(bluesy rock music) - [Larry] From the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Mississippi, it's The Oxford Sessions with your host Marty Stuart.

Along with the Williams Brothers, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Hubert Sumlin, Charlie Musselwhite, Pastor Evelyn Hubbard, The Blind Boys of Alabama, the North Mississippi All-Stars, and Chancellor Robert Khayat.

I'm your announcer Larry Wumboldt.

And now, here's Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives.

(audience cheers and applauds) - I wish you would look at you go.

'Cousin Kenny Long.

- That's right!

- Hey!

(upbeat bluegrass music) ♪ Well you know it ain't right ♪ To treat me like you do ♪ Well you know it ain't right to treat me like you do ♪ ♪ When you don't want me to do these things to you ♪ ♪ Well you know it ain't right to treat me this way ♪ ♪ Well you know it ain't right to treat me this way ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ Takes my money and throw all of it away ♪ Play your guitar now!

(upbeat bluegrass music) (audience cheers and applauds) ♪ Well you know it ain't right ♪ To say what you did ♪ You know it ain't right ♪ To say what you did ♪ You've got another man ♪ And you can't keep it hid, no ♪ (upbeat bluegrass music) ♪ Well you know it ain't right ♪ To stay out all night long ♪ Well you know it ain't right ♪ To stay out all night long ♪ Got nobody to carry my business on ♪ Let's play it, boys!

(upbeat bluegrass music) Oh yeah!

♪ Well if you feel all right tonight ♪ ♪ Say yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ Well if you feel all right tonight ♪ ♪ Say yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ Everything's gonna be all right ♪ ♪ Going on around here in Oxford, Mississippi yeah ♪ (audience cheers) (upbeat bluegrass music) (audience cheers) ♪ That's all, well you know it ain't right ♪ (audience cheers and applauds) Well!

(mellow guitar music) Now, it's been said that Mississippi is the home of America's music.

I agree with that!

I can tell you, it's impossible to estimate Mississippi's contribution to the world's stage of music.

It lays claim to some of the royal roots figures of American music, ranging from the blues, gospel, country, jazz, and pop.

And has produced some of the great voices and composers of classical music and opera.

The fascination with Mississippi's musical heritage may have started with America's first, and preeminent musical archivist, Mr. Alan Lomax, also born in Mississippi.

In the late-1930s and early-1940s, Mr. Lomax traveled Mississippi and the South, to record more than 10,000 recordings of the music made on porches, in churches, juke joints, front parlors, and just about anywhere that musicians gathered to create their own unique songs and music.

Those recordings now are preserved at the Library of Congress as one of America's great treasures.

These gentlemen are great ambassadors for the world of music, anywhere they go.

They're from Smithdale, Mississippi and that's all right.

(laughs) (audience applauds) They first started out as The Little Williams Brothers and they went to the Sensational Williams Brothers.

Now they're simply the Fantastic Williams Brothers.

Melvin, take it away.

The Williams Brothers, ladies and gentlemen!

(audience applauds) (upbeat blues music) - Come on put your hands together.

Come on!

