JACKSON – GRAMMY Award®
winners and Mississippi natives The Band Perry will headline the Governor’s
Concert for the Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration South. The free event
kicks off celebrations around the state during 2017.
“We are honored to celebrate the 200th
anniversary of statehood with world-renowned musicians who make Mississippi’s
music known around the globe,” said Gov. Phil Bryant. “With blues, gospel, rock
‘n’ roll and country music from our greatest songwriters and performers, this
concert represents all Mississippians.”
The Band Perry will lead the lineup
on April 1 at Centennial Plaza in Gulfport. The concert will also feature
GRAMMY nominee Vasti Jackson, recording artist Paul Thorn and Jaimoe’s Jasssz
Band, featuring Gulfport native and Allman Brothers Band drummer Jaimoe
Johnson.
The Governor’s Concert will begin
with “We Are Mississippi,” an orchestral salute to the state’s musical heritage
conducted by Dr. Jay Dean, Executive Director of the Arts Institute of
Mississippi. The showcase will also feature the Roots Gospel Voices of
Mississippi, 2015 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Contest winner David Lee, the
Mississippi Bicentennial Symphony Orchestra, the Mississippi Bicentennial
Singers and the 200-voice Mississippi Bicentennial Chorus.
“The city of Gulfport is excited to
host this incredible event with talent from around Mississippi and our own
hometown hero, Jaimoe Johnson,” said Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes.
A full slate of additional events are
planned for March 31 and April 1 at Centennial Plaza, located at 200 E. Beach
Boulevard. The events include ongoing live regional entertainment, a “Salute to
Mississippi and the Military” exhibition and the “Taste of Mississippi,”
pairing coastal and international cuisine with local craft beers. The United
States Postal Service will also unveil the new Mississippi Commemorative Stamp
on March 31 at 11:00 a.m.
“It promises to be the party of the
century,” said George Schloegel, chairman of the South Mississippi Bicentennial
Committee.
All events during the Mississippi
Bicentennial Celebration, including the Governor’s Concert, are open to the
public with free, ticketed admission. Attendees must reserve tickets online at www.visitmississippi.org/200 for
each day they wish to attend. Visitors are limited to six tickets each.
“This Mississippi-made, all-star
lineup is a fantastic way to celebrate 200 years of statehood,” said Visit
Mississippi Director Craig Ray. “I encourage everyone to reserve their tickets
online now. With popular acts like The Band Perry and a strong lineup of
attractions throughout the event, we expect to have a full house.”
Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration
events are also planned for the north and central regions of the state, in
Oxford on June 24 and Jackson on Dec. 9 during the grand opening of the Museum
of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. For more
information on the Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration, please visit www.visitmississippi.org/200 and
www.ms200south.org.
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