The Birthplace of America’s Music

Long before the sounds of rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, gospel, and country music captured the attention of audiences around the world, the future of America’s music was taking shape in Mississippi. The blues, which originated in the Mississippi Delta, would go on to influence modern popular music across a wide range of genres. Come explore some of our most unique music attractions, and join us in celebrating two royal milestones: the 90th birthday of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and the 100th birthday of the King of the Blues, B. B. King.

Learn more about Mississippi on the MapWatch our new podcast, Mississippi on the Map, hosted by Charlie Worsham and featuring guests with deep ties to Mississippi’s musical legacy.

Sounds of the ‘Sipp | 2026 Grammy nominees

Music events

We’re celebrating music all year long, and you’re invited to join the celebration. Check out upcoming music events below, and keep your eye on this page for more events in the future.

Stars, Stripes, and Symphony

07/04/2026

The Levitt AMP Downtown Jackson Music Series and the Mississippi Humanities Council presents Stars, Stripes & Symphony, an America 250...

Stars, Stripes & Symphony

07/04/2026

The Levitt AMP Downtown Jackson Music Series and the Mississippi Humanities Council presents Stars, Stripes & Symphony, an America 250...

Stars, Stripes, and Symphony

07/04/2026

The Levitt AMP Downtown Jackson Music Series and the Mississippi Humanities Council presents Stars, Stripes & Symphony, an America 250...

North Mississippi Allstars at Gold Strike Casino Resort

07/17/2026

Welcome to the Gold Strike Casino Resort in Robinsonville, Mississippi, where live music meets excitement! On July 17, 2026, get...

2026 MSA Pines Region Songwriters Festival

07/17/2026

Friday afternoon (July 17 – The MAX – Brown Bag lunch with Sean Gasaway and Brandon Green Friday Night (July...

Lil Wayne – Brandon

08/15/2026

Welcome to an unforgettable night with Lil Wayne at Brandon Amphitheater in Brandon—a local go-to spot when the city wants...

Soul City Swingers Concert

09/10/2026

The Levitt AMP Downtown Jackson Music Series and the Mississippi Humanities Council presents the Soul City Swingers, a funky organ...

Cary Hudson Concert

09/17/2026

The Levitt AMP Downtown Jackson Music Series presents Cary Hudson in a free concert in Smith Park. The state of...

Grits & Greens Concert

10/01/2026

The Levitt AMP Downtown Jackson Music Series presents Grits & Greens, a psychedelic y’allternative band that blends Southern twang with...

Ty Myers, Lanie Gardner & Benny G at Brandon Amphitheater

10/03/2026

EPIC night of music coming to Brandon Amphitheater October 3rd, 2026 as young country superstar Ty Myers and The Legal...

The Ocho Concert

10/08/2026

The Levitt AMP Downtown Jackson Music Series presents The Ocho, a free concert in Smith Park. Hailing from Athens, Georgia,...

The Ocho

10/08/2026

The Levitt AMP Downtown Jackson Music Series presents The Ocho, a free concert in Smith Park. Hailing from Athens, Georgia,...

National Gospel Singing Convention

11/13/2026

The 2026 National Gospel Singing Convention will be held at Sturgis Baptist Church on November 13-14. Everyone is invited to...

Featured Music Attractions

King’s Landing

Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and lived there with his parents in a modest two-room house.  Today, the Elvis Presley Birthplace complex offers visitors a glimpse into Presley’s early years and his ongoing legacy at the birthplace complex which also includes his childhood church, a museum, and events center. Statues throughout the complex document Presley’s rise from an ordinary boy to a global sensation, one of the most popular musical performers of all time.

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A Jackson Institution

Hal & Mal’s is a popular downtown Jackson restaurant and night club. But it’s much more than that. For nearly 40 years, the Jackson institution has hosted some of the biggest names in Mississippi music, including music legends such as Willie Dixon, B.B. King, Ike Turner, and Albert King – and many modern-era greats, too.

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Biloxi Blues

Opened in early 2024, Ground Zero Blues Club Biloxi is the second and only location of the renowned Clarksdale blues club co-founded by Morgan Freeman. Offering live music, Southern cuisine, and authentic blues culture, the club celebrates Mississippi’s rich musical heritage, attracting locals and tourists to hear a variety of top Mississippi artists and touring acts.

