Mississippi Songwriters Performing Arts Center News

Mississippi Songwriters Performing Arts Center Update #1

On the morning of Friday, August 15, 2025, the city of Gautier, Mississippi, and members of the Mississippi Songwriters Alliance (MSA) broke ground at the location of the Mississippi Songwriters Performing Arts Center. The new $6 million, 10,000-square-foot, two-story facility will feature a state-of-the-art recording studio, classrooms and cultural programming areas, and the Mississippi Songwriters Hall of Fame Museum.

The museum will spotlight all the Mississippi Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees, which presently include: Paul Overstreet (2019); Tommy Barnes, Jimmy Buffett, B.B. King, and Mac McAnally (2020); Sam Cooke, Paul Davis, Bob Morrison, Craig Wiseman, and Tammy Wynette (2021); Hank Cochran, Bobbie Gentry, Robert Johnson, Clay Mills, and Conway Twitty (2022); Bo Diddley, Elsie McWilliams, Don Poythress, Jimmie Rodgers, and Jim Weatherly (2023); Glen Ballard, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, and Howlin’ Wolf (2024); John Lee Hooker and Danny Myrick (2025); and Contributors Award recipients, Reggie Bates and Tommy Crawford. Mississippi, “the Birthplace of America’s Music,” has no shortage of notable future inductees who will join the above list.

The Mississippi Songwriters Performing Arts Center is a key part of the broader Gautier Town Center development, located on the former property of Singing River Mall, on Dolphin Road near The Sound Amphitheater, which successfully opened in 2024. The city of Gautier is redeveloping this area with exciting plans in motion that are already sparking economic growth and attracting visitors from across the region.

Now that construction of the Mississippi Songwriters Performing Arts Center is officially underway, we at The Southland Music Line will be regularly reporting updates on the project with photos and comments. We look forward to sharing photos by Stephen Anderson and detailed reports written by our staff. Now is a wonderful time for music here in Mississippi and across the Gulf Coast. We are looking forward to what’s coming in the months and years ahead. More updates coming soon!

Mississippi Songwriters Performing Arts Center “The Official Groundbreaking Ceremony

Gautier Mayor Casey Vaughan

Mississippi State Representative John Read

Mississippi Songwriters Alliance (board President) George Cumbest

Mississippi Songwriters Alliance (board members and volunteers)

Mississippi Songwriters Alliance (board member) Darwin Nelson speaking at ceremony

From left: Mark Seymour (engineer for the project), Eric Minor (Councilman-at-Large), MS State Rep. John Read, Dante Elbin (Councilman Ward 5), Lorenzo L. Fuller, Sr. (Councilman Ward 4), Paula Yancey (City Manager), Gautier Mayor Casey Vaughan, Kay C. Jamison (Councilman Ward 3), Richard Jackson (Councilman Ward 2)