♪ Do do ♪ Do do do do do ♪ Let me say this one thing ♪ Soul was sinking in a world of sin ♪ ♪ But grace and mercy, it took me in ♪ ♪ Drug my feet out of the miry clay ♪ ♪ And placed them on, on a route to stay ♪ ♪ Oh what a relief it was ♪ When God rescued me, oh ♪ He loosed the chain that had me bound ♪ ♪ Think He's trying to set me free ♪ ♪ And it felt like cooling water ♪ ♪ Cooling water cooling water ♪ ♪ Felt like cooling water felt like cooling water ♪ ♪ Cooling water cooling water from Grandma's well ♪ ♪ Baby brother sing ♪ Sleepless nights, sleepless nights ♪ ♪ With so much pain, couldn't see no sunshine ♪ ♪ Nothing but rain ♪ Weeping may ♪ Endure for the night ♪ But in the morning you will be all right ♪ ♪ Oh what a relief it was ♪ When God rescued me ♪ He loosed the chains that had me bound ♪ ♪ And then He set me free ♪ Felt like cooling water, it felt like cooling water ♪ ♪ Just like cooling water, just like cooling water ♪ ♪ Cooling water from Grandma's well ♪ ♪ And it felt like cooling water, cooling water ♪ ♪ Cooling water, it felt like cooling water ♪ ♪ Like cooling water, cooling water ♪ ♪ When He saved my soul, cooling water ♪ ♪ It felt like cooling water ♪ When He made me whole, cooling water ♪ ♪ Felt just like cooling water ♪ It felt good y'all, cooling water that cooling water ♪ ♪ Cooling water just like I knew ♪ ♪ Cooling water, that it would ♪ Cooling water, just like I knew ♪ ♪ Cooling water, that it would ♪ Cooling water, cooling water ♪ Cooling water, that cooling water ♪ ♪ Cooling water, let me tell you what I do ♪ ♪ Cooling water, when I think about it ♪ ♪ Cooling water, when it dumped on me ♪ ♪ Cooling water, I just lift my hand and said ♪ ♪ Cooling water, praise God, praise God ♪ ♪ For that water, for that water ♪ ♪ Praise God, praise God ♪ ♪ For that water, for the water ♪ ♪ Praise God, praise God ♪ For that water, for the water ♪ ♪ Praise God, praise God ♪ For the water, for the water ♪ Anybody been dipped in the water ♪ ♪ Anybody been dipped in the water ♪ ♪ Anybody been dipped in the water ♪ ♪ Anybody been dipped, cooling water ♪ ♪ Dipped down in that water, in the water ♪ ♪ Cooling water, cooling water ♪ Cooling water, cooling water ♪ ♪ Cooling water, cooling water ♪ Say it one more time, cooling water ♪ ♪ Cooling water, cooling water ♪ Cooling water from Grandma's well ♪ (audience cheers and applauds) - Yes!

Yes!

- Mississippi is such a magical place when it comes to creativity.

Words, melodies, and music just kinda drift across the breeze here.

And nowhere more so than right here in the town of Oxford.

The University and its students offer a fresh spirit.

And Mr. William Faulkner's spirit is a big presence all over this town.

Now, the University of Mississippi has a world-class Chancellor with a big-old heart for music.

And that's a rare combination.

(upbeat bluegrass music) ♪ It's me, it's me, it's me, oh Lord ♪ ♪ Standing in the need of prayer ♪ ♪ It's me, it's me, it's me, oh Lord ♪ ♪ Standing in the need of ♪ Prayer - All right, how 'bout it for the Chancellor?

- Yeah, way to go!

- Yeah!

(claps) Chancellor Robert Khayat.

- Great to be with you.

- Thank you for having us at the University of Mississippi.

- We are delighted to have you.

- Glad to be here.

I knew we had us a Chancellor we could work with.

Went into William Faulkner's house over here on the other side of town.

And we were standing there looking, I said, "This is a beautiful place."

And he said, "Do you know A Beautiful Verse?"

(laughing) And he started quoting, Cowboy takes his lonely pen in hand.

A cowboy Jack Clemons song.

This is one of the greatest music fans we've ever had.

- I like it.

- And I appreciate your help because you have absolutely opened the heart of the campus concerning music.

- Well we're thrilled about it.

We really believe here that music is the international language.

It cuts across all lines.

- Amen!

- Speaks to everybody.

And this Ford Center was built for the express purpose of the sort of thing we're doing tonight.

- That's great.

- Yeah.

- Well, I tell you, you and I share a love for the Man in Black.

- We do.

- Come on, show 'em what you got.

(upbeat guitar music) (laughing) You want me pick first?

Or you pick first?

- You.

("Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash) - I still love that.

(laughs) Come on, Robert.

Take it, Robert.

(upbeat country rock music) Well!

Here comes Robert.

Look out!

(laughs) Yeah!

(laughs) - Right on.

- Yeah, right on!

- What is it about trains in the South?

- Something romantic about trains.

Every Southerner knows the sound of that whistle at night and the clickety-clack, clickety-clack along the railroad track.

- Well, I love, even from Hank Williams.

♪ I was riding number nine - Yeah.

♪ Heading south to Caroline ♪ Heard that lone...some (vocalizing) ♪ Whistle blow (blues music) Of all the music that's gone out to the world from Mississippi, the blues is arguably the one that's to be most reckoned with.

It's been called the Devil's music.

