Joe Lee

Known as The City with Soul, Jackson, Mississippi, is a rough, gritty place with a star-crossed past. In the music made here, the spirit of hard work, perseverance, and the ability to reinvent oneself amid lessons learned comes shining through. No posers or pretenders allowed, as Jackson music lovers of all genres will sniff out performers in a heartbeat that aren’t authentic, aren’t real, and boo them right off the stage. What so many up-and-coming musical artists who’ve graced Mississippi’s capital city possess—from pop to country, from rock to hip hop—is an abiding love and respect for those who showed them the ropes. The artists you’ll meet in this book don’t just mention their influences, they revere the Mississippi musical legends from whom they learned their craft. This theme of paying it forward runs through their stories, as does their love and appreciation for Jackson. It’s a place with a storied history of small clubs and juke joints, a musical destination loaded with creative, resourceful promoters and producers just as eager to see homegrown talent succeed as the artists themselves. Mississippi is the unquestionable birthplace of America’s music, with Jackson being the epicenter that will impact both national and international music trends for the foreseeable future. This doesn’t seem possible, given the state’s population of three million. But it’s all true. You’re about to find out why.