Coastal Mississippi, September 18, 2023—The Mississippi Songwriters Hall of Fame will honor its next class of inductees on Thursday, September 21, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. at the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. This will be the 5th class of inductees for the Mississippi Songwriters Hall of Fame, an event produced annually on the 3rd Thursday of September by the Mississippi Songwriters Alliance. This year's event kicks off the 2023 Mississippi Songwriters Festival and will feature a tribute to the late Jimmy Buffett, a native of Pascagoula who died earlier this month.
Since 2010, the Mississippi Songwriters Hall of Fame has honored seventeen Mississippians with a Hall of Fame induction. Previous inductees include B.B. King, Bobbie Gentry, Conway Twitty, Mac McAnally, and Tammy Wynette, among others. For 2023 the inductees are;
Bo Diddley - the rock and roll great originally from Pike Count helped bridge several musical genres while leaving an influential mark on generations of both musicians and fans alike. Diddley's songs "Bo Diddley," "Say Man," "Hey! Bo Diddley," and "Who Do You Love?" are timeless classics. both musicians and fans alike. Diddley's songs "Bo Diddley," "Say Man," "Hey! Bo Diddley," and "Who Do You Love?" are timeless classics.
Jimmie Rodgers - "The Father of Country Music" from Meridian, Mississippi is one of history's most celebrated entertainers. Such Rodgers' classics as "Blue Yodel No. 9," "Waiting on a Train," and "In the Jailhouse Now" remain as much-loved today as they were nearly 100 years ago.
Elsie McWilliams - Rodgers' sister-in-law and co-songwriter from Harpersville, Mississippi paved the way for many future female songwriters. McWilliams is often recognized as being the first woman in country music to find success as a songwriter.
Jim Weatherly - the former Ole Miss football star from Pontotoc, Mississippi found success writing music for Ray Price, Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers, and many others. Weatherly's "Midnight Train to Georgia," which became a #1 hit for Gladys Knight and The Pips, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 and made lists by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America as one of the best songs of this past century.
Don Poythress - the multi-talented songwriter from Meridian, Mississippi has written songs for Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw, Kelly Pickler, and many others. In addition, he has won several Dove Awards recognizing his incredible work in Christian music. His song “A Little More Country Than That” recorded by Easton Corbin went to #1 and was nominated for both a CMA and ACM Song of the Year.
Since 2019, all of the songwriters in the Mississippi Songwriters Hall of Fame are from Mississippi. Like their songs, they are Mississippi Originals. The Mississippi Songwriters Hall of Fame is produced by the Mississippi Songwriters Alliance.
For a full list of artists and events, visit the Mississippi Songwriters Festival website. For more information, please contact Scott Stradtner at 228.990.4509.
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