Mississippi Songwriters Performing Arts Center

09/05/2026

🎶 HIT ME AMERICA — LIVE! 🇺🇸

What happens when you put three talented songwriters, a live audience, and a blank page together?

You get Hit Me America! 🎤✍️

Join us during the Mississippi Songwriters Festival for a one-of-a-kind live songwriting competition where three songwriters go head-to-head to create a hit song on the spot — with help from the audience!

📅 Saturday, September 19
⏰ 8:00 PM
📍 The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Arts Center, 1600 Government Street,
Ocean Springs, Mississippi

It’s spontaneous. It’s interactive. And nobody — including the songwriters — knows exactly what’s going to happen until it happens!

🇺🇸 Want to know how Hit Me America works, who’s competing, and all the details for attending? 👉 https://hitmeamerica.com

Come be part of the audience…and maybe part of the next great song. 🎶

09/01/2026

Legend

Jimmy Buffett passed away at the age of 76 on this day three years ago from skin cancer.

09/01/2026

Mississippi Man himself, the legend, Conway Twitty.

Today, we remember country music legend Conway Twitty, who was born on this day in Friars Point.

An upcoming inductee into the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Hall of Fame, Twitty remains one of country music's most decorated artists, selling more than 50 million records worldwide and defining the sound of the genre for a generation.

His early releases drew little attention, but everything changed in 1958 when an Ohio radio station began playing one of his B-sides in heavy rotation. "It's Only Make Believe" eventually reached number one on the Billboard chart and topped the charts in 21 other countries, becoming the first of an astonishing 55 number-one singles during his career.

Dubbed "The High Priest of Country Music" by fellow Mississippian Jerry Clower, who remarked that Twitty's concerts drew adoring crowds with the fervor of religious revivals, Twitty embraced the moniker as the title of an album. His signature song, "Hello Darlin'," reached number one in 1970 and became one of the defining country songs of its era.

Celebrate Twitty's induction into the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Hall of Fame as part of the Class 2026-2027 with a ceremony at the historic MSU Riley Center on Thursday, January 28, 2027, followed by an elegant reception at The MAX.

For more information on the Class of 2026-2027, visit https://www.msarts.org/visit/whats-inside/hall-of-fame/class-of-2026-2027/.

08/26/2026

The world has lost an immeasurable, iconic figure in the entertainment, songwriting and philanthropic world - may the soul of Dolly Parton forever rest in the heavens of harmony, grace and goodness. While Dolly did not have any direct ties personally that we know of to Mississippi, she did have a song she wrote which was recorded by Mississippi native and Hall of Fame member Mr. Charley Pride. In 2006, Charley recorded an album of faith based songs and included in that song material is God’s Coloring Book.
Dolly recorded this song for her 1977 album Here You Come Again, released that October, she wrote the lyrics and musical composition herself. RIP Dolly, you and Charley will live forever in the work and examples of humanity you left us.

Provided to YouTube by Symphonic DistributionGod's Coloring Book ...

08/22/2026

Today, we remember blues legend and Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Hall of Fame inductee John Lee Ho**er, who was born on this day in Clarksdale.

The son of a Delta sharecropper, Ho**er developed a distinctive guitar style that became a defining part of his sound, featured prominently in some of his best-known songs, including “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” and “Boom Boom.”

A five-time Grammy Award winner, Ho**er received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. He was inducted into both the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Visit The MAX to explore his story, along with other arts and entertainment legends who trace their roots to Mississippi. Learn more at msarts.org.

08/19/2026

WHERE will all music be happening the 3rd weekend of September? Well we are proud to announce the 2026 Mississippi Songwriters Festival participating venues in Ocean Springs and Gautier. We hope that you will make your plans to come out and visit these businesses, and you don't' have to wait until September. They would love to see you now! Let's tell them thank you and support them as they are supporting keeping the music alive and flowing, sharing their space for songwriters and the audience. Thank you to our 2026 Venue partners. Without you we could not accomplish the magnitude of impact the weekend delivers.

