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CONTENTS

CONTRIBUTORSSumner BaggettCarsten CagleTroy CollJosh CrossHarry Crumpler IIIMik DavisChristy DyessR. Scott FarrisCathy HopkinsShaw IngramRobert MaloneJustin MartinLeif MunkelWill PoynorBryan Shaw

Hattiesburg Time Machine 4Westward Expansion 6The Bottom� 9Gordon’s Creek� � � 11Captain Hardy� � � 12Hattiesburg USO� � � 14Blues Trail� � � � 16August 29, 2005�� � 20Horizon� � � � 22Calendar� � � � 23Horizon� � � � 27Green Couch Revisited� 29Hub Grub� � � � 30Wine Review� � � 32Beer Review� � � 33Brief History of Beer� � 34Instrumental� � � 36What Book� � � � 3845 Stories� � � � 39New Music� � � � 40Evil Eye� � � � 43Editorials� � � � 45

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Certainty about the past should come no easier than certainty about the future. Facts and statistics comprise the popular view of history, and many simply think that those who don't know it are bound to repeat it. Documents underlie our notion of history to a great degree, but not everything makes it to paper. Much of the complete picture gets lost in the myopic attention to wars, macroeconomics, and slow changes. The mystery looks even stranger in reverse than it does going forward.

Hattiesburg, being a relatively young town, has an elusive history. One thing is absolutely certain, though: Hattiesburg in the now only makes good sense in light of its past, and for that reason we would be misguided to seriously consider its future without being familiar with those stories. It makes for good reading, either way, and we sure hope to do this again next August because we know there is a tremendous amount absent in these pages.

We've tried to compile and relate just the smallest handful of Hattiesburg's history, and we realize we're only scratching the surface. Looking back, though, it's pretty clear the whole picture is complex. Take for example, the source for much of sources underlying the feature articles in this issue. Named for probably the most important president in Southern Miss history, William David McCain, the McCain Library and Archives sits in the middle of the USM campus.

McCain presided over the University for 20 years beginning in 1955, during its most significant changes from a small teachers college known as Mississippi Southern College to become the regionally significant University of Southern Mississippi we know today. The pictures of the campus during the beginning of the McCain era will surprise you. A lot happened in those 20 years.

Hattiesburg Time Machine by Cornelius Evans

Unknown Citizen; 209 Main

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McCain also faced the Civil Rights struggle head on, and he resisted with everything he had, trying to keep the University segregated for as long as he could. A prominent member of the Mississippi political establishment, which during the postwar period was staunchly opposed to all forms of integration, McCain was a leader of the Citizens Council of America (better known as the White Citizens Council) and put forth considerable effort to explain why integration would undermine the Mississippi way of life as a high profile speaker across the country. Most disappointingly, “General” McCain played an

important role in destroying Clyde Kennard, a Hattiesburg native, Korean War veteran, and, according to the Mississippi Sovereignty Commision, “Race Agitator,” who attempted to enroll in Southern Miss three times during the 1950s. In 1960, he got seven years at Parchment Farm for stealing 25 lbs of chicken feed from the Hattiesburg Farmers Co-Op. The man that testified against him later admitted it was all a sham, that he himself committed perjury.

Diagnosed with colon cancer in 1961, he was nevertheless kept on the Farm until the end of January 1963, after subsequent national attention and the resulting “suspension of sentence” by Governor Ross Barnett. Kennard died six months later, ten days after his first round of treatment. Eventually, Southern Miss integrated peacefully in 1965, halfway through McCain's tenure, but Kennard's story will always remain disturbing and can not be told enough.

McCain was also a Mississippi state archivist and a nationally renowned genealogist. He almost singlehandedly revitalized the Sons of Confederate Veterans, helping grow its membership from 1,000 to 18,000 during the forty years he was involved. He contributed greatly to Hattiesburg, USM, and Mississippi, without a doubt, but it's also somehow fitting that the library named for him happens to be a treasure trove of information about the Civil Rights movement, with dozens of important oral histories, personal collections of relevant individuals, and huge volumes of photographs detailing the victorious struggle for expanded Civil Rights for all Mississippians.

With a lot of its collections available on the internet, the McCain Library and Archives offers countless hours of enjoyable reading about our community's history. There's also a Mississippiana collection and the Oral History collection includes over 700 recordings. Actually, the list of holdings is pretty excellent, and reflects William David McCain's high standards while soundly rejecting his racist values. That's one of the best things about Hattiesburg; it holds better to the good things and tries its best to let the negativity go. Thanks to the Archives, it's possible to take a peek at at the past and get to know some of the individuals and events that pushed us here. Though the situation has definitely changed, it's always good to find inspiration amidst the complexity.

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WestwardExpansionby S.R. Earl

TWIN FORKSIn 1895, Captain William H. Hardy built his house, Pinehurst, at the western edge of the community he had spent the last decade developing. Many residents are reported to have asked him why he built so far from town, to which he famously replied, “Town... will come to me.”

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Originally called Twin Forks, ‘Town’ came right past Hardy’s doorstep and has driven westward ever since. Being nestled in the flood plains in the pocket of junction of the Leaf and Bouie rivers among thousands of acres of ripe timber lands, hasn’t given Hattiesburg many other options.

In the early 1900’s lumber and railways fed the Hub City with industry and opportunity. The original city limits were actually set as the Leaf River to the east and a mile out from the train depot in every other direction. Those borders were quickly fleshed out with cottages and Victorian houses while the central business district thrived downtown.

This story is common for many American cities during that era of the country’s expansion. Just as common, perhaps, as another trend that slowly took root – working in the Hub City but living in the new rural suburbs.

MALL SPRAWLBy the 1960s, an abundance of automobiles and paved highways had given Americans the freedom to roam like never before. Many people in the Hattiesburg area took the opportunity to get out of the city and settle in the rural areas developing to the west in Lamar County. After all, there was the allure of cheaper land, fewer taxes and space as far as the eye could see.

At this point, Hattiesburg’s avenues were filled out to the western edge of Forrest County and the CBD was still comfortably anchored around the Depot. But, one of America’s newest fascinations would soon hoist that anchor and send the Hub City steaming westward again.

“The construction of the Cloverleaf Mall in the 1970s killed downtown,” said Betsy Rowell of the Hattiesburg Downtown Association.

Many businesses like Sears and J.C. Penny’s, along with banks and professional offices, pulled out of downtown to relocate in or around the mall creating a new business district in the area of the intersection of highways 49 and 98.

“It left vacant buildings downtown, and took jobs and residents with it,” Rowell said.

In fact, the depletion of the communities downtown was so sudden and thorough that letters started coming in to the mayor’s office requesting appropriations for revitalization efforts downtown by the early 1980s.

Some businesses, like Economy Supply and several of the legal and professional services, never left the downtown area. As the rest of the retail stores and other businesses followed each other through the door to the West, however, the future looked uncertain at best for those who remained.

Paradoxically, the door that the Cloverleaf Mall opened would ultimately lead to its own demise as plans for another mall were in the works even before the bell bottoms on the shelves went out of style.

According to records at the McCain Library and Archives at the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg officials recognized that there was enormous growth potential for the city. But, there was not enough space in the city limits to accommodate the new sprawling style of businesses that city planners were hoping to attract.

ANNEXATIONSIn 1980, an Annexation Feasibility Study was prepared by the Department of Planning and Coordination of the City of Hattiesburg. The study focused on areas of eastern Lamar County and concluded that an extension of the city limits into these areas would provide Hattiesburg with the best resources to reach its growth potential.

The Oak Grove area of Lamar County met all the criteria for a “bedroom community,” according to the study. Most of the residents in the area were middle to upper-middle class families living in suburban neighborhoods. There was no major employment base for the area so many of the residents were employed in Hattiesburg and commuted daily.

The prevailing idea was that if the city limits were extended then business districts would develop around improved infrastructure and more residential neighborhoods would follow. With the new land Hattiesburg would be able to accommodate its growth in population and industry.

All a city must present in a case for annexation is a “reasonable” need for the land in question, prove that services and utilities can be adequately provided, and the request is typically granted. Once the acquisition has been made the residents can appeal but must prove that services were either not rendered or were inadequate, which does not leave much room for the argument, “we just don’t want to live in the city.” And, it is the plaintiff’s burden to hire attorneys, gather the evidence, and present the case at a trial. Affected residents seem at a distinct disadvantage in the situation.

Later in 1980, the first slice of Lamar County was annexed just west of Interstate 59. Soon, developers erected the Westwood Square Mall and prospectors set their sights on more slices of Oak Grove. Hattiesburg was growing again, and the next phase of the city’s development wouldn’t come quite as easy as the first. The next 20 years would be riddled with controversy and lawsuits while many Oak Grove residents fought to keep the Hub City from gobbling up more of Lamar County.

1986 marked the annexation of the 23 square miles that would become Turtle Creek Mall and the Wesley Medical Center areas. The transformation of this land from rural

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Westward continued...suburbs to whatever it might become frightened and angered many residents. Stories of Oak Grove residents who didn’t want the things that the city limits would bring into their community filled the Hattiesburg American. Taxes, school zonings, ordinances and liquor, alongside many other things anticipated problems, were frequently cited by community members as negative aspects the city limits would introduce to their neighborhoods.

“If we all wanted to live in New York or New Orleans with major school districts, then we would move there,” is how attorney Tom Tyner described the sentiment of the Oak Grove community in the late 1980s to reporters at the Hattiesburg American. Tyner represented Oak Grove in several lawsuits to prevent annexation. He pointed to the fact that Hattiesburg city officials seemed to ignore the residential areas that did not want to be incorporated.

In an effort to keep Hattiesburg out of Lamar County residents petitioned to establish a 40-square-mile zone that would be Oak Grove City. However, the request was refused by Judge Sebe Dale, Jr., because resources were simply not available to provide city services and utilities for such a large area.

The next annexations were the Hattiesburg Country Club and Palmer’s Crossing in 1991. Not quite as much controversy swarmed around these acquisitions, but the country club residents were publicly annoyed by the prospect of new taxes and complained about the quality of services the city of Hattiesburg would provide. Conversely, some of the Palmer’s Crossing residents were eager to

receive the services, especially those of the Hattiesburg police.

It was city services and utilities – specifically water and sanitation – that many landowners and commercial developers with stakes in the Oak Grove area of Lamar County wanted. Developers such as \\\\York Development Projects////, CBL Group, and Smith Petroleum, that developed the areas of Turtle Creek Mall and Wesley Medical Center, knew that the real boom in development couldn’t happen until such services were available.

1998 brought the annexation of Wal-Mart on Hwy 98. Again, residents spoke out against annexation, but the superstore needed the city services. So, again the line was re-drawn. However, the annexation was not officially protested. Oak Grove supervisors agreed the acquisition was inevitable and beneficial to both communities.

In 2003 another section of land, 2,200 acres between Highway 98 and Lincoln Road, was annexed by the city of Hattiesburg after another legal battle that was waged in 2001 on behalf of Oak Grove residents against the city of Hattiesburg. The result was the same as before because, as Lamar County residents had learned during the last two decades, fighting annexation in Mississippi is an uphill battle.

Seven more annexation requests came in 2007 – four in Forrest County and three more in Lamar. This time it was the area of the intersection of Oak Grove and Lincoln roads. continued on p. 44...

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As early as 1895, the Mobile Street area began to develop as a vibrant community.

“Due to the segregated nature of our society, black people were forced to live in identifiable areas of the community,” said Eddie Holloway who has lived in the same house on Mobile Street since 1954. “This made us self-contained.”

On the black end of town there were Mobile and Bouie streets with Main, Front, and Pine on the white side. There were, of course, many more streets and neighborhoods that made up each community. Those are just a few of the streets that, by name, inspire fond reminiscence in many of the people who lived through the last heydays of Hattiesburg’s downtowns.

What people remember so fondly is the lively and inspiring spirit of these communities – each with its own identity and style. Even if separated by racial, economic and cultural boundaries, both communities blossomed together almost as two cities in one.

