MERIDIAN, Miss.- Gone but not forgotten, Jimmie Rodgers may have passed away 81 years ago, but his music lives on and you can still hear his country yodel through your speakers.
The Mississippi native and country legend is being honored by the Americana Music Association and was selected the winner of the AMA’s President’s award, its only posthumous accolade.
“That’s because he’s known as the father of country music,” said Susan Parker with the Jimmie Rodger’s Museum.
Jimmie Rodgers was known for his yodeling in songs like “Yodeling Cowboy” or “You and My Old Guitar”. Mississippi music and Rodgers will be recognized this week in Nashville during the association’s festival and conference week, which kicked off Wednesday.
“The festival is exploring the history and traditions of American roots music in Mississippi,” said Parker.
The Americana honor for Jimmie Rodgers will be presented Wednesday by Philadelphia native, Marty Stuart. And the event will be filmed for a PBS special scheduled to air Nov. 22, 2014.