Ocean Springs
• Sunset Lounge at Gulf Hills Hotel & Resort
• The Julep Room
• Murky Waters BBQ - Ocean Springs
• Neon Moon
• The Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Arts Center
• Keg and Barrel Ocean Springs
• Os1515 Downtown + CRAVE Food Hall
• McKinney’s Irish Pub OS
• Jobu’s Tiki and Sushi Bar
•
Gautier
• Aztecas Restaurant & Cantina
• Cornerstone Restaurant & Bar
• Pine Island
• Hickory Hill Country Club and Resort
• FUMC (First United Methodist Church of Gautier)
•
Gulfport
•Depot District At Dusk (Gulfport Main St. Assoc.)

08/19/2026

IT’S HERE! 🎶 The Mississippi Songwriters Alliance is very proud to officially unveil the poster for the 17th Annual Mississippi Songwriters Festival — Coast Edition!

📅 September 17–20, 2026

This year, ALL ROADS LEAD HOME.

From the Delta to the Pines… from the Capital River Region all the way down to the Gulf Coast… Mississippi’s music has traveled around the world, but its roots always lead right back here. ❤️

For four incredible days, songwriters, music lovers, venues, businesses and communities will come together across the Mississippi Gulf Coast to celebrate the stories, the songs and the people who make Mississippi truly The Birthplace of America’s Music.

And this year feels especially meaningful as we look toward a new chapter for the Mississippi Songwriters Alliance with the future home of the Mississippi Songwriters Performing Arts Center & Hall of Fame in Gautier.

To every sponsor, participating venue, community partner and supporter whose name appears here: THANK YOU. You help make this festival possible and help us continue telling Mississippi’s musical story.

🎶 17th Annual Mississippi Songwriters Festival
📍 Ocean Springs & Gautier - MS
📅 September 17–20, 2026

The countdown is officially ON.

ALL ROADS LEAD HOME. 🏡🎶 we hope everyone who can will join us

08/19/2026

🎉 BIG NEWS, GAUTIER! 🎉

The 36th Annual Gautier Mullet & Music Fest is making history!

For the first time ever, our beloved festival is coming to The Sound Amphitheater! We are incredibly excited to bring this longtime Gautier tradition to this amazing new venue and celebrate another year of music, food, family fun, and community spirit.

📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
📍 The Sound Amphitheater | Gautier, Mississippi

For 36 years, the Gautier Mullet & Music Fest has brought our community and visitors from across the Gulf Coast together for a day filled with live music, delicious food, local vendors, family activities, the famous Mullet Toss, arts & crafts, and so much more!

And the best part? Admission is FREE! This festival is our gift to the Gautier community and surrounding areas.

🛍️ VENDORS WANTED!

Are you a food vendor, artist, crafter, small business, or organization? We would love to have you be part of this year's festival!

👉 Visit [www.GautierMulletFestival.com](http://www.GautierMulletFestival.com) for vendor applications, festival information, contests, schedules, sponsorship opportunities, and updates.

Mark your calendars and get ready, Gautier!

The Mullet is coming to The Sound Amphitheater! 🐟🎶

36 Years. One Great Tradition. One Incredible New Home. Fun for Everyone.

08/16/2026

Remembering a music legend. Robert Johnson passed away on this day back in 1938. He was only 27 years old.

Gone, but never forgotten.

Robert Johnson
Born: May 8, 1911, Hazlehurst, MS
Died: August 16, 1938, Greenwood, MS

“I realized that, on some level, I had found the master.” - Eric Clapton (Talking about Robert Johnson

🎶

08/15/2026

The Charley Pride Highway is a designated portion of Mississippi Highway 3 named in honor of the legendary country music pioneer. The route runs through Pride's hometown of Sledge; connecting Highway 61 in DeSoto County down to the town of Tutwiler in Tallahatchie County.

Photo credit: James G. Thomas, Jr