Grammy Museum Mississippi, the only museum outside of Los Angeles officially associated with the annual music awards, will celebrate 10 years this March, and officials have a large slate of programming on deck to ring in the milestone.
Wednesday, March 5, will mark the decennial since visitors were first allowed into the Cleveland museum on March 5, 2016.
The anniversary weekend will begin with a performance by Grammy-winning country artist Dwight Yoakam on Thursday, March 5, at the nearby Delta State University’s Bologna Performing Arts Center. A limited-seat songwriting program will be held at the museum on Friday, March 6.
On Saturday, March 7, there will be an anniversary ceremony followed by a Roots Music Festival that will feature performances by Grammy-winning bluesmen Bobby Rush, Cedric Burnside, and Boo Mitchell, among others, along with children’s activities and family-friendly programming. The entire weekend will align with the broader America250 commemoration and be capped off with a Saturday night performance by the remaining members of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band. That concert will also be held inside the Bologna Performing Arts Center, with proceeds going to the museum’s educational initiatives.
“Over the past decade, we’ve welcomed visitors from around the world, provided thousands of students with meaningful music education experiences, and helped ensure that Mississippi’s role in shaping American music is honored and preserved for years to come,” Grammy Museum Mississippi director Emily Havens said. “It’s been incredible to see how our museum has inspired young people, honored legendary artists, and connected visitors to the deep roots of Mississippi music.”
RELATED: Exhibit looking at the success of Jerry Lee Lewis, his cousins open at Grammy Museum
“This celebration weekend is our way of saying thank you to the Cleveland community and to the individuals and businesses who have supported and believed in this museum and its mission from the very beginning,” Grammy Museum Mississippi Board President Becky Nowell added. “I’m looking forward to a fun and meaningful weekend celebrating the past 10 years and beginning the next decade together.”
A full rundown of events associated with Grammy Museum Mississippi’s 10th anniversary can be found below. More events are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Thursday, March 5
At 7:30 p.m., Dwight Yoakam will take the stage at Delta State’s Bologna Performing Arts Center. Yoakam first achieved mainstream success with his 1986 album release of “Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.” His biggest hits include “Guitars, Cadillacs,” “Honky Tonk Man,” “A Thousand Miles from Nowhere,” “Ain’t That Lonely Yet,” and “Fast As You.” He has been nominated for 18 Grammys, with two wins coming in the categories of Best Country Vocal Performance by a Male in 1994 and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals in 1999.
Tickets are available now and can be purchased here.
Friday, March 6
The Memphis Chapter of the Recording Academy will host a songwriting program in the Sanders Soundstage at the Grammy Museum Mississippi. Artists leading the program will be announced at a later date.
No time for the private event has been publicized yet, but a limited number of tickets will be available for museum members to purchase here.
Saturday, March 7
At 11 a.m., Grammy Museum Mississippi will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate and celebrate the anniversary and the impact of the first 10 years. Immediately following the ceremony, a free Roots Music Festival will be held on the museum’s lawn. The festival will also include free access to the museum, food available for purchase, hands-on education programming from noon to 2 p.m., and live performances by Hi Rhythm, Bobby Rush, Terrence and Marcella Simien, Boo Mitchell, and Cedric Burnside.
Rush, Mitchell, and Burnside – all considered sons of the Mississippi blues scene – have a combined 14 Grammy nominations with six wins.
The event will end at 4 p.m. Additional programming and details will be announced soon.
At 7:30 p.m., the remaining members of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band will perform inside Delta State’s Bologna Performing Arts Center. While the group’s lead, Pascagoula native Buffett, passed away in September 2023, the 12 remaining members are making sure to keep his beachside rock alive.
Tickets for the concert go on sale Feb. 2 and can be purchased here.