Robert St. John’s latest cookbook is Robert St. John’s Mississippi Christmas – Holiday Recipes and Reflections From Home (Different Drummer Press). The book features essays and recipes with sumptuous photos by Kate Dearman.

His previous book was Robert St. John’s Mississippi Mornings: Deep South Breakfasts, Brunches and Musings (Different Drummer Press). With a dozen essays and more than 100 recipes ranging from Sweet Potato Pancakes to Crawfish Étouffée over Garlic Cheese Grits to Cathead Biscuits with Country Ham.

St. John is the author of twelve books and owns Crescent City Grill, the Mahogany Bar, Tabella, Ed’s Burger Joint, The Midtowner, and Loblolly Bakery.

He is the founder of Extra Table, a nonprofit providing healthy food to Mississippi soup kitchens and pantries.

For 20 years, St. John has written a weekly syndicated newspaper column and has been named Mississippi’s top chef numerous times.

St. John is also the creator, producer, and cohost of the PBS series Palate to Palette.

He is the producer of the acclaimed documentary Walter Anderson: The Extraordinary Live and Art of the Islander, about the reclusive Mississippi artist, for which he received a Southeast Emmy Award for best historical documentary.

He is the co-author and co-producer of Eudora, a 2024 film and companion book about Mississippi author, Eudora Welty.

St John lives in Hattiesburg, MS.

Jim White’s latest album, Precious Bane, is a moody soundscape in collaboration with Trey Blake, a neurodivergent artist living in Brighton, UK.

White is a singer and songwriter from Pensacola, FL who brings a surreal wit (he drove a cab in New York City for years) and Southern Gothic sensibility to his work.

His releases include his acclaimed debut on Luaka Bop Records, Wrong-Eyed Jesus! (The Mysterious Tale of How I Shouted); Drill a Hole in That Substrate and Tell Me What You See, (recently released in a 20^th anniversary Deluxe Edition).

Also, Take It Like a Man and, his most recent, Misfit’s Jubilee, that includes the cult hit, “The Divided States of America” and our personal favorite, “Highway of Lost Hats.”

(Fun factoid: Jim White’s daughter, Willow Avalon, is also a musician and is currently touring the country as a warmup act for Cage The Elephant).

White is the author of Incidental Contact, a memoir/novel based on uncanny coincidences during his taxi driver days. A story from the book, Superwhite, was awarded a Pushcart Prize for short fiction.

White lives in Winterville, Georgia.

The Mighty Souls Brass Band is a Memphis‐based rotating collective of composer‐players versed in a multitude of musical traditions who use their love of New Orleans-style brass band music to explore soul, funk, R&B and world music. Their latest CD is The People, which includes the single, People Over Profits.

The band’s debut album, Lift Up! on Blue Barrel Records, was largely recorded live and captures the band’s chops and spontaneous energy.

The group is anchored by sousaphonist Sean Murphy.