But as Pop Staples once said, "I don't know about all that.

"Don't you know that when God looks down "and sees how we treat each other "that He gets a bad case of the blues."

So moved, Pop!

Now, inspired by those greats and carrying on in the great blues tradition, is a young guitar-slinger from Louisiana.

Here is Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

(upbeat blues rock music) ♪ Oh yeah ♪ All right ♪ Now girl I see you in my dreams ♪ ♪ It happens every day and night ♪ ♪ Said I've been going to extreme ♪ ♪ Don't seem to care what's wrong or right ♪ ♪ I'll make you mine someday ♪ Somehow, somewhere, someway ♪ You say I'm really not your kind ♪ ♪ I know I look a little rough ♪ But I could give you everything, baby ♪ ♪ And it would never be enough ♪ I'll make you mine someday ♪ Somehow, somewhere, someway ♪ And don't you wonder what's going on ♪ ♪ Then the night rolls in ♪ Something happens, you feel so strong ♪ ♪ And I just can't pretend, oh yeah ♪ (upbeat blues rock music) ♪ And don't you wonder what's going on ♪ ♪ Then the night rolls in ♪ Something happens that feels so strong ♪ ♪ And it will happen again ♪ So you can turn and walk away ♪ ♪ But I know you would regret it ♪ ♪ 'Cause if I ever have my way, yeah ♪ ♪ Do you think you could forget it ♪ ♪ I'll make you mine someday ♪ Somehow, somewhere, someway ♪ I'll make you mine someday ♪ Somehow, somewhere, someway ♪ I'm gonna have you someday ♪ Somehow, somewhere, someway Let me know you're out there tonight, come on!

(audience cheers and applauds) (upbeat blues rock music) ♪ Oh yeah ♪ All right ♪ Whoa oh oh, baby (audience cheers and applauds) Thank you!

- You're the man.

Awesome, awesome.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Great, guys.

Hey, man.

Welcome to the Oxford Sessions.

I grew up respecting all kinds of music.

Course, I landed in country music.

You are a champion of the blues.

But it's because of gentlemen like this gentleman over here that you and I both have a road to ride on.

Why don't you introduce him.

- This guy's influenced just about every guitar player that's ever played the instrument.

He was with the legendary Howlin' Wolf-- - That's right.

- For over 25 years.

- That's right.

- And he is a living legend.

- That's right.

- Please put your hands together for the one and only Mr. Hubert Sumlin, ladies and gentlemen.

- That's right!

All right, Hubert.

Tear it up.

- All right.

- Thank you, bud.

(audience cheers and applauds) (mellow blues music) ♪ One summer day ♪ She went away ♪ Oh she had packed her suitcase ♪ ♪ And moved away ♪ I don't worry ♪ I don't worry ♪ I'm sitting on top ♪ Of the world (audience applauds) ♪ Good bye ♪ I know you're glad I'm gone, that's what she said ♪ ♪ Oh you won't have me to worry ♪ ♪ You know more worries she said ♪ ♪ I don't worry ♪ I don't worry ♪ I'm sitting on top ♪ Of the world (mellow blues music) ♪ Good bye ♪ I'm not comin' back ♪ You know you've been had me livin' ♪ ♪ In this one-room country shack ♪ ♪ I don't mind ♪ I know why ♪ I'm sitting on top ♪ Of the world (audience cheers and applauds) ♪ All around the water tanks ♪ Waiting for a train ♪ A thousand miles away from home ♪ ♪ Sleeping in the rain ♪ I walked up to a brakeman ♪ To give him my line of talk ♪ He says if you've got money ♪ I'll see that you don't walk ♪ I haven't got a nickel ♪ Not a penny can I show ♪ Get off, get off, you railroad bum ♪ ♪ And he slammed the boxcar door ♪ (yodeling) (peaceful guitar music) - Hey, hey!

I grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi.

And as a young musician I had music coming at me from all directions: Dixieland from the South; blues raining down from the Delta; gospel from all directions; rockabilly, R&B and Rock 'n Roll came from Memphis.

However, the music that touched me the deepest was country music.

Now, the father of country music is Jimmie Rodgers.

He was a native of Meridian, Mississippi, 35 miles down the road from Philadelphia.

He's known as the Singing Brakeman, America's Blue Yodeler.

