Concert on the Porch kicks off Saturday

Brownsville continues to keep its musical heritage alive with Concert on the Porch.
The summer music series features local and regional artists performing from the porch of the Sleepy John Estes home on the grounds of the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center. The first concert of the season is Saturday at 7 p.m.. Concerts are presented each month on the third Saturday, June through September, and are free to the public.
Starting off this year’s series is local talent Kelsey Byars. Ms. Byars began singing in church when she was only 3 years old. She is now known for her singing throughout the community; continuing to sing regularly at church, school, weddings, private gatherings and events. Ms. Byars placed second in the 2011 Haywood’s Got Talent competition and plays clarinet in the Haywood High School Marching Band. She will perform a variety of rhythm and blues melodies’ when she opens for this year’s first Concert on the Porch at 7 p.m.
Headlining Saturday’s concert is Music Highway Band. This band was organized in Jackson in 2001 by Jimmy Stephenson, a longtime rockabilly and country artist. The original trio played many years at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame as the house band. By 2004, the band had added members, become well diversified and was capable of performing many styles of music. In mid-2005, the group became the house band at the Huntingdon Hayride, at the Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center.
Today, the Music Highway Band continues to work many venues in the area and has worked with such legendary artists as Carl Mann and Eddie Bond. Current members of the band are Stan Brunner, Sammy Wood, Jimmy Webb, Donald Carp, Gary Spraggins and Jimmy Stephenson. They will share their special style of rockabilly and country Saturday beginning around 7:45 p.m.
Attendees are invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets for the outdoor concerts, Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase. All proceeds from concessions will go toward the restoration of Flagg Grove School, the childhood school of Tina Turner, that was recently moved to the Center.
The West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center is a tourist information center and home to three regional museums depicting the history and culture of the West Tennessee people. Inside visitors will find the Cotton Museum, the West Tennessee Music Museum and the Hatchie River Museum. To learn more about the Concerts on the Porch, visit www.westtnheritage.com or call (731) 779-9000.

Published in The Messenger 6.15.12

Print