“To us it was the same,” Holloway said. “We had a doctor. It didn’t matter where he was educated. To us it was the same as a white doctor who went to Harvard.” The same was true, he said, for all the businesses and professional practices, the retail stores, restaurants, night clubs – everything. “They were points of pride.”

Holloway, Dean of Students at the University of Southern Mississippi, realizes many of the buildings that housed the businesses and homes of his fond memories were already old and some even beyond repair in his youth. But, the physical structures were a moot point. It was the involvement of people in the community that created the atmosphere of success and pride in the black neighborhoods of the early Hub City.

And while it may have been the construction of malls and urban sprawl that sucked the life out of Main Street, Hattiesburg’s original black communities had a string of problems unraveling well before the Cloverleaf.

Mobile Street:“The Bottom”by S.R. Earl

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Bottom continued...That unraveling heightened with the startling but inevitable flood of 1961. Many downtown areas, especially the black neighborhoods around Mobile and Bouie streets, sank under the waters of the Bouie and Leaf rivers. When the waters receded, residents found themselves dealing with a tough situation, but had no idea how bad the long-term effects would be.

By the time westward expansion had begun in the Hub, the waters of the old “Twin Forks” had risen to saturate downtown once again in 1974, only helping to drive people away. Gordon’s Creek (see the sidebar!), reconstructed by the Army Corps of Engineers, was supposed to have solved Hattiesburg’s watershed problem by the 1980s. However, there is, at times, a lot of water to shed in order to keep the city dry. It's a difficult situation to say the least.

Flood waters and white flight aside, the 1970s opened up a new problem for black neighborhoods in Hattiesburg as well as cities all over America. It was black flight, for lack of a better phrase, spawned by education and opportunity that the Civil Rights Movement compelled across the country.

And the Mobile district was home to several nationally recognized figures of that movement. Daisy Wade, and Peggy Jean Conner both grew up to become heavily involved in the Civil Rights movement. But before they made their marks on American history they were both receiving their marks at the Eureka High School – the first all black school in the Hattiesburg area.

Oseola McCarty also attended Eureka before she dropped out to care for a sick aunt and start a legacy with her savings from the odd jobs she kept to eventually fund a scholarship program at Southern Miss.

In fact, Mobile Street was as full of promise for young black men and women as it was with juke joints and jazz. But as they became more educated and more curious they began to drift away toward better opportunities elsewhere. The civil rights movement opened the world for black Americans and led many of them out of their neighborhoods for good.

“In the past generation, young black professionals took their ideas, energy and potential elsewhere,” said Betsy Rowell of the Hattiesburg Downtown Association.

Another reason young black people started moving off from their old neighborhoods in the Mobile and Bouie streets revolved around ownership. They wanted it but couldn’t get it. Many of the buildings were white owned and most of the property was rental. The fact that many of the structures had been at least partially submerged on occasion didn’t make the properties very attractive for ownership either. Finally, much of the community was now in the newly drawn flood zones, making it even an more difficult situation to borrow the money from a bank

to purchase property; that is, if the structures were not required to be demolished, like much of the neighborhood along East Hardy Street.

Many people – black and white – bought their first houses from the 1980s onwards out west where land was cheaper, everything was new, and the Wal-Mart was close. By the early 1990s, in tidy subdivisions with cable television and 24-hour drugstores, people simply forgot about downtown.

“Businesses that could afford to do so, shut down and opened up out west, where everyone was going,” Holloway said. “Others, like the Blue Moon Café and The Green Door... just disappeared.”

The black and white downtowns were zapped and suffered together from the depletion of commerce and residence. Undeniably, it has been an especially difficult situation for downtown East of the tracks, but the future of the area is incredibly bright, thanks to increasing commercial investment, innovative developments, and significant public involvement. Striking the balance of development and growth with deterioration and history will definitely present issues, but Hattiesburg is on the right track.

And that track is illuminated by the many businesses and organizations that have chosen to set up shop downtown during the last decade. Restaurants, night clubs, community centers, and organizations like the African American Military History Museum at the USO, the Historic Mobile Street Renaissance Festival, and Chain Park are helping to re-establish those “points of pride” Holloway spoke of that have been lost in the last 50 years. Each property that is brought back to life encourages others to join in the community.

“The areas are coming back,” said City Council member Deborah Denard Delgado who represents Ward 2, “it’s just a matter of how much we are willing to invest.”

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FLOOD TIMELINE

1936 United States Congress passes a flood control act allocating federal funds to aid municipalities; the city of Hattiesburg reports an average of two major floods per year.

April 1947 More than 40 acres of Hattiesburg is flooded up to a depth of four feet.

1948 United States Congress passes a second flood control act. Planning begins to clear and expand Gordon’s Creek in Hattiesburg as a means to control excessive watershed.

June 1951 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is consulted on the Gordon’s Creek project.

February 1961 Another major flood submerges several areas of the Hub City.

July 1962 The Army Corps of Engineers authorizes a study of the Hattiesburg area flood plains and Gordon’s Creek.

May 1963 Plans for Gordon’s Creek approved by the Corps of Engineers.

Spring 1973 - heavy rains and flooding wash out several banks of Gordon’s Creek.

April 1974 Major flooding puts many areas of downtown Hattiesburg under deep water again for several days.

July 1974 Hattiesburg city ordinance outlines new flood zones requiring many structures – commercial and residential – to be demolished, especially along East Hardy, and prohibits new construction in the affected areas.

1978 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers begins work on Gordon’s Creek.

1980 Gordon’s Creek project is declared complete by the Corps; however, renovations will continue for 20 years as problems with flooding and drainage persist in some areas.

2010 Bennie Sellers, Director of Public Works, upon his retirement after 20 years, cites completing Gordon's Creek as one of his most important undertakings.

Gordon’s Creekby S.R. Earl

Although Gordon’s Creek eventually became the solution to Hattiesburg’s flooding problem, it was originally one of the flooding's primary causes. As the Hub City developed in the early 1900s, buildings and roads were constructed on the banks of the creek. Sewage lines were run through and across the creek, while a lot of drainage was diverted to it. Gordon’s Creek was already narrow and overgrown in many places, and, eventually, the city’s encroachment on the creek exacerbated the watershed issues that already existed.

To resolve these issues, Hattiesburg city officials enlisted the help of the Mobile, AL, branch of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1962. The plan was to dredge the creek, widen and secure its banks where necessary, clear the man-made obstructions (like sewer lines) and extend the creek’s mouth, which was precariously close to the heart of the Hub City.

This project would take more than 40 years to complete after planning began, and several issues impeded the project’s progress through the years. First, it was the city’s responsibility to re-route the sewage, drainage, and utility lines that cluttered the creek and its banks. Also, city officials had to obtain easements on properties surrounding the creek. This proved to be an arduous task.

Many of the residents who were being asked to give up land for this project lived in areas that were not prone to flooding. It was a difficult at times for officials to persuade citizens to sacrifice their property for the greater good of the city. But, eventually the arguments prevailed and the creek was prepped for the Corps of Engineers.

At first, the project was scheduled to last only a couple of years. Once the work was completed, however, the creek was left with stagnant areas of still water in some places and continued flooding in others.

Eventually, after further modifications, the creek became the effective channel for watershed that it is today. Still, the occasional heavy downpour – especially during active hurricane seasons – fills Gordon’s Creek to its brim, giving Hattiesburg’s residents a clear picture of the delicate relationship we have with Mother Nature in this river bottom.

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No Compromise with Principle “The Life and Times of William Harris Hardy and the Mississippi He Loved” Book Review by R. Scott Farris

Captain Hardy

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Captain William H. Hardy (1837-1917) — the incomparable Founder of the prominent Mississippi cities of Laurel, Hattiesburg, and Gulfport — was “a Dreamer whose Dreams came true!”

His seminal Leadership manifested with the completion of the New Orleans & Northeastern and Gulf & Ship Island railroads along with their accompanying sawmills in 1883 and 1897. His Committment culminated with the so-far unrepeated leadership in 1910 and 1917 that respectively brought us the University of Southern Miss and Camp Shelby. These are THE four key accomplishments that permanently put Hattiesburg and South Mississippi on the world map! Yet the latter two would likely never have happened without the first two...

In this enlightening but sadly under-read book — uniquely authored by father and son some 35 years apart (Captain Hardy in 1911 and Toney Hardy [named for the Captain’s mother’s family] in 1946) – the worthy story of this authentic “winner” is largely told in the unusual form (for a “history” book) of a running dialogue between brother (Toney) and sister (Mattie), so that it reads more like a non-fiction novel than some dry historical account — thus rendering it all the more engaging and interesting.

Educator (Principal), Lawyer, Husband, Father, Soldier, Engineer, Railroad Builder, Entrepreneur/Financier/City Builder, Lumberman, Statesman, Judge, Author, and last, but certainly not least, Churchman — he was all of these and more in his 80 years on earth...

Our Man Hardy had true Greatness in him! As Hattiesburgers and South Mississippians, we are fortunate to inherit such an illustrious Founder, and so we should all be ever proud and grateful for a Real Man of his high caliber! For he consistently exhibited the highest ideals and morals throughout his long life. And so he does deserve to be remembered and appreciated, admired and honored — certainly by the Good People of South Mississippi!

Crucial as his Founding of our beloved Hub City of Hattiesburg was and is, which is recounted about midway through the book, that historic event is nevertheless only one glimpse of his fascinating Life Accomplishments! Just a few of his other contributions, influences, and experiences include:

He received his well-known “title” of Captain in 1862 via his commission in the Confederate States Army, serving under the famous CSA General Stonewall Jackson in Virginia. (He could have been a General himself but refused in order to stay close to his fellow Mississippi soldiers.

He gladly recounts that his life was saved in Virginia during the War For Southern Independence by his beloved young “manservant”. Years after the war, while visiting near Nashville, when he unexpectedly ran into this same boyhood friend again, he and his second wife , “Miss Hattie”, and the “freedman” (former slave) shared heartfelt joy, laughter, smiles, and tears on the front porch of the home the Hardys were visiting — but the black man was not [could not be] invited

inside, and they never saw him again... Oh, the pathos and irony of our “Old South”!

Upon the death of ex-CS President Jefferson Davis in December 1889, Capt Hardy had the great honor, privilege, and publicity of delivering President Davis’ eulogy in the famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan, New York City — which was published on the front page of the New York Times.

For his times, Captain Hardy was a Progressive Visionary: Two latter chapters in his part of the book address full Civil Rights for African-Americans, written 100 years ago when there were “Jim Crow” race riots occurring even in northern cities. However, his attitudes regarding African-Americans, although relatively supportive, would likely be considered benignly “paternalistic” by most Americans today.

Although widely known and recognized as the Founder of Hattiesburg, Laurel, and Gulfport, he also played a key role in making Meridian the largest and leading City of the State (and almost the Capital) at the beginning of the 20th Century.

As State Senator from Lauderdale County (Meridian), he introduced the Bill to move the State Penitentiary from Jackson and construct the “new” State Capitol Building on that lofty site. Our grand State Capitol was thus dedicated in 1903—with that real gold Golden Eagle atop its great dome!

By vote of the Mississippi legislature in 1903, Hattiesburg was supposed to be the new County Seat in brand new Hardy County, but a Governor with a grudge vetoed that Bill so it’s Forrest County instead (in honor of CS General Nathan Bedford Forrest). But at least Captain Hardy got Hattiesburg’s and South Mississippi’s most famous street!

Fulfilling the Holy Bible’s admonishment to “be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth”, Captain Hardy fathered a total of 9 children by his 3 wives (Sally Johnson [6], Hattie Lott [3], Ida May [3]). Proving the Hardy-ness of their bloodlines, it is reported that, as of this date, all of Captain Hardy and Miss Hattie’s grandchildren yet live. (Even the men in their 90’s!)

Captain Hardy died in Gulfport (where he’s buried), just one week after his 80th birthday in February 1917 — it is said from illness related to his exposure to the cold and exertion while greeting the 500 guests at his birthday party! His great niece, the late Mrs. Katie Arnold Smith of 2000 Hardy Street is said to have experienced as a young girl the rare-at-that-time adventure of riding in a car to both events (Captain Hardy’s birthday celebration and his funeral) — a trip which took 8 hours one-way at that time!