Now, this is his brakeman's lantern.

It was given to me by one of Jimmie Rodgers' biggest admirers, the Singing Ranger Hank Snow, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame himself.

Jimmie Rodgers was a major star in his time.

Now, the themes of his songs are the blueprint upon which the empire of country music is built.

His marker in Meridian reads: His was the music of America.

Even though he was country music's founding father, his brand of country music was filled with the Mississippi blues and it was fiery, and it did what all Mississippi music does, it rocks!

(audience cheering) (twangy guitar music) (upbeat country rock music) ♪ You can tell I'm from the country ♪ ♪ See I'm from out of town ♪ I'm beginning to catch on ♪ I'm gonna let my hair down, I've been rocking ♪ ♪ I've been rolling ♪ Some folks say I look foolish ♪ ♪ Let 'em make a fool out of me ♪ (upbeat country rock music) ♪ I've worked in fields of cotton ♪ ♪ I've worked in fields of corn ♪ ♪ But I ain't seen nothing like it ♪ ♪ Since the day I was born, I've been a rocking ♪ ♪ I've been a rolling ♪ Some folks think I look foolish ♪ ♪ Let it make a fool out of me ♪ (upbeat country rock music) (audience cheers and applauds) (upbeat country rock music) ♪ I went to a crowed dance hall ♪ ♪ I didn't know a soul ♪ Some hillbilly started picking ♪ ♪ Everybody rock and roll, I've been rocking ♪ ♪ I've been rolling ♪ Some folks think I look foolish ♪ ♪ Let it make a fool out of me ♪ (upbeat country rock music) ♪ Well I spent all of my money ♪ ♪ From all that cotton I have sold ♪ ♪ I have left the old farm ♪ Stayed in town and rock and roll, I've been rocking ♪ ♪ I've been rolling ♪ Some folks think I look foolish ♪ ♪ Let it make a fool out of me ♪ ♪ Some folks think I look foolish ♪ ♪ Let it make a fool out of me ♪ (audience cheers and applauds) - We have a gentleman who's been one of the most influential blues men ever in the history of the blues.

He's a Mississippi man, Kosciusko, Mississippi to be sure about it.

Would you make welcome the great Charlie Musselwhite!

(audience cheers and applauds) (blues rock music) ♪ Long and tall, she's weeping like a willow tree ♪ ♪ Long and tall, she's weeping like a willow tree ♪ ♪ Caught me in the woods and weeped all over me ♪ ♪ Caught me in the woods and whipped that thing on me ♪ ♪ She's a lanky girl, man she's long and tall ♪ ♪ A lanky girl, man she's long and tall ♪ ♪ Sleeps in the kitchen with her feet out in the hall ♪ ♪ She sleeps in the kitchen with her feet out in the hall ♪ ♪ Mighty tall (upbeat blues rock music) ♪ She's long and tall, make me moan and cry ♪ ♪ Long and tall, makes me moan and cry ♪ ♪ She's a real hip mama, they all wanna get baptized ♪ ♪ She's a real hip mama, they all wanna get baptized, me too ♪ (upbeat blues rock music) (audience cheers and applauds) Yeah, she's long and tall, that ain't all.

- There's an old saying in Mississippi.

When in doubt, go to church.

I left home when I was 12 years old to go travel on the road to play music, and didn't go home for about 27 years.

In the year 2000, I decided it was time to call intermission; wanted to take a little time off, reassess life, and we played our final concert of the year down in Tunica, Mississippi.

And on the way out the Delta, it was a quarter till 12, a dawn of a new century.

I told my wife Connie, I said, "Wouldn't it be great if we could find "a church to go to?"

Didn't matter what kind it was.

So we saw the lights of a little church in a cotton field.

We did a U-turn, stopped, and went inside.

And it was the Commerce Missionary Baptist Church on Casino Strip Boulevard, in Robinsonville, Mississippi.

Pastor Evelyn Hubbard became a part of my life that night.

She was sitting at the B3, singing as pretty as she could possibly sing, and that church house was rocking on 10-plus.

I saw the entire back of my life as the musical heritages of Mississippi unfolded and fell down upon me that night.

I would like for you to say hello to Pastor Evelyn Hubbard.

