A Preview of the Newest LIVING BLUES Magazine

The June 2016 issue of Living Blues features a cover story on guitarist and singer Barbara Lynn, best known for her 1962 hit You’ll Lose a Good Thing. From learning to play guitar in her youth to being sampled by rapper Lil’ Wayne, the Beaumont, Texas native looks back on her 54-year career.

LIVING BLUES Magazine Hires New Publication Manager

Melanie Young feels as though she’s come home since she’s been hired as the new publication manager of Living Blues magazine. She first began working with the magazine in 2009 as the circulation manager, and also had an editorial internship with the publication. Since then, she’s been a contributing writer for Living Blues and even wrote her Southern Studies master’s thesis on the magazine in 2012.

An Interview with Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton about Southern Music

Blues musician Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton was in town a few weeks ago to play a concert as part of the World Championship Old Time Piano Playing Contest, and Southern Studies graduate student Chris Colbeck sat down with Paxton to talk about southern music. Watch the interview below.

Photos from Graduation

With apologies for the delay, here are some photos of the graduating Southern Studies class of 2016, including BA and MA students. Awards and class photo by Jimmy Thomas, photos in gowns by me.

A New Encyclopedia Tribute to Muhammad Ali

A New Encyclopedia Tribute to Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali died this past Friday, on June 3. The following biographical essay by Jimmy Thomas on the boxing great and civil rights leader was included in the Gender volume of The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture. Muhammad Ali (b. 1942) Boxer. “Float like a butterfly, sting like