At his death it was written of him: “His impressive physical bearing, his splendid personal qualities, his good character of the highest standard, along with his support to every enterprise for the advancement and progress of the public welfare, earned him the widespread respect and well-deserved esteem of his fellow Mississippians.”

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On May 23rd, 2009, the African American Military History Museum opened with exhibits showcasing the bravery and sacrifices of African American soldiers. However, the newly reopened Museum is just one aspect of a building that has become an icon to African Americans and the City of Hattiesburg for 68 years.

The history of the USO began in 1942 when it was built by volunteers who put in more than 40,000 hours of work. As a centerpiece to the thriving Mobile-Bouie area of Hattiesburg, the USO served African American soldiers who trained at Camp Shelby. Everything from dancing to reading material was available to soldiers at the Sixth Street USO.

From local youth to businessmen, the community worked to make the USO a home away from home. Churches assisted with services, counseling and various programs and the Girl’s Organization served as hostesses, attending dances and events at the USO. By the end of the war, almost one million soldiers had been served by the USO.

“Local businesses flourished because of the USO,” said Iola Williams, Hattiesburg Convention Commissioner. “During weekends, soldiers with passes filled the Mobile-Bouie Street area, enjoying soul food, seeing movies, getting their hair cut, going to church, getting their

uniforms tailored and dry cleaned and getting shoes shined. At night they would stop by the USO to relax, read and dance.”

In the 1950’s, the USO would take on a new role as a community center during the Civil Rights Era. During this time, the USO housed the first library for the African American community. Many of the books in the library were donated from community members or were books that were discarded from the main Hattiesburg Public Library. The library was the size of a small bedroom and could only hold a limited number of books. However, from these books leaders in the African American community were born and would help spur the Civil Rights Movement.

Over time, the USO fell into disrepair. In 1993, the City of Hattiesburg repaired the building, and local veterans collected artifacts to open the African American Military History Museum. It is the only surviving USO built exclusively for African American soldiers, and in 2003 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2006, the Hattiesburg Convention Commission began managing the facility. With its partners the African American Military History Committee, the Euro Alumni Association, Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association, Smart Partnership, Mobile-Bouie Neighborhood

Hattiesburg USOby Leif Munkel

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Association and the City of Hattiesburg, plans unfolded to build a state of the art museum honoring African American servicemen and women. In February of 2008 ground was broken for renovations to the USO Club.

Now, with its interactive displays built by Southern Custom Exhibits, the Museum provides an educational outlet of relevant local and national history. More than 150 years of African American military history are displayed.

Beginning with the Buffalo Soldiers of the post Civil War era through modern conflicts like Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, visitors witness the service and sacrifice of African American servicemen and women. Children can climb on top of a replica horse and ride across the western plains with the buffalo soldiers or jump behind the wheel of a Red Ball Express truck and answer true and false questions about World War II.

The Museum also features tributes to local heroes including Jesse L. Brown, the first African American naval aviator, and Ruth Bailey Earl, a representative of more than 500 African American nurses who served during World

War II. Their service and sacrifice are honored inside the African American Military History Museum.

“African American soldiers and their service and sacrifices have not, in most instances, been preserved or recognized by the American military, press, text books or society,” said Iola Williams. “In this day of cultural heritage, our African American Military History Museum is a leader in presenting African American history throughout the various military branches and wars.”

Now, after its first year, the Museum has seen over 7500 people come through its doors, including visitors from as far away as Germany and Brazil. Thanks to the African American Military History Museum these new guests are learning about the service and sacrifice of often overlooked American soldiers for the first time and carrying on the Museum’s goal of education and awareness of African American history.

The Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, visit www.HattiesburgUSO.com.

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Mississippi Blues Commission Marker 55Mobile Street, between 4th & 7th.

The Mississippi Jook Band (brothers Roosevelt and Uaroy Graves and pianist Cooney Vaughan) earned a niche in the annals of rock after they recorded in Hattiesburg in 1936, nearly two decades before rock and roll exploded in the 1950s. The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll noted that their blues recordings “featured fully formed rock and roll guitar riffs and a stomping rock and roll beat.”

Hattiesburg was the site of a historic series of recording sessions by Mississippi blues, gospel, and country performers in July of 1936, including Roosevelt and Uaroy Graves (both as a gospel duo and as part of the Mississippi Jook Band with Cooney Vaughn), the Edgewater Crows, the Gold Star Quartette, Rev. R. H. Taylor, the Laurel Firemen's Quartette, the Steelman Sisters, the Madden Community Band, Sunny Spencer and Boy Pugh, Zeke Bingham and Monroe Chapman, Johnson and Lee, Rajah Evans (Jaybird), Benjamin Scott, and Shep and Cooney.

Jackson talent scout H. C. Speir told historian Gayle Dean Wardlow that he and recording director W. R. Calaway of the American and Brunswick record corporations set up a temporary studio upstairs in the Hotel Hattiesburg at Mobile and Pine streets. Most of the recordings, however, were never released, and the metal master discs were either scrapped or donated to the recycling effort in World War II. Among the unissued numbers was the Edgewater Crows' “Mobile Street Stomp,” named in tribute to the historic African American business and entertainment district where many of the musicians lived and worked. In later years several blues and gospel record labels were headquartered on or near Mobile Street.

Only three 78 rpm blues records from the 1936 sessions were issued: one by the Edgewater Crows and two by the Mississippi Jook Band. “Barbecue Bust” and “Dangerous Woman” were cited on the first page of the chapter continued on p. 44

The Birthplace of Rock ‘n Roll

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Mississippi Blues CommissionMarker 102Old Airport Road in Palmer’s Crossing

The Hi-Hat Club was once an important stop on the “chitlin circuit” for African American blues and soul performers. B. B. King, James Brown, Otis Redding, Ike & Tina Turner, and many others played to packed houses here. Owner Milton Barnes (1915-2005), one of Mississippi’s most successful African American entrepreneurs, also owned Barnes Cleaners, the Hattiesburg Black Sox baseball team, and several other night spots in addition to his own contracting business.

The Hi-Hat Club flourished during the heyday of the “chitlin circuit,” when most of the touring venues for the nation’s top blues, R & B, and soul performers were large African American nightclubs and dance halls. The Hi-Hat, one of the largest clubs in Mississippi, often drew crowds of eight to nine hundred, sometimes in excess of a thousand. As economics and audiences changed, the role of clubs like the Hi-Hat declined as the bigger shows gravitated to auditoriums and arenas, and by 1994 the Hi-Hat had closed its doors.continued on p. 44

The Hi-Hat Club

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August 29, 2005by Chris Cagle Every time I hear someone in the media talk about

hurricane preparedness, I wince a little. The night before Katrina, Sunday, I happened to be hosting the weekly World Music Show on WUSM, from 6 till 10 o’clock. I shared the experience with two other Pines contributors, Troy and Mik, and much of the night is etched well into my memory.

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The opportunity to relay the storm information thrilled me, like a radio dream come true after 8 years on the air mostly as an unimportant and over-enthusiastic jazz DJ. With each update, the news was worse, more important. Every now and then, just to get scope, I’d peek at the grainy radar on the little TV above the control board and exclaim (when the mic was off) at the sheer size of the white spiral puff spread across the Gulf. It sank in pretty quickly that this situation would change the Monday routine.

But, with all that information, I still wasn’t prepared for the sixth strongest Hurricane on record: a month with no utilities and six foot tall piles of trees lining every local roadway for weeks. I think I bought two six packs of expensive beer and five of those water containers of 2.5 gallons since the pantry seemed stocked (as if). I probably ran out of beer before the storm was over, scared silly, watching Kimball Avenue like a television, nervously waiting for a tree to fall on me. The worst thing that happened on our street was the tree that feel on local band An End To October’s gear trailer, slam full for an impending tour. That was essentially the end of The End of October, who soon became Malamute.

Katrina wreaked more havoc than any natural disaster in U.S. History. Stories from people too broke to leave (or misled enough to believe it was safe to stay) the coast or the New Orleans bowl still disturb me. Far too many people perished (at least 1, 836), and many more suffered terribly. Katrina taught the entire Gulf South west of New Orleans a lot about the power of a warm Gulf.

We also learned how our government at every level reacts to disasters, which was not too reassuring a few times. Hopefully, these institutions also learned a lesson. Furthermore, we learned chaos makes the potential for absurd behavior worse, might even lead you to shoot your sister over some ice, an event that gave my neighborhood (“The Quarters”) a bad name for awhile.

Other important facts we now all recognize: food left in unelectrified refrigerators stinks really badly if it’s not cooked in a series of feasts quite quickly. If you evacuate, empty your refrigerator first. It’s hard to pick between the duct-taped refrigerator with the biohazard symbol haphazardly spray painted on the door or the blue roof as the most enduring symbol of the aftermath.

Somehow, we mostly still get by. We clean the place up,repair what’s broken, rebuild what's destroyed. The treesstart to look normal again. Personally, I also discovered that the pace of a life not set by the econmic clock suits me real well. It became better than a vacation because I didn’t know when the grind would return. I recognize the problems with this sentiment.

After five good years, my favorite site for remembrance of August 29, 2005, lies in the Avenues, on the Northside, right around 22nd Avenue on Pearl. One can’t miss the incredible garden at the corner. That garden has been there for the six years I’ve lived in Hattiesburg, constantly becoming more beautiful each season, but there used to be a cute house on the lot, too.

I was so disheartened to see the damage the storm did to that property, and I had a feeling the house would have to be leveled. It was cleaved by a falling Yellow Pine, and much of the garden around it was uprooted. To see that corner lot now, though, always makes me smile, even with the house gone. The resilience of the woman that keeps that lot so pretty always gives me pause, and I am proud that she simply moved across Pearl and seemed to never really look back except with hope.

A large portion of my memory about Hurricane Katrina has always been positive, and I am glad to have lived through it. This may sound ridiculous, perhaps inappropriate. It’s the truth, though. But now, the tension each hurricane season brings (and looking back at the sheer size of Katrina) reminds me I’d rather not experience it again.

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Sat Aug 14

FESTIVAL OF ART & IMAGINATION Town Square Park4-8 PMJennifer Howell, a native of Hattiesburg, founded The Art of Elysium in 1997 to encourage working actors, artists and musicians to voluntarily dedicate their time and talent to children who are battling serious medical conditions in Los Angeles and New York. Too many children suffer alone through serious medical treatments, and Howell recognized through a close relationship with a friend battling cancer that something should be done to change this sad fact. “What was once Jennifer and a few friends is now a community of people who share the idea that no child should go through medical treatment alone.”

Some gracious people here in Hattiesburg have helped organize a benefit to raise funds for the organization with the "Festival of Art and Imagination" in Town Square Park on Saturday afternoon, August 14. A free event, from four until eight in the evening, featuring four local bands over four hours, a variety of artisans, kids activities, and food from downtown restaurants, the afternoon promises to be a worthwhile way to spend a Saturday in the park. The music includes Mark Mann, Paul Johnson & The About Last Nights, Scott Chism & The Better Half, and The Thomas Jackson Orchestra. – Chris Cagle

Thur Aug 19

DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKETThird Thursday 3-7PMThe Farmers Market has been trying to get a concept off the ground for a while, a kind of wide-open arts fair hosting regional musicians a little out of the weekly budget, held each Third Thursday of the month. Well, thanks to renewed enthusiasm brought by new volunteers, the idea is coming to fruition this month!

Last year, out of nowhere, Cody Ruth, the Farmers Market's Music Coordinator, brought some old friends to the park, a band called Jericho Road Show, led by Steve Gardner, a Mississippi native, who travels the world circuitously. Performing an old-timey blend of string band jazz and gut-bucket blues, the Jericho Road Show playedto a rapt audience, many with bags filled with late�Summer produce.