(soulful gospel music) ♪ Oh, when I die ♪ Oh, when I die, hallelujah by and by ♪ ♪ I'll fly away ♪ Hey, hey, hey (chuckles) ♪ Hey ♪ Hallelujah, it's a good place to know where you're going ♪ ♪ Hallelujah (audience cheering and applauding) - Hello, Pastor Evelyn.

- Well hello, Marty Stuart.

- Have I told you lately that I love you?

- Oh (chuckles) I love you too.

God bless your heart.

- I love you so much.

God bless you too.

- Oh, we're just like two peas in a pod.

- That's right!

That's exactly right.

I love your style.

- God bless you, Marty.

- Oh, you are the voice of Mississippi as far as I'm concerned.

- Mmm.

- You're a beacon of light.

That's why I love you.

- God bless your heart.

- I also love great songs.

- Mm hmm.

- And I know you and I share a love for a Mr. Thomas A. Dorsey song.

- Certainly.

- He wrote "Peace in the Valley" and he also wrote a song that meant a lot to this State at many times along the way.

And I'd be honored to play a song with you.

Would you please do "Precious Lord, Take My Hand," for me?

- I certainly would.

- All right.

(audience applauds) (vibrant organ music) ♪ Precious ♪ Lord ♪ Take my ♪ Take my hand ♪ Lead ♪ Me on ♪ Let me ♪ Stand ♪ Oh ♪ I'm tired ♪ Oh ♪ I'm weak ♪ And I ♪ Am worried ♪ But through ♪ Through the storm ♪ Through ♪ Through the night ♪ Lead ♪ Me oh ♪ Please Sir Jesus, please Sir Jesus ♪ ♪ To the light ♪ Sometimes I have to tell the Lord ♪ ♪ Take my hand ♪ Precious Lord ♪ Just lead ♪ Lead me on There's sometimes I wanna pick it up!

(upbeat soul music) ♪ Oh precious Lord ♪ Take my hand ♪ Lead me on ♪ Let me stand ♪ You know I'm tired ♪ Sometimes I'm weak ♪ I am worried ♪ Through the storm and through the rain ♪ ♪ Blessed Lord ♪ Lead me on ♪ Precious Lord ♪ Oh take my hand ♪ And lead me on ♪ Oh precious Lord ♪ You take my hand ♪ Lead me on ♪ Let me stand ♪ I am tired, I get so weak ♪ I am worried ♪ Through the storm ♪ Through the night ♪ Lead me on, into the light ♪ I need you to take my hand ♪ Oh, precious Lord ♪ Lead me on ♪ Oh yeah ♪ Woo (audience cheers) Hey, thank you, Lord!

(cheers) (audience cheering and applauding) ♪ Oh Lord ♪ Sometimes in the midnight hour ♪ ♪ I need Him to hold my hand ♪ Anybody know He will ♪ He's the one I need (upbeat soul music) ♪ Oh, precious Lord ♪ Take my hand ♪ Lead me on, let me stand ♪ You know I get tired ♪ Sometimes I'm weak ♪ I am worn ♪ All through the storm ♪ And through the night ♪ Lead me on to your marvelous light ♪ ♪ Precious Lord ♪ Take my hand ♪ Lead me on (cheers) (audience applauds) - The musical heritage Alan Lomax and those other early musical archivists captured continues today, all across the South and the nation.

But nowhere still more than in Mississippi.

I'm proud to be part of such a great musical legacy and it's an honor to be in the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame.

The role call inductees at the Hall is staggering.

Ike Turner, Elvis Presley, Mary Wilson, Warren Smith, the Blackwood Brothers, Pop Staples and the Staples Singers, The Blind Boys of Mississippi, the Williams Brothers, Cleo Fitzrobinson, Jimmy Buffett, John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, Sam Cooke, Little Milton Campbell, Mose Allison, Milt Hinton, Cassandra Wilson, Lester Young, Leontyne Price, Hank Cochran, Faith Hill, Charlie Pride, Jimmie Rodgers, Tammy Wynette, The Mississippi Sheiks, Charlie Feathers, Willy Dixon, Robert Johnson, B.B.

King, King Jimmy Reed, Junior Parker, Dorothy Moore, Charlie Patton, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Pinetop Perkins, and Mississippi John Hurt.

