cultural pride in Jackson, Mississippi. Discover how this historic district's past shapes its future through strategic support and community transformation. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-robby-luckett-farish

This is a Soul Sessions Extra, a shorter form episode focused on one thing we think you need to know about right now. And today, that's the second annual Stranger Than Fiction film series. Four documentary screenings at the Capri across the month of April, brought to you by the Mississippi Film Society and made possible in part by a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission.

Our guest today is a chef, farmer, and writer who covers food and Southern culture for Local Palate magazine out of Charleston. On today's show, Jasmine Michel brings an outsider's eyes to Jackson — fresh off the JXN Food & Wine Festival — and what she found here quietly challenged everything her nervous system had been trained to expect from the Deep South. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-jasmine-michel

On this podcast extra, it's just a quick rundown of one of my favorite weekends of the year. The 43rd annual Hal's St. Paddy's Parade and Festival is this Saturday, March 28th and here's how to make the most of it. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-paddys-parade-guide

On today's show, we're putting Mississippi on the Map with Nick Wallace and Hunter Evans, two chefs cooking at the highest level, both part of this weekend's sold out third annual JXN Food & Wine Festival.

Today's episode is a Soul Sessions Extra, a shorter conversation with Jessica Walzer, curator of collections and exhibits at the two Mississippi museums about a brand new exhibition called “Mississippi Made.” In celebration of America 250, it's 250 artifacts spanning from the early 19th century to the present day. Agriculture, manufacturing, music, fashion, science, literature, film, the breadth alone tells you something about what this state has produced. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-mississippi-made

On today's show, we're talking American favorite classic foods with two people who've built their restaurants around it. Jeff Good is the owner of Sal and Mookie's New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint at The District at Eastover in LeFleur East. Since 2007, he's been making New York-style pizza in Jackson. Fresh dough every day, the kind of slice that folds just perfectly. And Scott Jackson, he's a founding partner of The Pig and Pint in Fondren. A sommelier by trade who got into the restaurant business, Scott was part of the crew that opened The Pig and Pint in 2014, bringing chef-driven barbecue, craft beer, and a whole lot of nostalgia to a neighborhood spot that now draws people from all over the world. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-jeff-good-scott-jackson

On today's show, we're talking about Southern food traditions with two women who are keepers of those traditions in very different ways. Chef Enrika Williams trained at a culinary school in Atlanta and came home to Jackson, the city that's always felt like endless possibilities for her imagination and creativity. And Glenda Cage Barner opened Sugar's Place on West Griffith Street with her son, Chef Donovan Barner, in 2008. Named for her mother, Velma—everyone called her Sugar—the restaurant feeds everyone from law students to judges, bringing people together over soul food. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-enrika-williams-glenda-barner

On today's show, we're talking about two of those daily rituals with two people who've built their businesses around them: Matt Flinn at Native Coffee Company and Brandi Carter at Levure Wine Shop. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-matt-flinn-brandi-carter

Today, we're talking about the HBCU Power Series coming to Trustmark Park in Pearl this February. Six tradition-rich programs, three days of games, and a weekend that celebrates everything great about HBCU athletics. And yes, your Jackson State Tigers will be playing right here at home. JSU head baseball Coach Omar Johnson joins us. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-hbcu-power-series

On today’s show, I stepped back and let two incredible chefs talk shop. Geno Lee, the fourth-generation owner of the Big Apple Inn on Farish Street, sits down with Simms Powell, a 15-year-old culinary and artistic prodigy who's been cooking since he was nine. Both are featured on the cover of our 2026 tour guide, and this conversation about Filipino food, fusion cuisine, and what it really takes to make people feel at home through food is exactly why Jackson's culinary scene is second to none. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-geno-lee-simms-powell

On today's season six opener, we're celebrating what makes Jackson's food scene unlike anywhere else through the voices of the chefs, restaurateurs and the food makers who bring it to life. Hear from Chefs Nick Wallace, Hunter Evans, Enrika Williams, Damien Cavichhi and Chaz Lindsay; distiller Richard Patrick and coffee roaster and expert Trey Malone. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-culinary-town