Fortunately for us, they’re returning to Hattiesburg with two shows: one at the farmer’s market, one at the Hippo that night. Their new release features a great line-up, and one can only wonder what the group will look like. With songs encompassing almost the entire American tradition, the stripped down acoustic approach lends classics a completely different context.

In addition to the excellent music, expect to find a nice variety of late Summer produce aplenty, the return of excellent prepared foods, as well as several artists and craftsfolks. Hopefully, this will be the inaugural 3rd Thursday, the first of many to come during the seven months the Farmers Market fills Town Square Park and another great reason to regularly congregate in public spaces. Call 601-554-6652 for more information.– Chris Cagle

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CALENDAR BREAKDOWN8.06 George McConnell TH Mississippi guitarist in bands Beanland, Kudzu Kings, and Widespread Panic.8.06 For Hours and Ours, Young Buffalo 1126 Austin emo at the house party, accompanied by Oxford emo.8.12 Toy Soldiers TH HORIZON8.14 Festival of Art & Imagination (4pm – 8pm) TSP HORIZON8.17 Native w/ Former Thieves, Smiley with a Knife 1126 Screamo worth your time for absolutely certain.8.19 Jericho Road Show TH HORIZON8.20 Soul Rebels BBR HORIZON8.20 Furrows TH Members of three good departed Mississippi bands make another good one. 8.21 Moon Taxi BBR Nashville band plowing the jamband circuit, combining soul with some progressive rock8.21 Chance Fisher w/ Running From Omelas TH An elder statesband of Hattiesburg and one of its newest on the first Saturday after school starts.8.26 Rollin in the Hay BBR Jamgrass from Birmingham has been on the road for more than a decade.8.26 Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears w/ Hacienda TH HORIZON8.27 Flow Tribe BBR Steadily building some funky credibility around NOLA and across the Gulf South.8.27 Juke Joint Duo TH Mississippi's best band.8.28 Wrangler Space BBR Widespread Panic tribute.8.28 Colour Revolt w/ Young Buffalo TH HORIZON9.03 Mark Mann & The Marked Men TH Mark’s got an exciting new band!9.04 Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey & Johnny Vidacovich BBR HORIZON

USM MUSEUM OF ARTThru 8.25: Tana Hoban: A retrospective9.09 – 10.07: Bill Baggett Solo Exhibition

GOLD: 2010 Centennial Arts Gala9.16 Lake Terrace Convention Center – 7:30 p.m. The ARTS GALA is an annual event, with performers from the Departments of Art and Design, Theatre and Dance, and the School of Music. The annual gala benefit, designed around a specific theme each year, features food, drink, dancing, singing, acrobats and so much more! Support the arts at Southern Miss by supporting the annual ARTS GALA!

THU 8.12Toy Soldiers

THU 8.19Jake Leg Stompers

FRI 8.20Furrows

SAT 8.21Chance Fisher

w/ Running from Omelas

THU 8.26Black Joe Lewis &

The Honeybears

FRI 8.27Juke Joint Duo

SAT 8.28Colour Revolt

THUR 9.2Charmed I’m Sure

FRI 9.3Mark Mann

OPEN MIC WEDNESDAYS

211 MAIN STREETDOWNTOWN HATTIESBURG

601.583.9188thirstyhippo.com

facebook.com/thirstyhippo

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Native w/ Former Thieves, Smiley with a Knife 1126

TH Thirsty HippoBBR Boom Boom Room1126 1126 HouseTSP Town Square ParkSL Sidelines

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George McConnell THFor Hours and Ours, Young Buffalo 1126

Toy Soldiers TH Moon Taxi BBRFestival of Art & Imagination TSPTravelogue For Exiles SL

Jericho Road Show THThird Thursday TSP

Furrows THSoul Rebels BBR

Chance Fisher w/ Running From Omelas THMoon Taxi BBR

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears THRollin in the Hay BBR

Jukejoint Duo THFlow Tribe BBR

Colour Revolt THWrangler Space BBR

Mark Mann & the Marked MenTH

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey& Johnny Vidacovich BBR

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Lady Luck Tattoo & Body Piercing“No attitudes; just nice, clean work.”

6230 US Hwy 49 Hattiesburg, MS 39401 601.584.6488

Fri Aug 20

SOUL REBELSBRASS BANDBoom Boom Room

Jazz music was born in New Orleans, played on band instruments from Civil War bands. Traditionally part of a funeral service, the brass band and the second line, the dancing and reveling followers, grew into a scene separate and apart from the funeral ceremony in the 1970s, giving rise to new brass bands that fuse together traditional jazz with funk, hip hop, rap, and other styles.

With a name like Soul Rebels, one should certainly prepare to see a show that is light on tradition and ceremony and heavy on funk. While the Dirty Dozen may have been an early proponent of style hopping, the Soul Rebels are even more bold in their experimentation, at times making old school brass bands seem dated, even if some of the hip hop excursions grow a little tiresome.

Having toured the US and the rest of the world, the Soul Rebels are bringing it live to Bennie’s Boom Boom Room on Friday, Aug, 20th. Touring behind their new live album, No Place Like Home, the tight horns and high energy emcees are sure to be hitting on all cylinders. To check out more of what the Soul Rebel Brass Band is about, check the website, www.soulrebelsbrassband.com – you can preview the music and buy downloads if you are inspired. Make a special effort to clear your calendar for the date. -Justin Martin

One of the most fun and friendly bands to come through Hattiesburg in a while, Toy Soldiers stole my heart last January, over Christmas break. With the sparse crowd at the Hippo, these guys chatted with everyone before and after the show. Plus, not only were they were pleasant, they were good, playing with their hearts and souls. With all of that said, it was a grand ole time and they had us jigging with their banjo strings, gospel-esque harmonies, and a slew of uncommon instruments.

Toy Soldiers music can best be described as a perfect blend of... well, all of the good stuff: rock n' roll, blues, soul, and folk/country. The range of influences is pretty impressive, taking you from the rock n' soul style of their song "Wrecking Ball" and then easily strolling over to a traditional folk tune like that of "When I Tripped Into You." A pleasant surprise is "Throw Me Down" with a significant and amazing roots sound. Not to single anyone out (because these kids are all talented musicians), but damn that little singer Kate Foust can slide it and belt it with the best!

Toy Soldiers only have one album, but are currently trying to raise the funds to record another and already have the ideas a-rolling. The current Toy Soldiers album Whisper Down the Lane, with 11 songs that are just made for driving with the windows down, porch sittin', or any good-time-kind-of-a-party can be downloaded from their website for a measly $7.00. -Sumner Baggett

Thur Aug 12

TOY SOLDIERSThirsty Hippo

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Sat Aug 28

COLOUR REVOLT

w/ Young BuffaloThirsty Hippo

Some years back, when it was at the top of its game, The Burger promoted a show at The Hippo featuring a young band from Oxford called Colour Revolt. It was fairly obvious then that the future would be bright for Colour Revolt. By the time the band joined Fat Possum Records to release the stellar Plunder, Beg, and Curse in 2008, they found themselves touring the country continuously. Their myspace page got lit up by people from every corner of the States, with genuine praise.

The Hippo would remain one of Colour Revolt's most worthwhile stops, including several seriously packed sold out shows. Rumours were confirmed that Colour Revolt would return after some personnel mods with a brand new self-released long player, The Cradle. It'll be interesting to see what the changes have done for the band, even though the principal songwriters have stayed put. Actually, they're the only members listed on the website.

Which essentially means, what we have here is a continuation of the past, not some all new band with the same name but none of the old swagger. The guitar layers still pulse and sway, and the songs remain fluid across a range of textures. It's sort of like a homeawayfromhomecoming, all in all. Another band hailing from Oxford will be opening for them, Young Buffalo, on their second visit to Hattiesburg in August after a night at the 1126 house during the first weekend. – Chris Cagle

Thur Aug 26

BLACK JOE LEWIS& THE HONEBEARSThirsty Hippo As mentioned previously, when people start throwing around the terms “retro soul” or “neo soul,” I always question what happened to “old soul?” I suspect the term is used as a marketing ploy by record labels that believe people are too stupid to know that soul and funk music never went anywhere.

Most major urban areas have had a continual robust soul and funk scene in the midst of punk rock, breaking, rap or other fads record labels were touting. The Texas soul tradition includes Roy Head, Barbara Lynn, Archie Bell and the Drells, Joe Tex, and Billy Preston, just to name a few.

Austin’s Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears was born out of Lewis learning to play the guitar he purchased from the pawn shop at which he worked. After several self-described “horrible” open-mic shows, Lewis was pursued by Honeybear guitarist Zach Ernst, who built the Honeybears around Lewis. Lewis and band were quickly championed by local indie stalwarts Spoon and Okkervil River due to the explosive live shows that were part Howlin’ Wolf and part James Brown.

Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears are sure to set the hot August night on fire at Thirsty Hippo on August 26th. To get more info about the band, hit the website, www.blackjoelewis.com – you can preview the music to get hyped up for the show. Those that know me know that I’m not much of a dancer, but I might even do my own brand of rug cutting in the Hippo that night.– Justin Martin

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Continuing a nice, long string of excellent jazz concerts, Bennie's will again host New Orleans drummer of highest esteem, Mr. Johnny Vidacovich, this time accompanying the Oklahoman quartet, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey.

No one in the band is named Jacob Fred, but it is certainly an odyssey of sorts. Covering territory that includes abstract improvisations, tightly arranged melodies, moments of serene release, and plenty aggressive pummeling, the group has toured continuously for more than 15 years and released 18 albums. The newest, named Stay Gold, dropped in late June.

Changing direction after bassist Reed Mathis, who wielded a wider range of voices than most bass guitar players, split for a more commercial outfit, Jacob Fred introduced a lap steel guitar player to airily complement the keyboard trio's angular approach to their craft, “drawing upon 'The Tulsa Sound' born of hometown heroes like Bob Wills, JJ Cale, and Leon Russell. These roots grow up into a jazz foundation that's built firmly upon the likes of Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk.”

We haven't been able to figure out for sure whether or not to expect Johnny V to be sitting in with JFJO as an additional drummer, the sole percussionist, or what. Either way, if there's a Johnny V solo set to begin the night, you better believe you have a good reason to get there early. If the musicians mingle at any point, it's not to be missed.

We may not (won't) have the September issue printed by Labor Day so we thought we'd stay ahead of the turning calendar and remind you about a show just over the August horizon. – Chris Cagle

Sat Sept 4

JACOB FRED JAZZ ODYSSEY& JOHNNY VIDACOVICHBoom Boom Room

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The launch party for the first season of WDAM’s "The Green Couch Sessions" displayed exactly the kind of love for music and culture that occurs here in Hattiesburg. It seemed like everyone turned up for the GCS launch on June 26th, which was hosted by the Thirsty Hippo. Live music included This Orange Four, Scott Chism & the Better Half, and Mik Davis, who is also a part of the GCS team.

In case you haven't already heard (see The Pines from March), "The Green Couch Sessions" is a new locally made television program showcasing artists making their way through the Pine Belt area. Each show focuses on one artist/band that plays up to four or five songs. In addition to the music, spread throughout the half-hour is several minutes of interviews with the featured artists.

Brad Clark, the director of "The Green Couch Sessions", was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions I had about the show:

I know you guys are done filming for the first season of "The Green Couch Sessions" and are finishing up editing. How did the editing process go for the GCS crew?

The editing process is still going on as we speak. Because most of us already had full time jobs at WDAM before GCS, we have to edit GCS between shooting and editing commercials and station promos. So, in a lot of ways, this part of the show is the hardest because we are under the gun to get each song edited and build the entire episode complete with songs and interview segments before the air date arrives. Right now we're working slightly ahead of schedule, but by the end of the season we could be finishing an episode only days before it airs. We've all had a real education in getting this show shot, produced and on the air.

Besides filming and editing, what sort of process went into actually getting GCS in the homes of Hattiesburg?

