Conference for The Book: 29th annual event featuring ‘double threat’ artists – The Oxford Eagle

The 29th annual Oxford Book Conference was in full swing this week, Wednesday through Friday, March 29-31. Spirits were high thanks to a special Thacker Mountain Radio broadcast from the spacious lobby The Graduate Hotel near the Square, as a lively crowd gathered for the cap day of the long book-rcrum akin

Thacker Mountain Radio broadcasts a weekly one-hour program, mainly featuring literary and musical artists throughout Mississippi and Alabama, as well as with affiliates in Memphis, Chattanooga, Knoxville — and recently added, Taos, NM.

The original purpose of the program was “writers who sing music,” said the long-time host of the show Rick Dees to a near-capacity crowd, with many authors also happening in line very learned musicians.

“It’s a great tradition,” says Dees, with a certain embrace of both arts. fields, and historical programs hosted by authors who are also musicians.

Some ‘double threats’ in the past have included Kathy Valentine from the popular 80s band The . Go-Go’s, John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, Willy Vlautin, Kinky Friedman, and Mississippi. Blues legend Bobby Rush.

favorite local musician, Tyler Kieth, who has released 14 albums under his belt, was the first Thacker’s three guests share their gift for storytelling with all-ages, diverse audiences.

After accompanying himself on the electric guitar for a short, high-energy solo, featuring an original, title track from his latest album, “Hell to pay” Keith read the prologue from his debut in the novel, Mark of Cain

His story takes place in the panhandle of Florida, where Keith lived before he moved to Oxford visit Ole Miss, and begins with a vivid and rich description of the inhabitants of Holmes County, which he He paints it as “the middle ground” and “hard”.

Keith was followed by another seasoned musician and author of several novels, Nic Brown; whose history collection “Foodmarkers” was selected as Editors’ Choice by The New York The Times Book Review.

Brown talked about growing up as a working drummer in his hometown of Greensboro, NC. then at length achieving the victory of commerce, always keeping his will to the end He pursued his longer-term goal to focus more on writing.

Brown’s latest release, a memoir titled “Bang Bang Crash,” features numerous comics. share stories and memories from his early days as a musician in NC and then New York He embraced the city and his inner search to break free, so that he would not succeed as a drummer I can grow more as a writer.

Brown had an audience meeting when talking about his teacher and drummer, Pete, an . an older Black man in his country who taught him the ropes of music and life and how to shoot He became a seminal figure in his development as a musician and a human being.

He reads from his memoir, a segment in which he likes his music career to be “a Basel player who takes” He called a sub-par team a few times.” Brown continued: “The theme of my past is like The musician, though a fog, lingers.

There were many things of local prominence at Brown’s in both fields, eleven of whom served as the University’s Writer-in-Residence Grisham.

The evening’s line-up was headlined by blues country guitarist Charlie Parr, who plucked. A guitar resonator who conjured golden musicians from the blues era in Mississippi, such as ” Charley Patton and Son House.

The book of signs was followed by a radio broadcast and the festival continued on Friday with another exciting turn of events. This included is called “The Violent Circle: Art” Crime fiction, with guests SA Cosby, Megan Abbott, and Eli Cranor in interviews with locals author Ace Atkins

Also shown at 4pm are the winners of the Willie Morris Awards at Southern Scriptures, and later celebration, both in Off Square Books.