"Letters, Prayers, and Journal Entries," Anne DavisI have a confession to make: I am inherently suspicious of confessional albums with a message. So when I received a copy of Anne Davis' "Letters, Prayers, and Journal Entries"—which, by the way, is a very confessional piece of work—I …
Country Changed Me, by Lynette HansonLuther Wade Lackey just doesn't look like what he is. I mean, he's a black man who writes, plays and sings country music. And it's not that pop country music, either. It's your daddy's country—all about heaven, love gone wrong, …
Restless Lucero, by Palmer HouchinsCalling Memphis country-rockers Lucero restless might be an understatement. Over the past two years, the group has logged almost 400 live shows. Despite a commitment to touring that would spell musical suicide for most groups, the band has also managed …
No Fallen Angel, by Alphonso MayfieldThe world of hip-hop is a male-dominated jungle where the fiercest competitors survive by the ferocity of their lyrical acumen. Meaning that they eat off their words. Many female artists find themselves playing a game of career cat-and-mouse, being forced …
Kamikaze: Left Behind, by Alphonso MayfieldThe term "kamikaze" is a well-known phrase used to identify Japanese pilots who flew suicide missions during World War II. However, the term has a much deeper significance with the translation of the "Divine Wind." The last translation is a …
Heroes of Hedonism, by Alphonso MayfieldTo attend a 2 Live Crew concert is to experience a mixture of hedonism and mass hysteria. Between the kick of 808 drum patterns and thongs moving to the rhythmic swing of the music, who would guess this group had …
[Web exclusive] JFP Talks to Jucifer's Amber ValentineAmber: I'm a vegan, and we have been looking all over for a health food store. We finally found one today. The fridge [in the r.v.] shut down on us, so I'm not only looking for vegan food, I'm trying …
Such a ChillFor Josh Kelley, there's something inescapable about Mississippi. The first thing one sees after opening Kelley's press kit is a AAA map of Mississippi with the city of Oxford highlighted and encircled. The map serves as a background layout for …
Bringin' It Back Down, by Scott BarrettaCountry stars Merle Haggard and Marty Stuart stopped in at William Faulkner's home, Rowan Oak, in Oxford recently to announce an effort to bring the music back to its roots and away from the mega-glitz of Nashville, Los Angeles and …
The Proposition, by Judy JacobsWhen I heard James Taylor was coming to the Pyramid in Memphis on Friday, May 23, I snapped up two tickets. I got great seats on the floor. Well, two weeks later tickets went on sale for his Jackson concert, …
Tough Questions for David Banner<i>"God I know that we pimp, God I know that we wrong, God I know I should talk about more in all of my songs, I know these kids are listening, I know I'm here for a mission, but it's …
Maimed and Tamed, by Palmer HouchinsNonetheless, I have always been enthralled by the spectacle of live music. There was a mystifying sense of power and community contained therein. While my particular tastes and understanding of music have changed considerably over the years that fact has …
Busting Out of Jail, by David McCartyTen years after Elvis died, Bob Dylan said that when he first heard the King's first single "That's All Right" as a kid, it "was like busting out of jail." Music is the most important thing in my life, but …
MAMAS WHO COOK: Baby Bon VivantI never sought to rear a fancy-pants food snob. I just wanted to dish up nutritive nosh for my sweet patootie progeny so she could avoid living large with health concerns like her jolly, phat chef parents. Even before she …
<i>"God I know that we pimp, God I know that we wrong, God I know I should talk about more in all of my songs, I know these kids are listening, I know I'm here for a mission, but it's …