Pitching the show to our general manager at WDAM, Jim Cameron, was the first big mountain to climb before GCS

would ever see the light of day. It took us a number of months to shoot, figure out our editing style, our graphics and to complete the first episode. Once we had, we were confident but still very nervous about how the show would be received and whether Mr. Cameron would agree to air it. We were very encouraged when we played the Paul Burch episode for him the first time and within seconds he was leaning forward and tapping his foot along with the music. After seeing that first episode, Mr. Cameron became a real champion of the show and made the call to finally put it on the air.

GCS has had backing from the Hattiesburg community and businesses, from venues for the show to a loaned HDTV for your launch party. Did you ever expect such a reaction?

We hoped that everyone would be as excited about the show as we were, but we've been overwhelmed by the amount of support and encouragement that we've received. From the beginning though, we knew that this was an idea that had been waiting to happen for years. It was a little like just providing the match for something that was already set to catch fire. We just needed the right crew of people to make it happen.

The Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association has been a huge supporter from early on in the process, which we love, since the show is really about developing our local community and culture. They are really the kind of sponsors we'd love to see more of for GCS, people and businesses who want to involve themselves in the development of our community. There's no lack of excitement from viewers of the show, but we need more business to make an investment in "The Green Couch Sessions" in order for us to have a second season.

Are you guys at "The Green Couch Sessions" already looking ahead to next season? What can we get all excited about?

The second season is what we're all dreaming about at this point, but right now the first season is still a furious work in progress. The reality is that season two won't happen unless we get more sponsors for season one. So we encourage everyone to talk up the show, help us drum up support, tell your local businesses to become a sponsor. Share our website (www.thegreencouchsessions.com) with your friends and go to our Facebook page. We want to hear everyone's thoughts about the show and to get people talking about our incredible music community here in the Pine Belt.

"The Green Couch Sessions" airs on WDAM every Sunday night at 10:30pm until August 29, 2010... so don't miss it!

GreenCouchRevisitedby Sumner Baggett

30 The PINES

The stigma of the chain restaurant can be difficult to overcome, especially among those of us who spent their youths being dragged to Chilibee's Garden of Fried Americana. These homogeneous feed troughs keep our dining choices simple and our expectations low, and foodies can come to view any restaurant with more than two locations as members of the enemy camp.

Surin of Thailand has spread from its native Atlanta location to spots in Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, and now Hattiesburg, but it defies the stereotype of the franchise eatery. From its unassuming location in front of Forrest General, Surin offers a level of quality in Asian cuisine that's unparalleled in Hattiesburg.

From the quiet, comfortable dining room to the beautiful presentation and well-informed service, every aspect of eating at Surin seems calibrated to please. The recently-renovated dining area features a beautiful wooden bar and tasteful decoration. Surin's expansive menu covers Asian

idioms from sushi to noodle soup to fried rice and Thai dishes, and it includes several in-house creations.

One would think that some areas of the menu would be stronger than others, but Surin does not put anything on its flatware that is not fantastic. Even throwaway sides and appetizers like fried rice or egg rolls are thoughtfully presented, packed with creative ingredients, and often paired with perfectly balanced sauces.

Their exclusive items make it impossible to discuss the top restaurants in our city without mentioning Surin of Thailand. Shrimp, corn, onion, and cilantro served in miniature fried pastry cups, dubbed Surin baskets, make a hearty yet manageable appetizer. The Ka Proud Lamb features char-grilled lamb chops served with the best fried rice in town, complemented by a basil mushroom sauce that plays on both the grassy flavor of the lamb and the roasted notes from the grill.

Surin of Thailand6101 Hwy 49 S601-296-9686www.surinofthailand.com

by Troy Coll

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Surin's Roasted Duck with Red Curry might be the most impressive dish on any menu in Hattiesburg. By marinating the duck breast overnight in their red curry sauce, Surin brings out the incredibly deep flavors of both ingredients and adds kaffir lime leaves and pineapple to contrast and harmonize. The curry sauce infuses the duck (and its skin) with sweetness and spice, and none of the complexity of flavor is washed away by the moderate level of heat. The only thing that could possibly improve this dish is if Surin served Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine along with it. Fortunately, I've got my own stash at home for drinking with leftover curry, if there is any.

Pork Pad Prik is a common dish at Thai restaurants, but Surin takes theirs seriously. A thick, rich pepper sauce is enhanced by earthy straw mushrooms, and the pork loin slices are tender and feature a delicious charred crust. Fried calamari rings remind me of Barcelona, with their airy breading, slight chewiness, and briny flavors. Crab Angels are an exceptional version of the wontons you'd find at many a buffet, but with cleaner and fresher flavors. Surin's sushi is simply gorgeous

and as fresh as it looks; it makes a fun and appetizing starter or entrée.

Other lagniappe includes the creme brulee, which smokes all other versions in our area. A crispy layer of caramelized sugar hides a custard of unequaled smoothness, with a speckling of vanilla bean at the bottom. No matter how full you are, you'll find room for a dessert that seems to vanish in your mouth. Pair it with creamy Thai iced tea or coffee, and you're likely to stay until you've got room for another meal.

We've got plenty of delicious food in Hattiesburg, but our fine dining options are limited to just a few spots. Surin of Thailand provides the atmosphere and service to match any of them, and the quality and value are second to none. All of the entrées fall into the sub-$20 range, and I've yet to find any Hattiesburg restaurant that can compete with Surin when it comes to consistency and attention to detail. Whether you're looking for takeout Pad Thai or a full-on three course feast, Surin of Thailand keeps stomachs and wallets very happy.

by Troy Coll

32 The PINES

August is a perfect month for Sauvignon Blancs, especially in the tropical climate of Southern Mississippi. Its crispness and acidic properties cut nicely through the humidity of this area and provides nice refreshment to tired palates. It swimmingly goes with the foods of the summer too, a nice walnut and goat cheese salad or even a barbecue, and, of course, it goes so well with Sushi. It adds the extra oomph to make for a nice, pleasant occasion.

Sauvignon Blancs are grown throughout the wine regions of the world. Hailing from the Bordeaux region of France, the grape does very well in New Zealand as well as along the Russian River Valley and in Sonoma County of California. The three wines reviewed are from these very regions. The wine is best consumed while still young; the aging process does not benefit this variety. Screw tops are very common to the packaging, especially in the New Zealand area, but the wine drinking public is coming around to this new notion.

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand, 2008

Light yellow and watery tint has a very crisp, note right from the beginning. The aroma is not heavily fruited, while you do smell a hint of tropical fruit or cut grass it’s not overpowering. One tastes pepper and apple in the bouquet, which meshes beautifully with herbed chicken or sushi. This wine is an everyday wine, a nice familiar friend that never disappoints and always delivers. The finish is very clean and not too acidic, without the strong alcohol ending that sometimes goes along with the crispness of the grape. It is always pleasant. Reasonably price at around $14 a bottle.

Frei Brothers Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley2008

Golden yellow, it’s impregnated with grass and warm pear aromas, this medium-bodied wine subtly hints at tropical fruit flavors. One thinks of white nectarine and pineapple or even peach when consuming this delightful wine. Goes well with spicy foods like Thai or barbecue food. Has a very nice finish that is the essence of crispness and not too acidic either. This wine is around $22 dollars a bottle and is an exceptional treat to wow your guest.

Simi Sauvignon BlancSonoma County2008

Striking a balance of clarity and creamy elegance, it’s brightly hued. Impressed quaffers will taste grassy notes, with characteristics of melon, citrus and fig. It pleasantly produces a taste of spice with mineral notes as well. The beginning is crisp with a snappy acidity for the finish. Paired with salmon or shrimp, it is a nice companion to a summer meal. This wine is around $21 a bottle and is a must not miss.

by Cathy Hopkins

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Lagunitas Hop StoopidPetaluma, CAStyle: Double IPAABV: 8%

Hops have been a widely-accepted ingredient in brewing for hundreds of years, but until recently the green flowers of the Humulus lupulus plant were an afterthought in most brewing traditions. Sure, the English had their IPA, but it wasn't until the good people at Sierra Nevada began tossing pounds of local Cascade hops into their kettles that hops as an ingredient were truly given a chance to shine.

American-grown hops have bolder, more intense flavor and aroma properties than their Continental cousins. Breweries centered in the hop-growing regions of the Pacific Northwest started packing new hop varietals into many of their beers, showcasing the bitter, herbal, piney, and citrus qualities of the local produce. Brewers across the US picked up on the trend and eventually carried it back to Europe, leading to the rebirth of English IPA and the creation of new, hop-centric styles all over the world.

Lagunitas was one of the first West Coast breweries to embrace the hop movement, and Hop Stoopid is their hoppiest brew. Golden blond in the glass, with a tight white cap of foam that leaves lacing to the finish. The nose is dominated by grapefruit, pineapple, mango, pine needles, and cannabis from the hops, with some caramel in the background and a hint of alcohol.

Fresh, green hop flavors are the hallmark of this beer - there's enough malt and alcohol to back it up, but just enough. The mouthfeel is thicker than a standard IPA, and some toffee sweetness comes out as the beer warms. It's perfect for pairing with bright, spicy Mexican dishes, but don't skimp on the cheese, as this beer's bitterness is pervasive and requires a substantial counterpoint.

Pilsner UrquellPlzen, Czech RepublicStyle: Czech PilsnerABV: 4.4%

Beer was a very different beverage in 1842 than it is today. Crude malting techniques, a lack of refrigeration, and poor understanding of yeast and fermentation resulted in beer that was, for lack of a better word, ugly. This dark, murky, smoky drink was stuck in the dark ages, and newly-industrialized Europe was ready for something fresh.

Brewer Josef Grolle of Plzensky Plazdroj brewery in Bohemia, armed with lager yeast from Munich and revolutionary pale malting techniques from Britain, used Plzen's soft water and native Saaz hops to change beer history. His new Pilsener beer was golden, flavorful and refreshing, with unmatched clarity that took advantage of newly-available mass produced glassware.

The beer became a sensation, proliferating throughout Europe and America on its way to becoming the most popular style of beer in the world. Watery, flavorless mass-marketed modern versions abound, but the original (or "urquell" in Czech) Pilsener is still around and just as impressive as it was nearly two centuries ago.

Pilsner Urquell pours brilliant gold, with a frothy white head that drops fairly quickly, leaving very little lacing. Aromas of fresh-cut grass, pear skin, toast and champagne make their way from the glass. Spearmint appears in the finish, along with a doughy flavor from the yeast, and some quiet malty notes (Ritz cracker, breadcrumbs) come out as the beer warms. The hop profile is sharp, herbal and acidic - it forces the malt into a supporting role without lending overpowering bitterness.

Pilsner Urquell is a fantastic apertif. The high carbonation, mild malt presence, and bracing hop bitterness can counterbalance nearly any appetizer. It also plays nicely with tempura, lightly-topped pizza, and sandwiches. Classy, restrained, but still full of flavor, Pilsner Urquell tastes like the heirloom beer we know it to be.

by Troy Coll

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Beer is the whole reason humanity embarked on the grand experiment of civilization. No, not alcohol – beer. Mead will make itself in a leaky beehive, and one can easily pick enough wild fruit to make a batch of wine, but beer requires barley. Lots of barley. So much that in the 6th century BCE, a few humans decided to settle in the temperate, arable lands in southern Mesopotamia, developing organized agriculture, division of labor, writing, and the wheel - all in the name of making beer.

The Sumerian “Hymn to Ninkasi” is both a prayer to the goddess of beer and the world's first recipe, and it addresses the production of beer. Barley doesn't make a great loaf of bread so the Sumerians would stuff clay pots with the baked grains and fill them with water. The pots served as a mash tun, fermentation vessel, and drinking cup, and they quickly discovered that using the same

pot through multiple batches resulted in a much more consistent product (it wasn't until the 17th century CE that we discovered why: yeast!). This prehistoric beer was more of a fermented porridge than the beverage we know it as today, and the Babylonians invented the drinking straw to suck out the sweet liquid and leave the bitter dregs of fermentation in the jar.

