The Temple Theatre for the Performing Arts in Meridian will be hosting its second “Live from the Temple!” event on Sunday, April 30, with this year’s showcase set to feature performances from three award-winning Nashville songwriters.
The theatre, which is nearly 100 years old, is known for being one of the first places country music stars performed before making it big throughout the nation. To this day, the venue has served as one of Mississippi’s main locations that bring notable musicians to the state, including Jamey Johnson, Alison Krauss, Todd Tilghman, Track 45, and Marty Stuart.
According to officials from the Temple, the auditorium is currently among the Top 10 Most Endangered Historical Buildings in the U.S. due to its need for extensive restoration.
As a result, the Temple along with SuperTalk Mississippi Meridian held the first ever “Live from the Temple!” event several months ago in an effort to raise money for the newly created “Temple Theatre Restoration Initiative.” The initiative is a third-party nonprofit that aims to acquire funds for renovation projects throughout the theatre so Mississippians can continue to experience historical performances at the establishment.
“Back in December, we had 25 regional artists that came and performed a Grand Ole Opry-style show and it was fantastic. We raised close to $10,000,” SuperTalk Meridian General Manager Shelley Hotchkiss- Whitehead “We wanted to build on that brand and we wanted to bring in professional songwriters to try to help inspire the surrounding areas of people to learn about songwriting and the art of songwriting.”
Now, less than six months later, the theatre is holding a Nashville Songwriters Showcase to give Mississippi residents the opportunity to learn from three award-winning artists while contributing funds to revitalize the local venue.
Ken Rainey, who has produced over 2,000 shows at the Temple Theatre, announced the lineup during an interview on Good Things with Rebecca Turner.
“We’re bringing in three of Nashville, Tennessee’s best songwriters and, of course, that’s Wynn Varble, Don Poythress, and Brice Long,” Rainey said. “Wynn Varble wrote a song called ‘Waitin’ on a Woman,’ if you remember that song, Don Poythress has won five Dove awards for Christian music, and Brice Long wrote a song called ‘Anything Goes’ for Randy Houser.”
Other notable songs including “Have You Forgotten,” “It’s Only Monday,” and “A Little More Country Than That” will also be performed during the showcase event.
Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. and the event will begin at 2:00 p.m. Tickets cost $20 online and $25 at the door.
