Entertainment – Page 65 – The Mississippi Link

Aretha cancels hometown show citing treatment

Aretha Franklin has canceled a Detroit-area performance set for July 27, citing ongoing treatment.

The show at DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston initially had been scheduled for June 22, but Franklin postponed it to later this month.

Then, in a letter written by the Grammy-winning singer and distributed Friday by her publicist, Franklin says she was canceling the show “one last time” due to an unspecified ongoing treatment.
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It’s time for authentic festivals and fairs in ‘The True South’

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One of the great traditions of summer in the True South is to attend an outdoor festival or fair for a taste of the diverse cultural heritage displayed across Mississippi.

Many of these are annual events that draw locals and visitors alike to enjoy long-standing traditions.

“Throughout the summer, there are so many unique festivals and fairs taking place in communities across Mississippi that showcase the authentic sights and sounds of our state’s Southern culture.” said Malcolm White, director of the Mississippi Development Authority’s Tourism Division.“ Now is a great time to plan a trip and experience the True South’s most interesting events of the summer.” […]

‘Duck Dynasty’ stars headed to Alcorn fair

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A&E’s cable network “Duck Dynasty” stars Willie Robertson and John Luke Robertson will participate in the Alcorn County Fair and Crossroads Arena’s “Kids and Family Day” on Sept. 21.

The Robertsons became stars after their reality television series began airing on A&E in March 2012. […]

Southern Miss Quintet Chosen for National Festival

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The Southern Quintet, composed of students from The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music, has been accepted to attend the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival held at The Julliard School in New York City July 28 – Aug. 8.

The 11-day festival hosts advanced and professional musicians, ensembles and composers from all across the country and abroad to perform and be mentored by Imani Winds, a Grammy Award-nominated wind quintet known for their legacy of innovative music. The Southern Quintet is the first student chamber group from Southern Miss to be accepted to the festival.

“This is an exceptional honor and wonderful opportunity for our students,” said Dr. Michael Miles, director of the School of Music at Southern Miss. […]

Funeral services held for Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland in Memphis

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Funeral services for soul-blues singer Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland were held Thursday, June 27, at First Baptist Church at 2835 Broad Ave., in Memphis.

Bland, a distinguished singer who blended Southern blues and soul in songs such as “Turn on Your Love Light” and “Further On Up the Road,” died Sunday. He was 83.

Rodd Bland said his father died due to complications from an ongoing illness at his Memphis home. He was surrounded by relatives. […]

Swagger convicted in Gulfport city court

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Professional wrestler Jack Swagger has been convicted in Gulfport Municipal Court on charges of driving under the influence and speeding.

Swagger, whose real name is Donald Jacob “Jake” Hager Jr., was arrested just before midnight Feb. 19 in Gulfport. Swagger had just completed taping the TV show “WWE SmackDown” in Biloxi at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. […]

Grammy Museum groundbreaking at Delta State

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– A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Grammy Museum was held at Delta State’s Derrall Foreman Golf Course near Highway 8 in Cleveland on Tuesday, June 11.

The event was organized by Cleveland Music Foundation.

Gov. Phil Bryant presented a check for $2 million to the project. Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and Sen. Willie Simmons were scheduled to speak. Deputy Director of Grammy Museum at L.A. Live in Los Angeles Rita George was also scheduled to address the crowd. […]

Jean Stapleton, TV’s Edith Bunker, dies at 90

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Jean Stapleton’s Edith Bunker was such a dithery charmer that we had to love her. And because she loved her bombastic husband Archie, we made room for him and TV’s daring “All in the Family.”

It took an actress as smart and deft as Stapleton to create the character that Archie called “dingbat,” giving a tender core to a sitcom that tested viewers with its bigoted American family man and blunt take on social issues.

Stapleton, 90, who died Friday, May 31, of natural causes at her New York City home, was the sweet, trusting counterpoint to Carroll O’Connor’s irascible Archie on the 1970s groundbreaking show from producers Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin. […]

Kid-Friendly fun in the ‘True South’

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Mississippi is the perfect place to let your children explore and discover all the fun of the True South this spring and summer. It’s also the right location for a memorable and affordable family getaway.

“With beautiful weather from the hills to the Gulf Coast, Mississippi offers a diverse and fun-filled array of activities for children this spring and summer,” said Malcolm White, director of the Mississippi Development Authority’s Tourism Division. “Being centrally located between Memphis and New Orleans, Birmingham and Baton Rouge, and Atlanta and Dallas makes Mississippi a great choice for an affordable family vacation within easy driving distance of many major cities. Our kid-friendly attractions and events – like interactive museums and food festivals – are easy to access from most parts of the country.” […]

Miss. to give $15M for Biloxi minor league stadium

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Mississippi plans to use $15 million of BP oil spill recovery money to help build a minor league baseball stadium in downtown Biloxi.

Gov. Phil Bryant made the announcement Thursday.

The rest of the $35 million stadium will be paid for by up to $21 million that the city of Biloxi has agreed to borrow.

Bryant says it’s appropriate to use BP money because the stadium will enhance tourism on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, offsetting effects of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill.
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