National guitar exhibit coming to The MAX

Jan. 24—The guitar, one of the most enduring icons in American pop culture, has many stories to tell.

From the sound of screaming teenage fans in the 1950s and 1960s to the sound of protests in the '70s to the sound of anger in the '90s, the guitar has long been a symbol of the nation's history.

Country, blues, rock 'n' roll, jazz, classical — the guitar has played a role in all of these musical sounds.

The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) is getting ready to shine a spotlight on the guitar with a new traveling exhibit set to open to the public on Saturday, Feb. 10.

"America at the Crossroads: The GUITAR and a Changing Nation," which will run through May 11, will trace the evolution and powerful influence of the guitar with notable connections to Mississippi. The exhibit and other special events at the museum are expected to attract strong interest among guitarists and other music enthusiasts across the region.

"The connection to Mississippi's rich musical heritage made this traveling exhibit an obvious fit for The MAX," said Penny Kemp, The MAX's new president and CEO. "It recalls the strong regional appeal of the 2019 'ImaginationUnlimited' special exhibit celebrating Mississippi native and Muppet creator Jim Henson."

The exhibit, developed by the New York-based National GUITAR Museum, will display 40 instruments that will take visitors on a journey of significant moments in American history from the earliest Spanish invasion to the country's cemented status today as a global superpower, according to the National GUITAR Museum website. The collection is supplemented with videos and wall banners that depict important events, artists and instruments of the last century.

Modern guitars such as a Fender Stratocaster, a Visionary Instruments TeleVision guitar, a Gibson Les Paul, a Roland G-707 and a Spanish vihuela from the 1500s, an early stringed instrument linked to the evolution of the guitar, are part of the collection.

The visiting exhibit "traces the evolution of an easily transported and adaptable string instrument central to the Mississippi music story, especially to the development of the Delta blues," said Phillip Bolin, the museum exhibit's registrar. "The 'crossroads' reference in the exhibit's title allows us to give fresh attention to a popular legend — reaching back nearly a century — that brings the supernatural into play in accounts of one musician's quest for greatness."

Bolin is referring to the legend of influential Mississippi bluesman Robert Johnson. Legend goes that a young Robert Johnson, frustrated with his limited skills as a musician, met the devil one night at a Mississippi Delta road junction and traded his soul for blues mastery.

Johnson penned "Cross Road Blues" in 1932, his performance reflecting the Mississippi Delta blues style. Another Mississippi blues artist, Elmore James, paid tribute to Johnson when he recorded "Standing at the Crossroads" in 1954.

Like B.B. King and Elvis Presley, Johnson was included among the first group of inductees into The MAX's 360-degree Hall of Fame exhibit near the entrance to the museum.

Kemp said the traveling exhibit will allow The MAX to bring fresh attention to signature features in its own collection, such as the Juke Joint gallery and guitar-playing legends ranging from B.B. King to Elvis, not to mention its collection of famous and noteworthy guitars connected to King as well as Bo Diddley, Charley Pride, Jimmy Buffett, John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters.

Visit Meridian, Threefoot Hotel, DC Guitar and Buck and Barbara Thomas are among the sponsors of the exhibit.

A variety of free and ticketed special events are planned to coincide with the "America at the Crossroads" traveling exhibit, including live performances, demonstrations and illustrated talks, including:

Feb. 9: Members' Opening Reception

Feb. 10: Exhibit opens to the general public

Feb. 10: The Art of Blues and Rock & Roll Guitar workshop with Adam McPhail

Feb. 10: Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Workshop for Teachers and Educators' Night Out

Feb. 15: Junior Kimbrough's Juke Joint Miniature Reveal and Illustrated Talk by artist Lee Harper and blues photographer Bill Steber

Feb. 17: Classical Cocktails with the Meridian Symphony Association

Feb. 22: Live at The MAX: Concert by Steve Azar with heavy hors d'oeuvres by Chef David Crews

March 2: Make + Take: Cereal Box Guitar workshop for kids with Jimmie Rodgers Museum

March 8: Blues Concert by Benstrings and Par from Ferfect

March 15: 20-time Grammy-winning guitarist Pat Metheny performs at the MSU Riley Center

April 20: Guitar Build Demo by Timothy Litchfield

April 26: Family Escape Room: The Case of the Missing Guitar

May 10: Blues Concert by Super Chikan

May 11: Guitar Demo by Super Chikan

The MAX is located in downtown Meridian. For more information on the "America at the Crossroads" traveling exhibit or any of the museum's permanent collections, visit www.msarts.org.

Contact Glenda Sanders at gsanders@themeridianstar.com.