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Mississippi is best known as the home of theblues which developed among the freedAfrican Americans in the latter half of the 19th century and beginning 20th century. TheDelta blues is the style most closely associated with the state, and includes performers likeCharley Patton,Robert Johnson (buried in Greenwood, MS),David "Honeyboy" Edwards,Willie Brown,Tommy Johnson,Ishmon Bracey,Bo Carter,Sam Chatmon,Mississippi John Hurt,Furry Lewis,Son House,Skip James,Muddy Waters,Howlin' Wolf,John Lee Hooker,Pinetop Perkins,Albert King andB.B. King.
Thefiddle andbanjo are common folk instruments in Mississippi, which has also seen some development as agospel,country music, andAppalachian folk music center.Country blues artistRobert Wilkins andSongsterJim Jackson ofHernando made influential recordings in the late 1920s-1930s.[1] TheLeake County Revelers' brand of folk music saw some national popularity late in the 1930s, at around the same time as Mississippi nativeJimmie Rodgers innovated modern country music.McComb was the birthplace ofBo Diddley (d.2008), a highly influential earlyrock and roll artist.
R&B singerRufus Thomas was born inCayce.[2] James Carr,Otis Clay, Dorothy Moore, Denise Lasalle and Wiilie Mitchell were from Mississippi.[3]Electric blues singer and guitaristLittle Milton was born inInverness.Soul singer and songwriterJerry Butler was born inSunflower. Mississippi was also home toMalaco Records, a well-known indie R&B label. Record producers such asQuin Ivy and Quinton Claunch were from Mississippi also.[4]
Elvis Presley fromTupelo, had 18 No. 1 hits in the U.S. from 1956 to 1969.[5]Jimmy Buffett was born inPascagoula, MS and graduated from theUniversity of Southern Mississippi in 1969.Southern rock bandNorth Mississippi Allstars formed inHernando in 1996.[6]Alternative rock band3 Doors Down, known for"Kryptonite" are fromEscatawpa. They had two No. 1 albums on theBillboard 200 chart, such as3 Doors Down in 2008. Thepost-grunge bandSaving Abel, known for "Addicted", formed inCorinth. The trap duoRae Sremmurd from Tupelo had a No. 1Billboard Hot 100 hit with "Black Beatles" in 2016. TheMississippi Coliseum in Jackson is one of the most famous music venues in the state, since it opened in 1962 and has hosted a few MS musicians from Presley to 3 Doors Down.
Gus Cannon, born inRed Banks, helped popularizejug bands in the 1920-1930s with his "Jug Stompers".[7]
The Delta blues is often regarded as the most rootsy or traditional style of the blues, or as the ultimateorigins of the blues. The style has also been called the "most influential form of rural blues (with an) eerie, sometimes demonic power that is unmatched by other American acoustic music".[8] Many of these performers recorded in the early 20th century; however, by the 1950s, they were largely forgotten outside of Mississippi. Many moved to Chicago, and became a part of the more mainstreamChicago blues scene.
In the 1960s, however, aroots revival began across the United States, and interest in Mississippi's blues musicians increased.
Jazz tenor saxophonistLester Young was born inWoodville. Double-bassistMilt Hinton and pianistHank Jones were born inVicksburg. Blues and jazz pianistMose Allison was born inTippo.[9] Alto saxophonist and bandleaderJimmie Lunceford was born inFulton. Alto saxophonistCaptain John Handy was born inPass Christian. Tenor saxophonistTeddy Edwards, drummerFreddie Waits, trumpeterCharlie Allen, and singerCassandra Wilson were born inJackson. TrumpeterGerald Wilson was born inShelby. Jazz and blues cornetist, guitarist, and singerOlu Dara was born inNatchez. Tenor saxophonistBrew Moore was born inIndianola. Trumpeter and composerWadada Leo Smith was born inLeland. Tenor saxophonistFrank Wright was born inGrenada. DrummerCharles "Bobo" Shaw was born inPope. Pianist and singerCleo Patra Brown and drummerAlvin Fielder were born inMeridian. Pianist and composerMulgrew Miller and double bassistEddie Jones were born inGreenwood. Trumpeter and cornetistBobby Bradford was born inCleveland. TheInternational Sweethearts of Rhythm formed inPiney Woods.
Thehip hop scene of Mississippi includes performers such asDear Silas, and many more.Justin Scott (born August 26, 1986), better known by his stage name Big K.R.I.T., is a hip hop musician and record producer fromMeridian.
Lavell Crump (born April 11, 1973), better known by the stage name David Banner, is a rapper, record producer and occasional actor. Banner was born inJackson and graduated from Southern University. He started his music career as a member of the rap duoCrooked Lettaz before going solo in 2000 withThem Firewater Boyz, Vol. 1 and signed toUniversal Records in 2003. With Universal, Banner released four albums:Mississippi: The Album (2003),MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water (2004),Certified (2005), andThe Greatest Story Ever Told (2008).
Nate Dogg (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011) was born inClarksdale and lived there until age 14. He is known as a member of the group213 and for his many collaborations including being featured on 50 Cent's No. 1 Hot 100 hit "21 Questions" in 2003.
Classical composerWilliam Grant Still was born inWoodville.Samuel Jones was born in Inverness.
Opera sopranoLeontyne Price, who rose to international acclaim in the 1950s-1960s, was born inLaurel.
