Grammy Museum Mississippi hosted its “Lyrics and Latitudes” gala Thursday night, paying homage to Jimmy Buffett and other local singers while raising thousands of dollars for its education programs.
According to the museum in Cleveland, the gala raised $180,000, all of which will go toward programs that bring music to K-12 students through instrument training, vocal lessons, interactive workshops, and field trips.
During the event, Buffett and Mac McAnally were awarded the eighth Crossroads of American Music Award. It’s the first time two artists have won it in the same year. The award is given out annually for significant musical contributions inspired by not only Mississippi but the region as a whole.
Buffett, a Pascagoula native who passed away in September 2023, is arguably the most famous tropical rocker of all time with hits like “Margaritaville,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” and “Knee Deep,” among others. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.
McAnally, who grew up in Belmont, was a longtime member of Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band. A renowned songwriter, as well, he’s penned hits for other artists, including “Two Dozen Roses” (Shenandoah), “Old Flame” (Alabama), and “Back Where I Come From” (Kenny Chesney). McAnally was inducted into the Mississippi Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and is also a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Previous Crossroads of American Music Award winners are Charley Pride, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bobby Rush, Marty Stuart, Keb’ Mo’, Rosanne Cash, and Trombone Shorty.
Buffett and McAnally have earned a combined three Grammy nominations, a factor in their selection for the award.
“It is a tremendous honor to dedicate our 2026 gala to celebrating two of Mississippi’s most beloved musicians…whose friendship and creative partnership spanned more than four decades,” Grammy Museum Mississippi executive director Emily Havens said. “Their story is such a special part of Mississippi’s musical legacy.”
Marty Raybon and Mike McGuire of Shenandoah performed at Thursday’s gala and offered high praise for both Buffett and McAnally.
In addition to the Crossroads of American Music Award, the L.U.C.Y. (Lifting Up Children and Youth) Award was presented to Maria Mondragon and Leslie Bishop, teachers at Hayes Cooper Center in Cleveland. The award is given annually to educators who creatively incorporate music into their classroom learning.