Road Reports

Museum Explores Music Heritage

The Union County Heritage Museum showcases the rich musical heritage of New Albany in an exhibit called Creative Sparks from Union County. The exhbit features local greats, like The Dukes and Ruby Elzy, and demonstrates how the town is connected culturally through music. It is the perfect complement to the Smithsonian's exhibition, New Harmonies Celebrating American Roots Music, brought to New Albany by the Mississippi Humanities Council.

Ruby Elzy, opera diva of the 1930s

The Dukes and local garage bands of the 1960s

-- Contributed by Carol Harsh, MoMS

Festival Celebrates Diverse Music

The Down from the Hills Heritage Music Festival on the courthouse lawn in New Albany, Mississippi, represents the richly diverse music heritage of Union County. Performers include Sacred Harp Singers, Celtic music and Irish dancers, country and bluegrass music, along with champion fiddler Wayne Jerrolds, and national thumb-picking champion Ben Hall. The event is held in conjunction with the Smithsonian exhibit, New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music, hosted at the Union County Heritage Museum.

Bound Street Celtic Band uses authentic Irish instruments in the performance

Jam session of local musicians at the Festival

Ben Hall, National Thumb-picking Champion

-- Contributed by Carol Harsh, MoMS

Music Inspires Young Artists

As the Union County Heritage Museum welcomes to town the Smithsonian’s exhibition, New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music, students from New Albany High School study their own rich musical heritage.  Inspired by the likes of Jimmie Rodgers and Robert “Steamboat” Fulton, students created artwork that interpreted the music in a visual format. Winners from the New Harmonies Art Project showed their work at the museum along with the Smithsonian exhibition.

"Train Whistle Blues" by local artist pays homage to the late Robert "Steamboat" Fulton, whose railroad lore and musical "gina-phone" carried him all the way to Johnny Carson's "Tonight" Show.

Senior art project on Jimmie Rodgers

-- Contributed by Carol Harsh, MoMS