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EDITOR'S NOTE: Lessons in Stepping up from ‘Friday Night Lights’
It may be the peak of the baseball season, but my clear eyes and full heart have been fully set on football, thanks to my latest TV nostalgic kick. For those that don't speak outdated pop-culture references, I've been re-watching all of the show "Friday Night Lights."
Panorama Jazz Band
As a child, Ben Schenck stood outside his home in Annapolis, Md., as a parade came down the block, a drum line and bugle corps leading the charge. Even then, there was something in the music that struck him.
Jacksonian Carvena Jones Fights for 'The Four'
The reality-TV singing competition has long been an entertainment staple, but not every entry in the genre has stood above the crowd. In January of this year, FOX launched its latest foray into the format with "The Four: Battle for Stardom."
Cathead's Headliners
Local music festival Cathead Jam is returning for a third installment in celebration of the Cathead Distillery’s eighth year in Jackson. While plenty of the performers are Ardenland alumni who have played in the Capital City in past years, we at the Jackson Free Press decided to create a rundown as a helpful refresher for the familiar and a friendly introduction to the uninitiated.
Spacewolf & the DIY Ethos
It's a simple mathematic principle: Three comes after two. It doesn't exactly tell you when, though. For Spacewolf, the "when" was about five years later.
Brandon Mitchell and S.W.A.P.'s "Amazing" Return
For Jackson gospel group Brandon Mitchell & S.W.A.P., a little discouragement has helped pave the way for a greater source of encouragement on their sophomore album, "Amazing."
EDITOR'S NOTE: Celebrating, Not Submitting to Mississippi Food
Mississippi has so much great, healthy food already, and I'd love for the rest of the world to realize that we're not just cupcakes, sugar water, grits and danger.
Mr. Fluid: Fighting Conformity
While he would rather be on a stage or in the studio, Mississippi rapper and producer Mr. Fluid's past work experiences are part of the inspiration behind his third album, "When Conformity Is Not Comfortable," also stylized as "WC INC."
Matt Maher
Singer-songwriter Matt Maher has been a significant presence in the world of contemporary Christian music since the early 2000s, but before he was introduced to religion, he says that he was running away, at least at some level.
Michael Kardos
Author Michael Kardos has always been drawn to the art of illusion. As a teenager, the New Jersey native got into doing magic, and as an adult, he wanted to tackle the topic in his writing.
Celebrating Mississippi Composers
When the Mississippi Chorus began looking ahead to the launch of its 30th season this fall, Artistic Director Mark Nabholz says that the board faced an important question: How should they kick off such a milestone year?
Mixed Messages: The JFP Interview with Big K.R.I.T.
Justin Scott, better known as hip-hop artist Big K.R.I.T., says that he has always felt like a bit of an anomaly.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mississippi, the Birthplace (and Future) of America’s Music
Maybe there is a problem with just saying we're the "birthplace of America's music." It doesn't really say that the music still lives here.
Keeshea Pratt Keeps Going
This year's International Blues Challenge featured many musicians from the Magnolia State, with artists from the Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola and the Vicksburg Blues Society making the semifinals. While neither group made the list of winners in late January, Jackson blues fans had reason to rejoice when they saw who took first place: the Keeshea Pratt Band.
Michael Farris Smith
Author Michael Farris Smith's latest thriller, "The Fighter," hit shelves on March 20. He began working on the novel shortly after finishing his critically acclaimed third book, 2017's "Desperation Road."
The Sounds of St. Paddy's
These days, venues across the city make sure there are plenty of options for live music before and after the parade, but Hal's St. Paddy's Festival is still one of the biggest draws downtown, with both local and touring entertainment taking the stage at Hal & Mal's each year.
Alexander FRE$CO
Something was not sitting right for James Villes. In 2017, after working on a new recording project for about a year and a half, the hip-hop artist and Jackson native, whom fans know as Alexander FRE$CO, says the music just did not seem to flow right to him.
The Future of Fleet Foxes
When a band ends a six-year hiatus, there are bound to be high expectations for the new music that breaks the silence. For Robin Pecknold, principal songwriter of Seattle indie-folk group Fleet Foxes, that expectation came from himself for the most part.
Travis Meadows: On Mississippi Dirt
Travis Meadows may not be a household name for every country-music fan, but the Nashville, Tenn., singer-songwriter has made a place for himself among the biggest stars in the genre.
Tedeschi Trucks: Capturing New Ground
When Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks performed together on New Year's Eve in 2008, it was a normal day in many ways.