On today's show, we're talking about Mississippi's return to the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day. Last year's debut was a landmark moment. 800,000 people on the streets of Pasadena, millions more watching worldwide. This year, Mississippi goes back with a new theme celebrating the arts and Jackson's own USA International Ballet Competition will be represented on the float. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-rose-parade

On today's show, we're talking with WJTV's Kayla Thompson, who turned a scary moment in Tupelo into a career-defining revelation. Now she's the face of Live at 9, where she spotlights Jackson's creative hustle every weekday morning. Her new book, Master of the Pivot, chronicles her journey from Jacksonville State in Alabama to becoming one of Jackson's most recognizable voices. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-kayla-thompson

On today's show, we down with Ally Durr, visual designer by day, soulful musician by calling. From singing gospel with her cousins to releasing her breakthrough single, “What You Livin' For,” to grooving for Aunjanue L. Ellis-Taylor at Tougaloo, Ally's journey through Jackson's music scene is a masterclass in creative courage and community connection. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-ally-durr

On today's show, Blaine Wade, the president and CEO of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, joins us to talk about the National Folk Festival, coming to Jackson for a three year residency, November 7th, 8th and 9th. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-blaine-wade

On today's show, we're sitting down with John Evans, the man behind Lemuria Books, one of the South's most beloved independent bookstores. Since 1975, John has been more than just a bookseller—he's been a curator of literary culture, a champion of authors, and a steadfast presence in Jackson's creative community. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-john-evans

On today's show, we're chatting with Liz Brister, the dynamo president of Downtown Jackson Partners who's been leading the charge to change perceptions about our capital city's core since February. From sunrise workouts at Pinnacle Green to five-course dinners under harvest moons in Smith Park, Liz is proving that downtown Jackson isn't just Mississippi's urban heart – it's a place worth falling in love with all over again. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-liz-brister

On today’s show, we're talking with Dr. Tonja Murphy, the community engagement director for the Mississippi Book Festival, about what she calls their "Super Bowl" - the annual literary lawn party happening September 13 at the Mississippi State Capitol. From debut novelists to cookbook characters like Swamp Dog, from writing workshops to children's poetry sessions, Tonja's helping to orchestrate a day that can help anyone fall back in love with reading. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-tonja-murphy

On today's show, Alex Davis is the visionary behind the HBCU Labor Day Classic Battle of the Bands. He's bringing an unprecedented celebration of band culture to Jackson, complete with food trucks, VIP field access, and the chance for high school musicians to rub shoulders with collegiate legends like JSU's Sonic Boom of the South. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-alex-davis

On today's show, we're talking with Sade Meeks, a registered dietitian and founder of Growing Resilience in the South—GRITS—an organization fighting for food justice here in Mississippi. She's making a documentary called "Food as Resistance" that challenges everything we think we know about Southern foods, and she's proving that catfish and greens aren't just comfort food—they're weapons against food inequality. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-sade-meeks

On today's show, we're talking with Alexis Noble, the powerhouse gallery owner and creative director who's transforming an unexpected location in a University Boulevard shopping center into Jackson's creative hub. She's the founder of Vibe Studio and the Mashup and a Change Collective fellow who's proving art doesn't have to be elitist. It just has to be accessible. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-alexis-noble

On today's show, we're talking with Thabi Moyo, the local director for the National Folk Festival, coming to Jackson November 7th through 9th. She left her beloved job at the Mississippi Film Office to take on this massive three-year cultural celebration. And she's here to tell us why this free festival will be unlike anything Jackson has ever experienced. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-thabi-moyo

On today's show, we talk with Maya Kyles, a dynamic drummer and Jackson native who's carved out her own space in the city's vibrant music scene. From the gospel roots of the Mississippi Mass Choir to the spotlight at the Chicago Blues Festival, Maya's journey is as soulful as it is steady. We'll dive into her influences, her evolution as a musician, and that moment she stepped out from behind the drums and into the mic, literally. We spent a little time together at the Chicago Blues Festival. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-maya-kyles

On today's show, we're sitting down with Jackson author Gerry Wilson, who published her first novel at the age of 82. She shares how her life in Mississippi Her years as a teacher and her lifelong love of writing all came together to shape her book, "That Pinson Girl," and what it means to find your voice at any stage in life. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-gerry-wilson