In 1939, some beautiful harmonies rose up out of the South.

The Blind Boys of Alabama have been called American treasures, an American institution.

And they're rolling stronger than ever these days.

It is my honor to bring to the Oxford Sessions The Blind Boys of Alabama!

Get it gentlemen!

(audience cheers and applauds) (soulful rock music) ♪ Amazing grace ♪ How sweet the sound ♪ That saved ♪ A wretch ♪ Like me ♪ I once was lost ♪ But now I'm found ♪ Was blind ♪ But now ♪ I see ♪ Was grace ♪ That taught ♪ My heart to fear ♪ And grace ♪ My fear relieved ♪ How precious oh did ♪ Did that grace appear ♪ The hour ♪ I first ♪ Believed ♪ Amazing grace ♪ How sweet ♪ The sound ♪ That saved ♪ A wretch ♪ Like me ♪ I once ♪ Was lost ♪ But now I'm found ♪ Was blind ♪ But now ♪ I see (soulful rock music) ♪ Hey, hey (audience cheers and applauds) - All right!

All right, look out, Jimmy.

(laughs) Jimmy.

- Yeah, man.

What's going on?

- All right, all right, all right.

- All right.

- It's an honor to have The Blind Boys of Alabama at the Oxford Sessions.

- It's an honor to be here, my friends.

- Yeah, man.

One thing I failed to mention.

One thing I failed to mention that The Blind Boys of Alabama was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2002.

(audience cheers and applauds) That's all right.

I don't know, you're gonna have to get a bigger house to put all them Grammys in, you guys have been winning.

- Well, we got four.

- And need more.

(laughing) - Working on number five.

- Working on number five.

Hey, and I tell you, one of the things that I found out backstage, and we need to dedicate this performance to your mother down in Alabama.

- Well, thank you so much, my friend.

- How old is she?

- She'll be 101 in October.

(audience cheering) - And still comes to hear her boy sing.

- Yep.

And she still cooks me black-eyed peas sometimes.

(laughing) - Can't beat them mama's black-eyed peas, can ya?

- Nope.

- No way.

Well, once again, we're honored to have you.

And make yourself at home and just go out there and wreck what's left of the house.

- All right, my friend.

(Marty laughs) Thank you so much!

- The Blind Boys, all right.

(audience applauds) (upbeat soul music) - All right now, I want everybody in the building to put your hands together.

We're gonna have a little church in about five minutes.

Everybody put your hands together.

Blind Boys got a testimony that goes something like this.

♪ I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord ♪ ♪ Hard-Fighting soldier tonight in the army ♪ ♪ I'm a warrior yeah in the army of the lord ♪ ♪ Soldier in the army ♪ Well now when I get to heaven gonna sing and shout ♪ ♪ Be nobody up there to turn me out ♪ ♪ Walk with the Father, talk with the Son ♪ ♪ Tell Him about this world I just came from ♪ ♪ I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord ♪ ♪ Hard-Fighting soldier tonight in the army ♪ ♪ I'm a warrior in the army of the Lord ♪ ♪ Soldier ♪ In the army ♪ Well now when I get to glory, gonna sit right down ♪ ♪ Gonna ask my Lord for my starry crown ♪ ♪ I know my robe, I know my robe ♪ ♪ Is it gonna fit me well ♪ 'Cause I tried it on at the gates Heaven ♪ ♪ I'm a soldier in the army of the Lord ♪ ♪ Hard-Fighting soldier tonight in the army ♪ ♪ I'm a warrior in the army of the Lord ♪ ♪ Soldier ♪ In the army ♪ In the ♪ Ar- ♪ -myyy (audience cheers and applauds) - Thank you!

(audience cheers and applauds) (mellow guitar music) - I've been asked if I ever had a glimpse of Heaven.

Well I don't know about that.

However, I have heard Heaven here on Earth.

And if you wanna hear it, you need to look no further than the recording of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," by the Staple Singers.

The first time I ever heard the sound of their voices combined with the divinely mysterious sound of Pop Staples' guitar, (soulful music) I thought that I was hearing ghosts in a cotton field.

It was otherworldly.

Now, this is Pop Staples' guitar, and the Staples are like family to me.

