Host Post: “Kingfish” wins and we’re proud!

The news this week that Christone “Kingfish” Ingram won five Blues Awards against top-tier competition in Memphis, including emerging artist and album of the year, made us here at Thacker Mountain Radio Hour beam like proud god parents.

Obviously, we take zero credit for Kingfish’s accomplishments, but everyone who has dealt with this young man over the years – Thacker first booked him when he was 16 – knew his potential was sky high. Congratulations to Kingfish! Much deserved. We know his mom, the wonderfully named, Princess Pride, is smiling down from heaven.

Our show has seen many of our musical guests go from our stage to the biggest festivals in the world including The War and Treaty, Mr. Sipp, Bonnie Bishop, Liz Brasher, Southern Avenue, Cedric Burnside and two bands on this week’s (May 9) encore show: Larkin Poe (pictured above) and Sarah Shook and the Disarmers.

Check out this cool video of Larkin Poe with another former Thacker guest, Elvis Costello. He’s done OK for himself too since he was on.

Likewise, Thacker has hosted many young authors who have gone on to make an immediate impact on literature such as Jesmyn Ward, Kiese Laymon, Sarah M. Broom, Karen Russell, George Saunders and Garth Greenwell.

Thanks to Square Books bringing in world-class authors, and our listeners and supporters coolio pals like Scott Caradine, making our show an attractive venue for dedicated musicians, for almost 25 years now, Thacker Mountain Radio Hour has built an eclectic yet sturdy platform for music and literature of the first rank.

Nobel and Pulitzer winners, Emmy and Grammy winners, National Book Award winners, and yes – emerging bluesman of the year winners. Not bad for a small outpost in North Mississippi, this “boondocks avant garde,” as the late Willie Morris referred to our area.

For the Thacker crew, we all have our various reasons for loving the show. One reason most certainly is, you never know who is going to step onto that little stage at Off Square Books and blow you away – with a story or a song.

In these tough times for authors, musicians, bookstores and radio shows alike, I hope we can keep that magic going.

Stay safe and stay tuned y’all — J.D.

Saturday’s show, May 9: Internationally bestselling author Martin Amis (“The Rub of Time”) with twang-rockers Sarah Shook and the Disarmers plus, sister blues duo, Larkin Poe. (From March 31, 2018).

Hosts: Jim Dees and our house band, the Yalobushwhackers

Air times:

Saturday, May 9 – 7 pm (CT)Mississippi Public Broadcasting

9 pm (CT) – Alabama Public Radio

More info here.

Stay home Saturday and crank it on the couch!