Beer was a dietary staple of ancient civilization. In addition to providing nutrients such as B-vitamins, potassium, and iron, beer was a safe hydration choice in a time when potable water was especially scarce. Beer was also featured in the religious ceremonies of many cultures, and prescribed as medicine for a variety of ailments. The Babylonian king Hammurabi addressed the production and serving of beer when he wrote humanity's first code of law. From prehistory through the Greek and Roman

A Brief History of Beer

by Troy Coll

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civilizations, the majority of beer was produced by women in their homes, but with the dawn of the Dark Ages and the growing power of the Catholic church, brewing culture experienced a drastic shift.

Hops were not considered an acceptable ingredient in brewing until the 13th century CE; ancient beers were flavored and preserved with a mix of spices known as gruit. The church fiercely protected the exact formula of gruit, and entrusted beermaking to cloistered monks who took vows of silence. Monks in the Hallertau region of Germany perfected the use of their native hops in beer around the 14th century; the preservative qualities of hops meant that beer stayed fresh long enough to be exported to other areas of Europe. Though brewers and drinkers were initially resistant to the use of hops, economic concerns prevailed, and hopped beers became the norm after the Reinheitsgebot, or German Beer Purity Law, was passed in Germany. Similar laws passed in England and the Netherlands solidified the status of hops as a standard ingredient in beer.

As popular as beer was up to and during the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution transformed beer from a regional specialty to a beverage that is currently brewed in nearly every country that allows alcohol production. The invention of the thermometer and the hydrometer (which measures sugar concentration in solution) gave brewers an unprecedented level of control over their process; the discovery of yeast in 1857 demystified fermentation; refrigeration allowed the long-distance transportation of beer, and aided brewers in making beers clearer and cleaner.

These technological advancements, combined with the imperial aspirations of Europe, spread the gospel of beer to all corners of the globe. The Mayflower carried thousands of gallons of beer with it to the colonies; the choice to land at Plymouth Rock was only made when the supplies of beer had run dry. Nearly all of the Founding Fathers were brewers, and when European immigrants flooded the United States in the early 19th century they brought their brewing traditions with them. German-style lagers exploded in popularity with the advent of rail travel, with a few large breweries beginning to distribute nationwide around the turn of the century. Regional brewers still held sway at the turn of the 20th century – in 1910 there were over 1,500 breweries in the United States. But, this golden age of brewing was about to hit a brick wall named Carrie Nation.

Driven by a diverse bill of “social reforms,” which included woman's suffrage, and supported by anti-German sentiment caused by World War I, the Prohibition movement built up some serious steam after the 1916 Presidential elections. Prohibition figurehead Carrie Nation, a woman who was by one account “six feet tall, with the biceps of a stevedore, the face of a prison warden, and the persistence of a toothache,” led a diverse coalition of Protestant clergy, church ladies, and general haters of fun

under the banner of the Anti-Saloon League.

President Woodrow Wilson signed the 18th Amendment, also known as the Volstead Act, into law in 1920, and America suffered through thirteen long years without legal alcohol. Larger breweries, such as Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, remained in business through Prohibition by canning milk, water, and products used in the war effort. President Franklin Roosevelt amended the Volstead Act to allow for the production of 3.2%ABV beer in March of 1933, and by December of the same year Congress had ratified the 21st Amendment, re-legalizing the production of alcohol. Unfortunately, Prohibition left some lasting scars on America's beer culture.

Though the production of beer was federally legal, states retained the right to prohibit alcohol at the county and municipal level. Many states chose to re-legalize alcohol gradually, starting with beer and continuing to wine and liquor. When combined with the local option, this stepwise approach to legalization led to a byzantine network of laws and regulations that proved to be a major obstacle to the smaller brewers that thrived before Prohibition. Most states installed a three-tier distribution network, which required breweries to sell their beer to a distributor, who in turn passed the beer to bars and package stores. World War II proved to be the death knell for the regional American brewery: by 1974 there were only forty breweries left in the United States, and nearly all of them produced the same fizzy, watery, yellow lager.

As the United States experienced a food revolution in the 1980's, good beer began to flow again. President Jimmy Carter legalized homebrewing on the federal level in 1979, prompting many to explore the wider world of beer styles. Beginning in the hop growing regions of the Pacific Northwest and old-school beer cities in New England, microbreweries like New Albion, Sierra Nevada, and Sam Adams challenged the perceptions of American-made beer. After years of their beers being compared to “sex in a canoe,” American brewers were turning out brutally bitter pale ales, malty lagers, and pitch-black stouts. Craft brewing experienced a brief boom-and-bust in the mid-nineties, but good beer's share of the U.S. market has expanded continuously since, amounting to almost $7,000,000,000 (billion) in sales in 2009.

Craft beer is one of the fastest-growing segments of our sagging economy, and brewers (and lawmakers) are scrambling nationwide to catch up with customer demand for access to beer. Mississippi is last, once again, in its resistance to lift the 6%ABV alcohol cap on beer, a relic from Prohibition. This nonsensical law restricts both consumer choice and in-state brewers. Lifting it would lead to an increase in tax revenue and would be a direct economic aid to breweries and retailers in Mississippi and across the region. It is our opinion that having a robust brewing culture is a sign of a healthy city. Please remember, if you're interested in ending Mississippi's ban on gourmet beer, visit www.raiseyourpints.com

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by Harry Crumpler

Recorded sound has existed for more than a century, enabling an entire civilization to enjoy the experience and convenience of recordings. Originally devised for recording telegraph messages and dictation, the phonograph, invented by Thomas Edison in 1877, soon found a much more popular use: Music. Like many things that permeate culture in such an encompassing manner, it's hard to imagine life without recording, to assess how it has changed music and will continue to change it forever.

EVOLUTIONThe early 20th century brought recordings into the mainstream of American culture. Recording almost immediately shifted composition in an extraordinary way.For the first time in history, the composer had to make considerations for the length of their composition. When Igor Stravinsky composed his Serenade for Piano in 1925, he wrote the piece so that each of the four movements would fit the three-minute capacity of a ten-inch, 78-rpm record side.

Before the marvel of recording, the only way to hear music was live. It existed only in the moment it was made. There is indeed a “magic” about live music. Early skeptics of recorded music commented that it lacked a “glow” about it that could only be found live. While it does indeed remove the “now” of the experience, it also opens many doors, creating new possibilities for music.

CROSS-POLLINATIONAs recordings began to grow outside of America, an amazing thing began to occur. Someone in Africa was listening to Sousa marches. Someone in Europe was enjoying Jazz for the first time. Someone in Jamaica was listening to early American R&B.

The cycle obviously continues beyond other countries finding American music. Eventually, we too would hear music recorded from the rest of the world. As a result, new ideas soon flowed, boundaries would be broken and musical styles would no longer be bound strictly by location. Completely new genres would be created, adding more to the global musical melting pot everyday.

HIP HOPThe genre of Hip-Hop would not exist without recording. The music of the early days of the genre was exclusively built upon sampling and looping from records on turntables. Minus the rapper, all of the music of early hip-hop was manipulated and taken from pre-recorded music.

One of the first major Hip-Hop hits was Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight.” The music for “Rapper’s Delight” comprised the breakdown section of a disco hit named “Good Times” by Chic. Chances are you will hear James Brown’s drummer Jabo Starks sampled on many a Hip-Hop recording.

As Hip-Hop evolved, ever more clever ways emerged to take sections from pre-existing songs. The art of scratching with turntables is yet another brick in the wall

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of recorded music. In this case, we have music being instantaneously made by moving a needle back and forth on a record while manipulating a fader, thus spawning something new from something old.

HOLD ITThe tangibility of music also lies at the heart of recording and its changes through the years. How strange it must have been to hold a record in one’s hand for the first time, to remove it from it’s sleeve and put it on the turntable, to drop the needle and hear it crackle just before... MUSIC! A true physical manifestation of sound, the technology

has traveled from vinyl across radiowaves, to 8-tracks and cassette tapes, from digital storage on CD’s to MP3’s on iPods to who knows where.

German composer and musicologist H.H. Stuckenschmidt once said on the matter of recording, “the machine is neither a God or a Devil,” suggesting the value of any tool rests in the hands of the person wielding it. Just as music shapes us, so do we shape music. Now, find a set of headphones and submerge yourself into some documented special moments of sound.

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When you find a Mississippi writer with a good story, it’s not a rare occasion. As it’s often been said, there must be something in the water or air here in Mississippi that makes writers like Faulkner, Welty, Morris, and Tartt, among still many others, national icons. Born in Gulfport and now living in Oxford, Neil White has spent years in the journalism business, editing and publishing magazines across the region in addition to authoring several plays

I was not expecting a fascinating tale of redemption amongst Lepers. But, here’s what I learned immediately. Oddly enough, Leper is a taboo word; one should be referred to as someone with Hanson’s disease. The National Leprosium, when they had such a thing, was in a city outside of Baton Rouge, LA, called Carville. Yes, that’s where the colorful James Carville, the wily political operator, was born and raised and where his ancestors made a small fortune off the Leprosium selling goods.

The weirdest fact bar none has to be that a federal prison was also housed within the confines of the Leprosium. Prisoners and Hanson patients, the last 130 patients that were forcibly quarantined, were common inhabitants on this unique plot of land. Our Mississippi-bred narrator was incarcerated for using one overdrawn account to cover another (check kiting) when he was editor and publisher of a magazine on the Coast. [Ed: We can understand why]

He was 33 when he surrendered to the authorities in Carville. Feeling the shame of being a father of two young children and a husband of an honorable wife, White vowed to himself to use his time wisely. And he did. He took pen and pad around for that year of his life and journaled his encounters and experiences.

It’s at times a hard read since the subject of Leprosy is not an easy one, as one can imagine. There are heart-wrenching stories of young people being taken from their homes never to return again, tales of great loss, from a misunderstood disease and a petrified public. The reader almost has to stop, take a deep breath and regroup.

The prevailing thought for me, though, was “Wow, how can one journalist be so lucky?” He stated as much in the book, how in the beginning he viewed his role as an undercover reporter, not a prisoner. It seems that he was pretty up front with his subjects, too. He was able to discover such unique stories from the patients and, of course, learn things about himself as well. It may sound trite, but it’s an amazing story.

Mr. White introduces us to Ella Bounds, an African-American woman who came to Carville at age 12. She is a double-amputee patient whom Misfortune brought the loss of her legs. She was White’s Muse and Sage through direct and indirect advice as well as through her story and her example. She’s not bitter: she’s a lovely person, and it made me feel inadequate in my perceived short-comings in life. I mean, how could it not?

There is one story where a blind man, without feeling in his fingers because of the disease, learns to read the braille bible by tongue. Harry and Jimmy are two other life-long residents and Hanson sufferers that become integral to White’s story.

But thankfully, he writes about the criminal prisoners to deliver some humor and comic relief to the reader. The characters of Doc, Link, and Jefferson are a welcome change of venue when things get too rough.

There is a thread about White’s family throughout the story. The honorable wife cannot stay married. His visits with his children are at times hard; they think he is off at camp. There is the pressing question of what the author’s future holds, how will he change his life.

Through it all, the most interesting story remains that of the Carville

Leprosium itself. White lands at Carville during a very important battle for the management of the institution. There are major decisions that are made that affect all the inhabitants for better or for worse. It’s interesting to get a firsthand account of such decisions and for that alone it makes the book a must read. But, I think you can figure out that is not the sole reason. It’s just a good yarn, plain and simple, and it lingers. You will be affected.

What Book?In the Sanctuary of Outcasts: A Memoir by Neil WhiteReviewed by Cathy Hopkins

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by Will Poynor

The Beach Boys - “Good Vibrations”

The Beach Boys were the soundtrack to my youth. My love of the Beach Boys originated with one of my favorite movies of all time, Teen Wolf. When Styles jumps on top of the van and starts rockin’ out to “Surfin’ USA,” my whole life changed. I can also vividly remember reclining on the front porch swing of my parents’ house listening to a Beach Boys’ “Greatest Hits” cassette on my imitation Sony Walkman. While I was only 7 or 8, that specific memory has stayed with me. I still get an unexplainable exuberant joy from these songs that mean the world to me.