Mavis and Yvonne gave me this guitar and I treasure it.

It's a powerful instrument.

It's a beacon of light, a weapon that Pops used to spread the gospel truth.

Whether it was joyful encouragement or the sledgehammer of truth that needed to be preached in the face of a hard struggle, the Staples stood like mighty oaks.

Their music touched the world and it lives at the very core of my soul.

One of Pop's songs also found its way into the hearts of some of Mississippi's finest musical ambassadors.

That would be The North Mississippi All-Stars.

(audience applauds) (upbeat blues rock music) ♪ Marching on the freedom highway ♪ ♪ Marching each and every day ♪ ♪ Marching on the freedom highway ♪ ♪ Marching each and every day ♪ ♪ Made up my mind ♪ And I won't turn around ♪ Made up my mind ♪ And I won't turn around ♪ There is just one thing, we're marching ♪ ♪ That I can't understand my friend ♪ ♪ Marching, why some folks think freedom ♪ ♪ Marching, is not designed for all men ♪ ♪ People marching, there are so many people ♪ ♪ We're marching, living their lives perplexed ♪ ♪ We're marching, wondering in their minds ♪ ♪ We're marching, what's gonna happen next ♪ ♪ Marching on the freedom highway ♪ ♪ Marching each and every day ♪ ♪ Marching on the freedom highway ♪ ♪ Marching each and every day ♪ ♪ Made up my mind ♪ And I won't turn around ♪ Made up my mind ♪ And I won't turn around ♪ Found people in the forest, marching ♪ ♪ Tallahatchie river and lakes, marching ♪ ♪ The whole wide world is wonderin', marching ♪ ♪ What's wrong with the United States, people marching ♪ ♪ And yes we want peace, we're marching ♪ ♪ If it can be found, we're marching ♪ ♪ March on freedom highway, we're marching ♪ ♪ And I'm not gonna turn around ♪ ♪ Do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya ♪ Do you think I voted for the right man, we're marching ♪ ♪ Who said we would overcome, keep on marching ♪ ♪ I march on freedom highway, we're marching ♪ ♪ Until this whole day is done ♪ ♪ We're marching on the freedom highway ♪ ♪ Marching each and every day ♪ ♪ We're marching on the freedom highway ♪ ♪ We're marching each and every day ♪ ♪ Made up my mind ♪ And I won't turn around ♪ Made up my mind ♪ And I won't turn around ♪ Made up mind, I'm gonna keep on marching ♪ ♪ And I won't turn around, on the freedom highway ♪ ♪ Made up my mine, I'm gonna keep on marching ♪ ♪ I won't turn around ♪ Round, round, round ♪ Around (audience cheers and applauds) - [Marty] Streamline!

(upbeat country rock music) ♪ Well I'm a streamline lover, I go from town to town ♪ ♪ I'm a streamline lover, I go from town to town ♪ ♪ I'll be knocking on your door, baby when the sun goes down ♪ ♪ I'm a smooth operator, backwoods Romeo ♪ ♪ I'm a smooth operator, backwoods Romeo ♪ ♪ Well they can't see me coming ♪ ♪ But they sure hate to see me go, handsome ♪ ♪ Well I walk that road from Mississippi down to Louisiana ♪ ♪ Yeah I walk that road from Mississippi down to Louisiana ♪ ♪ Everybody says, here comes that streamline man ♪ All right!

(upbeat country rock music) ♪ Got rings on my fingers, wear a 10-X beaver hat ♪ ♪ Got rings on my fingers, wear a John B. Stetson hat ♪ ♪ Got some rattlesnake shoes ♪ Now honey what you think about that, I don't know ♪ (upbeat country rock music) Look out!

(audience applauds) (upbeat country rock music) (Marty cheers) (audience cheers) (upbeat country rock music) ♪ Well, I'm a streamline lover, nobody touch my speed ♪ ♪ Streamline lover, baby, nobody touch my speed ♪ ♪ Lightning in a bottle ♪ Got everything you need, I don't know ♪ (upbeat country rock music) (audience cheers) Streamline lover!

Handsome!

(laughs) (audience applauding) Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen, good night, everybody!

Oxford Sessions!

(upbeat country rock music) (audience cheering and applauding) (upbeat country rock music) (audience cheering and applauding)