On today's show, we’re celebrating the roots and rhythms of Mississippi blues and its powerful connection to the Chicago Blues Festival with Visit Mississippi’s Michelle McAdoo. From the local legends to their lasting legacies, Michelle will help us explore how Mississippi continues to shape—and share—the soundtrack of the south. TRANSCRIPT and SHOW NOTES: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-michelle-mcadoo

We're catching up with Austin Evans and Richard Patrick, co-founders of Cathead Distillery. With bourbon, gin, and liqueurs, plus a music festival that's just as soulful as their spirits. They're here to talk Cathead Jam, community, and the culture that keeps them rooted in Jackson. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-cathead

We're catching up with Kimberlee Cooper from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the organization behind Mississippi Makers Fest, a free family friendly celebration of local art, music and food. From pottery demos to American Idol headliners, Kimberly shares how this growing festival turns downtown Jackson into a showcase of Mississippi creativity.

On today's show, we're talking with Maureen Scott, a certified Master Gardener and member of the Metro Master Gardeners Association. From her work at Greenwood Cemetery and the Ag Museum Herb Garden to a touching award-winning project at St. Dominic's, Maureen shares how gardening can be both personal therapy and public service. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-maureen-scott

On today's show, we're talking with Ryan Parker, the executive director of the Mississippi Film Society, bringing Hollywood to Mississippi's capital city. Ryan accomplishes this through special screenings and the upcoming Stranger Than Fiction Film Festival, bringing a passion for creating shared experiences to our local movie screens.

Think great writers are all serious business? Not in Jackson, where literary legend Eudora Welty left her mark with both brilliance and playful spirit! On today's show, we're celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Eudora Welty House with Welty Education Specialist Anna Traylor, who's bringing the beloved author's vibrant legacy to new generations at this perfectly preserved piece of Jackson history. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-anna-traylor

From appetizers to entrées, Jackson's culinary scene is serving up a feast for the senses that's as rich as our Mississippi soil. On today's show, we're dishing with Amanda Fitzgerald from the local palate about the much-anticipated JXN Food & Wine festival, where over 30 chefs from across the South will bring their unique flavors to our capital city for a two-day culinary celebration. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-amanda-fitzgerald-jfw

Sometimes losing your tech job leads you straight to your calling – just ask the man who turned his weekend hobby into Jackson's hottest food truck. On today's show, we visit with Eddie Wright of Eddie Wright BBQ. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-eddie-wright

From Beatles inspired dishes to family style feasts, Chef Enrika Williams proves that nostalgia can be deliciously innovative. From nerding out about Apple varieties with Chef Hunter Evans at Elvie's to watching him shine at the James Beard House in New York recently, Enrika shares what makes Jackson's collaborative food scene so special. Plus she gives us a glimpse of what's cooking for the upcoming Jackson Food and Wine Festival and reveals the food trends she sees emerging in 2025. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-enrika-williams

On today's show, restaurateur Chaz Lindsay takes us inside his newest venture, Rowan's - a neighborhood pub that's 'family-friendly by day, a little loose at night.' From fried bologna sandwiches to weenie martinis, we'll explore how this former donut shop is being transformed into Belhaven's newest gathering spot, plus get the scoop on what's cooking at the upcoming Jackson Food and Wine Festival. TRANSCRIPT and SHOW NOTES: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-chaz-lindsay

Think coffee is just a quick caffeine fix? Think again—it's an art, a science, and a connection to the world around us. We’re diving in with Trey Malone—coffee aficionado and CEO at Northshore Specialty Roasters—about how a great cup of coffee isn’t just about the brew, but about creating spaces that connect us all. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-trey-malone

In this episode of Soul Sessions, we celebrate Mississippi's cultural spotlight at the Tournament of Roses Parade. Dr. Roderick Little, Director of the Sonic Boom of the South, discusses the band's preparation and significance in representing Jackson and HBCUs. Katie Coats from Visit Mississippi shares insights on their first-ever float honoring musical legends Elvis Presley and B.B. King, emphasizing the importance of showcasing Mississippi's rich musical heritage to a global audience. TRANSCRIPT: https://www.visitjackson.com/blog/soul-sessions-roderick-little-katie-coats