The core members of the Beach Boys were five guys from Hawthorne, CA: Wilson brothers, Brian, Carl, and Dennis along with their first cousin Mike Love and neighbor Al Jardine. Over the course of one fateful weekend, the band materialized. The Wilson parents went out of town on vacation, and the boys decided to spend all of their savings to rent some instruments and a start a band. The rest is music history.

The Beach Boys were once the biggest band in the world, outselling everyone and actually only competing with themselves for supremacy on the Top 40. However, that all changed once the Beatles arrived on American shores in 1964. The two groups carried out a friendly musical rivalry that resulted in some of the best rock n’ roll and pop music ever made.

After Brian Wilson decided he did not want to tour anymore, he focused his time working on the group’s new music in the studio. Brian moved away from writing songs about the beach, surfin’, and cars as he enlisted the talents of lyricist (and ad copywriter) Tony Asher to create the masterpiece long player Pet Sounds.

However, Brian Wilson wasn’t done. He considered Pet Sounds the starting point for a new direction in pop music and envisioned the next step as “Good Vibrations.” “Good Vibrations” shattered the rules about the making of a pop song.

Recorded in three different studios over six months, the tapes were then spliced together to complete the song. This level of dedication to production was unheard of in its day, and the song was the most expensive ever made. The arrangement and instrumentation were highly unusual.

The idea for the song came from the Wilson Brothers' mom. Brian remembered her telling him that dogs can pick up on the vibrations that people give off when they come in contact. He originally asked Tony Asher to write the lyrics for the song but thought they needed more work so he requested the services of his new friend, Hattiesburg native Van Dyke Parks. Parks, however, rejected the idea so Mike Love finished the final lyrics of the song.

In 1999, I discovered a 45 of “Good Vibrations” at the Little Big Store in Raymond, MS. It was a second pressing issued in 1968 with the B-side as “Barbara Ann”, but I didn’t care about the year. In December 1966, “Good Vibrations” became the Beach Boys’ third number one hit and was to be the centerpiece for the Beach Boys’ new album, SMiLE, which Brian Wilson called “a teenage symphony to God.” When Brian Wilson began the SMiLE sessions, he again asked Van Dyke Parks to write lyrics. This time, Parks agreed.

Born in Hattiesburg, MS, on January 3rd, 1943 Van Dyke Parks grew up in Lake Charles, LA before moving to California where he was a child actor from 1953 - 1958. After majoring in music at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, PA, he returned to Los Angeles, where he was given an artist contract for MGM Records.

When he moved to Warner Brothers Records, The Byrds’ producer Terry Melcher introduced him to Brian Wilson. Van Dyke was a top flight studio musician and has played with or arranged music for artist such as The Byrds, The Everly Brothers, Cher, Joanna Newsom, Peter Case, and Frank Black, just to name a few. He has also released several solo albums, including the amazing record Song Cycle in 1968.

The lyrics and music created by Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson during SMiLE were some of the most bizarre and intriguing pop music to ever be laid down on tape. Van Dyke was a huge fan of surrealism and most of his lyrics did not involve straight narratives but instead conveyed images such as the lyrics to my favorite song on the record, “Surf’s Up.”

The “Surf’s Up” 45 is one of the most sought after 45s for my collection. To this day, I have still not been able to track one down. Lyrics like “the diamond necklace played the pawn, dove nested towers the hour was strike the street quicksilver moon,” were a huge departure from anything the band had done before and the other band members were nervous about how the material was going to be received by the press and their fans.

With the pressure mounting, Brian Wilson decided to scrap all the SMiLE sessions. Numerous bootlegs of the album’s original material have been circulating for decades, and I personally have sequenced my own version of this lost masterpiece many times over trying to get it right.

Astonishingly, in 2004 Brian Wilson finally released a newly recorded version of SMiLE which was truly wonderful, but, as a long time fan, I am still waiting for the day when the album’s original material will be released. To quote “Good Vibrations”, “I don’t know where, but she sends me there”: that’s exactly how I feel about the music of the Beach Boys.

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WAVVESKing of the Beach Wavves was once just San Diego’s Nathan Williams recording buzzy, overdriven gemsthrough the built-in mic on his MacBook. Having released countless mp3’s and recorded his sizzling first album (Wavves) at hotter levels than Velvet Underground's White Light/White Heat, on his latest (King of the Beach) he uses a muscular backing band (from the late, great Jay Reatard) and producer Dennis Herring to showcase the spectrum of emotions within his writing.

The eponymous debut was short blasts of Pixies-like punk-rock haiku. King of the Beach is more confident as Williams blends his Nirvana-ish rage with a (Phil) Spectorian wash of reverb. The title track kicks off the album (and sand in the faces of all of the other adenoidal ragers out there) before the jangly and hectic “Super Soaker” obliterates all of your fond memories of the previous album’s Goth titled jams and poppy tunes like “No Hope Kids.”

The album’s standout is the blistering “Idiot.” Echoing Cobain, Williams goes “surfing in my mind” about the line he has to cross in leaving childhood. Yes, this is an age-old premise for teenage angst. However, no one in a long while has layered that message with so much bitter irony.

Elsewhere, naïve organs and deep reverb drench the beach anthem “When Will You Come” in enough nostalgia to appeal to fans of the Beach Boys and The Jesus and Mary Chain. While “Post Acid” recalls “Super Soaker’s” nerve-jangly guitar only to offset it with a near wordless chorus that may be the most infectious on the entire album.

If “Idiot” has a complementary song on the album, it is the simple and affecting “Green Eyes.” Williams may again be engaging in self-loathing, but he harnesses a new power when he turns the phrase “he wants to run away/I’m just not fast enough” into “I’m just not man enough” later in the song. When the album ends with the beautiful and ebullient double-tracked, delayed harmonies of “Baby Say Goodbye”, one can only wonder what Williams has in store for the next album.-Mik Davis

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BEST COAST Crazy for YouSan Diego compatriot, Bethany Cosentino has been on the tip of every indie- blogger’s tongue since she began her steady stream of brilliant mp3’s last year. Unlike Wavves, Cosentino has already come to terms with her unadulterated love of pop. Her early singles were fuzzy, lo-fi mysteries with indelible harmonies and hooks buried within.

The new disc from Best Coast, Crazy For You, represents a major step forward for Cosentino, who does not merely wear her lo-fi production like someone wishing to keep her core audience. Instead, she uses the near monochromatic sound to blend guitars, voices and reverb to create songs that wash over you like waves on the beach.

“Boyfriend” is her most perfect creation yet. Growing to be a master of phrasing, she eloquently communicates longing, using the utter simplicity of the lyrics to point out the dichotomy of any relationship. Taylor Swift and a half dozen other pop princesses could learn a thing or two from how she masks the meanings of these songs in ambiguity.

The song at one point is so sunny and bright, you may want to put on your sunglasses. Until, the clouds set in and she sings about the routine of a relationship. There, existing between both worlds, she reveals the heartbreak of wishing you had something you didn't, while living with not losing what you already have. A complicated message, yes. In her hands, it is simple, sublime and makes “Boyfriend” one of the best singles of the year.

Like Williams, Cosentino does everything except whine. “I lost my house/ I lost my job/I lost my Mom” in anyone else’s hands would be bludgeoned. On the heartbreaking “Goodbye”, she delays the knockout punch for the chorus. That may be her best songwriting feature. On “Summer Mood,” she sings almost listlessly before the color of the song changes on her simply singing “ooohs” for the bridge. Strangely, it is Cosentino’s only venture into minor chords (“Honey”) that doesn’t ring true.

She recovers from this small sidestep with ease, tackling the song-suite “Happy/Each and Everyday.” Within this pair of songs, we follow her through desperate happiness, cascading downward thanks to her rollercoaster “la-la-la”’s until her conscience chimes in saying “you’ll never fall in love.” After being left breathless by this ending, Cosentino’s coda is the early single “When I’m With You” – a perfect ending for your perfect summer album.-Mik Davis

DELTA SPIRIT History from BelowHistory from Below is the third outing from indie-rock outfit Delta Spirit. Following the promising debut EP, I Think I’ve Found It, and 2008’s much-adored Ode to Sunshine, the new album takes the next step toward solidifying this band’s place in modern rock music.

Delta Spirit have shown themselves to be adept at evoking moods over their first two releases, particularly on tracks like the uneasy, off-kilter “Tomorrow Goes Away” from Ode to Sunshine. Displaying a keen sense for rhythm, melody, and lyrics, the group seems equally adept at indie tunes, three-chord spirituals, and many points between.

In “three short years” Delta Spirit have grown into undeniably talented musicians and songwriters. Flash-forward to the present day and Delta Spirit has a phenomenal new record. The most interesting new trick the band pulls on History consists of songs that start small and grow bit by bit, adding layers of sound and levels of intensity until they become something to behold.

Tracks like “Ransom Man” and “White Table” are prime examples of the deceptively dense, delicious sonic stew that this band can conjure. On the other hand, songs like “911” and the thundering “Golden State” stick to a more straightforward rock sound. Still, the band is equally impressive when stripped down to bare essentials, pulling off the beautiful “Scarecrow” with just fingerpicked guitar, vocals, and birdsong in the background. The variety feels genuine, and the result is wonderful.

Delta Spirit’s latest release is a great success at a stage when too many bands with promising first releases make their first stumble. The overall feel is one that varies from rocking, to wondering, to weeping, to prayer and still sounds like a cohesive record. History from Below is a terrific album, one that shows nothing but promise for the future of the group. – Shaw Ingram

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NEW MUSIC AUGUST 2010AUGUST 3, 2010Arcade Fire – The Suburbs (Merge)Wavves – King of the Beach (Fat Possum)Govt Mule – Mulennium (Evil Teen)Los Lobos – Tin Can Trust (Shout Factory)Dr. John & The Lower 911 – Tribal (429)Autolux – Transit Transit (TBD)Dax Riggs – Say Goodnight To The World (Fat Possum)Freddie Gibbs – STR8 Killa (Decon)

AUGUST 10, 2010Modest Mouse – The Moon & Antarctica [10th Ann Edition](Epic)Soundtrack – Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Abkco)Kathryn Calder – Are You My Mother? (File Under Music)Budos Band – Budos Band III (Daptone)Godflesh – Streetcleaner [reissue] (Earache)Colour Revolt – The Cradle (Dualtone)Eli Paperboy Reed – Come and Get It (Capitol)Irawma: The 28th Intl Reggae and World Music Awards DVD (Keeling)

AUGUST 17, 2010Ray LaMontagne – God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise (RCA)Iron Maiden – The Final Frontier (Sony)Kem – Intimacy (Interscope)Brian Wilson – Reimagines Gershwin (Walt Disney)Boris and Ian Astbury – BXI (Southern Lord)

AUGUST 24, 2010Apocalyptica – 7th Symphony (Red Ink)Eels – Tomorrow Morning (E-Works)Fantasia – Back To Me (J Records)Paul Collins – King of Power Pop! (Alive)Ra Ra Riot – The Orchard (Barsuk)J.J.Grey & Mofro – Georgia Warhorse (Alligator)!!! – Strange Weather Isn’t It (Warp)

AUGUST 31, 2010Lyfe Jennings – I Still Believe (Sony)Papa Roach – Time For Annihilation (Eleven Seven)Richard Thompson – Dream Attic (Shout Factory)Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses – Junky Star (Lost Highway)

T-BONES Staff favoritesHighly Recommended For Summer Listening

Jason Perry: Beastie Boys – Check Your Head (Grand Royal)

Josh Dykes: Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King (RCA)

Laura Riels: Javelin – No Más (Luaka Bop)

Lydia Owens: B-52’s – Wild Planet (Warner Bros)

Lynsey Terry: Trampled By Turtles – Palomino (BanjoDad Records)

Mik Davis: Posies – Frosting On the Beater (DGC)

Shaw Ingram:Sublime – 40 OZ. to Freedom (Liberation Blue)

Taylor Barnett: Andrew Bird – Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs (Righteous Babe Records)