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A Hall of Fame

The 100 Men D.B.A. Hall in Bay Saint Louis has been a hub of African American social life and entertainment since its 1922 construction by the One Hundred Members’ Debating Benevolent Association. Over the years, the hall has hosted performances by legendary performers including Ray Charles, James Brown, Etta James, Big Joe Turner, Professor Longhair, and many more. Today, the hall operates as a nonprofit community-focused organization, music venue, and multipurpose event space.

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Music to Your Ears

Mississippi’s newest music venue, The Sound, is a state-of-the-art 8,000 seat music amphitheater located in the city of Gautier on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  The Sound is a cornerstone of the city’s new Gautier Town Commons project, a mixed-use development currently in development.

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Music Royalty: The King of the Blues

The world-famous “King of the Blues,” B.B. King, lived in Indianola for many years and never forgot the Mississippi city, returning annually for almost 35 years to perform for free at his B.B. King Homecoming Festival. Today, the bluesman’s legacy is preserved at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center which explores King’s life from his humble beginnings to his eventual success on the global stage as a 15-time GRAMMY winner and multi-platinum recording artist. Several of King’s guitars are displayed, as are his Grammys and even a recreation of his home studio.

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Down to the Crossroads

Clarksdale is best known among music fans as the “Birthplace of the Blues” and the city where Robert Johnson, according to a popular legend, sold his soul to the devil in exchange for supernatural guitar playing talent. While the story is fictional, it has nonetheless captured the imagination of blues fans around the world. Travelers often come to take a photo near The Crossroads sign that marks the spot (one of them, anyway) where this exchange is said to have taken place.

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Blue Beginnings

Dockery Farms is one of the specific sites most often singled out as the birthplace of the blues. The former cotton plantation and sawmill was established by Will Dockery in 1895, just outside Cleveland, Mississippi. At its peak, Dockery supported more than 2,000 workers and their families, among them Charley Patton, an influential figure regarded as the “Father of the Delta Blues.” Other legendary performers drawn to Dockery include Robert Johnson and Howlin’ Wolf. The property and its eight original buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.

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Giving the Delta its Due

Established in 1979, the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale is the state’s oldest music museum. Permanent exhibits include the core section of a cabin where Muddy Waters lived while working at Stovall Farms; a “Muddywood” guitar made from salvaged wood from the cabin that was donated by Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top; guitars that belonged to John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, and Big Joe Williams; and a piano, shoes, harmonica, and other memorabilia from Charlie Musselwhite.

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Concerts and Collections

Mississippi’s newest country music attraction is Marty Stuart’s Congress of Country Music in Philadelphia, Mississippi. The legendary performer and five-time Grammy winner is developing a 50,000-square-foot campus featuring a performing arts center, now open in the newly renovated Ellis Theater.

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Hello, Cleveland!

When it opened in 2016, GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi was the first GRAMMY Museum to be built outside of Los Angeles. The Cleveland, Mississippi, museum’s displays and interactive exhibits highlight numerous Mississippi GRAMMY winners – and the musical artists they’ve influenced – including many blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and country legends. Look for information about traveling exhibits and live performances on their website.

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Star Power

The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, aka “The MAX,” offers visitors an entertaining and interactive experience that showcases Mississippi’s cultural legacy and seeks to inspire a new generation of artists through its exhibits and programs. The centerpiece of the museum is the MAX’s Hall of Fame rotunda, which recognizes world-famous musicians, actors, and media personalities, visual artists, authors, and entertainment legends who trace their roots to Mississippi. Be sure to check out their calendar before you visit, as The MAX hosts regular events, including opportunities to see noteworthy speakers and musical acts.

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The Singing Brakeman’s Final Stop

Though he lived only 35 years, Jimmie Rodgers had an immeasurable impact on the formation and development of country music, earning him widely accepted recognition as the “Father of Country Music.” The Jimmie Rodgers museum, located in Rodgers’ hometown of Meridian, displays his original guitar and other memorabilia of his life and career. The museum’s collection also includes railroad equipment from the era of steam-engine travel, reflecting Rodgers’ work as a rail worker and his nickname “The Singing Brakeman.”

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Plan your Mississippi music tour today.

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