Will Poynor: Beach Boys – Today! (Capitol/EMI)

Harry Crumpler III:The Black Keys – Brothers (Nonesuch)

Harry Crumpler Jr: Indigo Girls – Staring Down the Brilliant Dream (Vanguard)

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by Cthulhu Carl

“Tombs of the Blind Dead”Directed by: Amando de OssorioWritten by: Amando de Ossorio and Jesus Navarro Carrion Starring: Lone Flemming, Cesar Burner, Helen Harp, Joseph Thelman Released: 1971 According to one legend, Friday the Thirteenth got its reputation as a dark, unlucky day because it was the day that the Knights Templar were driven out of Europe and into hiding. A religious sect that fought in the Crusades, the Knights Templar returned to Europe with numerous riches before being excommunicated from the church for heresy and the supposed practice of black magic. Betty and Virginia are two old college friends who reunite at a resort in Lisbon. The next morning they embark on a train trip through the beautiful, scenic Portugese countryside when Virginia feels a strange compulsion to jump train as they pass an ancient set of ruins in the forest. On the following morning, Virginia's mutilated body is found in a field near the ruins. Betty and Roger, Virginia's boyfriend, agonizing over their friend's death investigate the local village near the ruins and learn the legend of the Knights Templar. Betty and Roger foolishly stay the night in the ruins and become embroiled in a fight for their survival as the knights rise from their graves and crypts with an insatiable craving for blood. "Tombs of the Blind Dead" is one of my favorite entries in the euro-horror "golden age" boom of the 60s and 70s and considered to be Spain's "Night of the Living Dead" by many horror fans worldwide. The spectral imagery of the ghoulish knights riding upon their undead steeds searching for victims is horrificly magnificent. One unique thing about "Tombs" is the fact that the ghastly Templars hunt by sound since crows long ago ate their eyes. I would recommend to readers that enjoy Tombs of the Blind Dead to watch the other movies in the Blind Dead series: Return of the Blind Dead, The Ghost Galleon, and Night of the Seagulls. Or to adventurous readers with ducats to burn, I'd suggest the excellent, coffin-shaped Blind Dead Collection boxset released by Blue Underground which contains all four movies, a documentary disc on the series and director, and an informative and entertaining thirty-eight page booklet.

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Rock ‘n Roll continued..."Rock Begins" in the 1980 Rolling Stone Illustrated History by critic Robert Palmer, who wrote that the “rocking and reeling” style of gospel exemplified by the Graves brothers “was beginning to influence secular music” at a time when “rock prototypes were already abundant” in the rural South.

Wardlow later suggested that an earlier Graves recording, “Crazy About My Baby” from 1929, “could be considered the first rock 'n' roll recording.” Roosevelt Graves (1909-1962), who was blind, was born in Summerland, near Laurel. He and his brother traveled around Mississippi playing street corners and churches. In the 1930 census listings they were in Tunica; Speir brought them from McComb to record in Hattiesburg; and Roosevelt spent his final years in Gulfport.

Cooney Vaughn (sometimes spelled Vaughns or Vaughan) also recorded as a member of the duo Shep and Cooney and was reputed by some to be the best pianist in Mississippi during an era when Hattiesburg was known as a hot spot for piano players. Little Brother Montgomery, Gus Perryman, and many others pounded the keys here. Vaughn at one time resided at 515 7th Street, around the corner from the birthplace of his cousin, Blind John Davis, at 707 Whitney Street. (Both sites are just one block northeast of the marker.) Davis became one of Chicago's most prolific blues session pianists and toured Europe regularly.

Hi-Hat continued...Owner Milton Barnes started Barnes Cleaners in 1935, expanded his various enterprises over the years, and was honored for his many achievements by official proclamation of the State of Mississippi in 2001. Barnes opened the Embassy Club at this site in the 1940s and rebuilt it as the Hi-Hat after a 1957 fire. This area, known as Palmers Crossing, was then outside the city limits and thus subject to fewer restrictions than nightspots in town on Mobile Street, the center of much of Hattiesburg’s earlier blues activity. A number of other nightspots operated in Palmers Crossing over the years, including the Club Desire, Blue Flame Beer Parlor, Thelma’s Place, Club Manhattan, Dashiki, Aquarius, and the Elks (I.B.P.O.E.W.) Lodge. Even during the segregation era, certain acts–Fats Domino, in particular–attracted white audiences here, as did Ike & Tina Turner and B. B. King in later years. Guitarist Chick Willis also recalled carloads of white teenagers and college students parked outside the Hi-Hat vicariously enjoying the music.

Other performers at the Embassy or Hi-Hat included James Brown, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Al Green, Johnnie Taylor, Tyrone Davis, Albert King, Ray Charles, Rufus Thomas, Little Milton, Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, Guitar Slim, Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, Charles Brown, Lowell Fulson, Joe Morris, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Clarence Carter, Solomon Burke, Ollie Nightingale, Shirley Brown, and The Bar-Kays.

Westward continued...Again a legal battle ensued, but again the City won. Oak Grove residents had little chance of victory because, like in most of the previous cases, the owners of the Lamar County lands to be annexed were making the request for annexation.

Mayor Johnny DuPree pointed out at the time that the city was not pushing this annexation. He reiterated that the landowners and developers were asking to be part of the city. The site was to become another York development project – one of the same developers that started the push into Lamar County.

ANY WAY YOU SEE ITSome people see the situation as Hattiesburg reaching out and snatching up land to pull in more tax revenue and push the city limits further out in a gluttonous feast on Lamar County. Others see it as the city being pulled away from its original thriving town center by sprawl, suburbs, and shopping malls. Still others see an area blooming into a bustling metropolis with a zesty mix of cultures and yet unreached potential for growth and development.

Any way you see it, Hattiesburg has become a city spread across two counties comprised of communities each with their own characters and style. While many people are still rushing to fill in the residential developments of West Hattiesburg, the 2000s have ushered in the trend to revitalize downtown.And, though many Oak Grove residents fought the annexations, Lamar County now boasts of being one of the fastest growing counties in Mississippi, thanks in part to the commercialization of the areas annexed by Hattiesburg. It might be bittersweet victory to some, but it does seem that most are benefiting from the rapid growth of the Hub City.

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by S.R. Earl

Even though Hattiesburg’s downtowns have seen some pretty bleak days in generations past, they are on the rebound thanks to enthusiastic residents, local proprietors, and the tenacious patrons that continue to support them. However, the throttle still seems to be choked by the absence of one crucial aspect from the scene – downtown living. What the downtown areas are missing is a steady, dependable client base.

Each business district needs people living among the businesses in neighborhoods that will bring patronage to nearby shops on a daily basis. This will, in turn, bring more business, which will draw more residents to provide more business opportunity and keep this cycle moving forward.

Studies across America have shown that a healthy downtown area – like any other community – must have a wide range of inhabitants on the socioeconomic scale to be successful. This means attracting everyone from the college-aged to middle-aged and older, laborers, professionals, families, and retirees to move downtown.

The attraction is there. That's not the problem. In fact, many people are swarming downtown any chance they get. The fact that so many businesses have opened – and remained – in the area highlights the interest. All that's missing is ample, affordable living space.

It is great that people come downtown to shop, dine, or enjoy the events. But, for real revitalization people need to live downtown. Instead of driving in from the suburbs people need

Downtown Dilemma

to be walking from apartments. And, while the development of a few stylish lofts is a step in the right direction, it's simply not enough and remains a little misguided.

The apartment communities that have sprung up all over West Hattiesburg clearly show that there is a substantial market for affordable residential developments. But year after year, beautiful, historic buildings sit empty on the streets of downtown Hattiesburg, muffling the heartbeat of revitalization.

Why? There are vacant properties, a steadily increasing population in the general area, a steadily increasing interest in downtown and revitalization, and $600-$800 apartments getting filled up everywhere else around the Hub. So what is the problem?

Are we as a community missing the opportunity to capitalize on the interest in downtown living and undeniably strong infrastructure? Why are there vacant buildings, constructed with a level of quality impossible by today's standards? Many of those properties could be transformed into quaint single-room and double-room units; nothing lavish, just simple, art-deco styled apartments full of renters.

The way we see it, see those affordable living spaces made available and watch a creative leap forward in our city's cultural availabilities and increased demand for more. People in the position to know have been saying so for years now. Needless to say, we're not holding our breath, but we do have our fingers crossed... The sooner the better.

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According to Jeffrey Miller, its editor and slave, The WAG eventually reached a circulation of 10,000. That's a lot of paper and even more ink. That equates to a lot of money. We definitely related to Jeffrey's biggest problem, which was selling enough ads to cover all those expenses.

Our approach has been quite guerilla since the beginning, utilizing a big toner printer like one might find in a large office, which was leased with hope, and one macbook. If our costs had been any higher, we would have already folded. People are not exactly lining up to advertise in the alternative media here. Considering the local corporate newspaper is a flimsy little thing anyway, does the need for an alternative exist? Print is dead, after all, right?

No, indeed it's not! They might not be lining up, but The Pines has found friends across the city that share the same vision for something different, locally relevant, and tuned to discern the finer frequencies of the hubbub. It must be understood that this exists solely because they share this vision.

Unfortunately, it's unlikely we're driving tons of business their direction, even though it certainly should. Every company that supports this endeavor works in myriad ways to strengthen the cultural bonds that form community and offers hope that pursuing a future in small business remains viable. We are proud to be representatives and hope we do right by them!

Meanwhile, The Pines contributing staff strives to do right by the reader. Working strictly for the love of it, dealing with tyrannical editors’ absurd demands and elusive guidelines, with each issue every writer's work becomes better. As the group continues to coalesce and more people assert themselves, we expect the content to continually improve and become increasingly reflective of Hattiesburg's many niches.

At least we hope that's what happens. We're not naïve anymore, either. We're on a shoe-string that's been left untied a lot, really worn and frayed. We realize it's important not to expect too much of ourselves, or anyone else for that matter, because today's environment, both at the macro as well as at the local level, endears us to some failure. Instead, we try most of all to enjoy ourselves,to “keep at it,” in the words of Bill Callahan from the Marchissue of The Pines. We certainly hope these sheets assist you in the same mission.

by Chris Cagle

One of the fundamental catalysts that led to giving The Pines a shot was our awareness of earlier papers and zines that once circulated around Hattiesburg. Fond memories abound, of publications like Josh's favorite, Wide Angle Gazette (The WAG), The Breakdown, The Advertiser, The Burger, and we really liked the abstract idea of seeing another one make the rounds. Actually, we hoped someone else would do it.

On some level, we now accept that one has to be crazy to undertake anything like this. The amount of coordinated teamwork that it takes is daunting, to say the least, involving large doses of interpersonal creativity tempered by tenacious deadlines, and it's easy sometimes to treat it like an extra-credit school project. Sure, when people are hanging around talking about it, the idea sounds great, but the calendar does not wait. Time will heartlessly vanquish any half-hearted attempt at consistency.

Knowing what we do now, utilizing technology that our predecessors could barely have imagined, we realize what an amazing success every single publication with a circulation over 50 has ever been, if it ran for one month or one year. And, Hattiesburg has had many. Only scratching the surface led us back into the middle of the 1970s, to a publication called Persons, which The Pines probably resembles in a lot of ways.

No one we spoke with could quite recall the name of the people behind it, but several mentioned excellent parties at “the Persons House”. Well, the resemblance stops there since we hardly do anything but work at Skid Row. It's clear, though, that Persons was in the middle of a sonorous ruckus, with multiple nightlife venus, lots of local bands, and, in general, a thriving arts culture. We haven't found a copy of Persons yet, but we hold out hope.

It's actually very difficult to find back issues of any of the old rags. One we were lucky enough to get several copies of was The Breakdown, a magazine that embodied a lot of similar values to this one. Our good friends and Pines relatives, Tandy Byrd and Brad Clark, kept it out for six months, until a DUI put the kibosh on it. For sure, a lot of copies of the The WAG still exist, but, you know, some folks seem just too busy to drop them by.

Press Alternatives

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48 The PINES