Philadelphia in Neshoba County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
Marty Stuart
— Mississippi Country Music Trail —
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 29, 2013
1. Marty Stuart Marker
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Marty Stuart. . , (side 1) , From his boyhood days performing here, Marty Stuart displayed singular zest for every flavor of country music. Beginning as a teenage mandolin player with Lester Flatt, he became an ebullient Grand Ole Opry star, "hillbilly rock" hitmaker, accomplished songwriter, multi-instrumentalist bandleader, and country artifact collector. With a musical missionary's zeal and a bold showman's style, Stuart committed himself both to preserving country's history and contributing to its future., (side 2) , Marty Stuart Born in Philadelphia on September 30, 1958, (John) Marty Stuart was at age ten fronting the Musical Rangers, a honky tonk guitar band that sometimes played on this square. Stuart even offered the local press a headline: "Local boy sings country songs in a Beatles society." Later, as an established star, Stuart often noted that the country, rock, gospel, blues, and Choctaw musical streams that converged in Neshoba County formed a rich pool of inspiration from which his eclectic repertoire would always be drawn., After his musical debut touring with the Sullivan Family Gospel Singers, Stuart was invited to join the legendary Lester Flatt's traditional bluegrass band, the Nashville Grass. Stuart left for Nashville on Labor Day, 1972, not quite fourteen years old, and was Flatt's boy wonder mandolin player until Flatt's death in 1979. Stints working with two other masters, fiddler Vassar Clements and guitar picker/vocalist Doc Watson, followed, and during the years 1980-'85 Stuart was the electric guitar-slinger in Johnny Cash's hot back-up band., An award-winning instrumentalist, a distinctive country vocalist, and a songwriter who could spin contemporary tales in traditional country modes, Stuart had two solo albums out by the late 1980s, the first saluting the Busy Bee Café that once operated not far from this site. He then emerged as a uniquely flamboyant star in country's generally restrained, roots-minded "New Traditionalist" movement. His string of hits with the major MCA label included "Tempted," "Now That's Country," " Little Things," hit duets with Travis Tritt ("Whiskey Ain't Workin" and "This One's Gonna Hurt You"), and the smash that named his exciting new party sound, "Hillbilly Rock.", He was inducted as a Grand Ole Opry cast member in 1992. As his career matured, on the Opry stage and beyond, Marty Stuart actively upheld country music's history and traditions while easing it into a new century. "Traditional country music is the empowering force in our genre," he said. "It's my legacy; it's who I am. A lot of what I do is about not letting something great slip away." In keeping with that goal, Stuart produced albums for country legends Johnny Cash and Porter Wagoner, headed a versatile country touring band, and featured traditional country on television and radio series. He recorded bluegrass, honky tonk, gospel, and ambitious original albums while avidly collecting and publicly displaying precious country music memorabilia and publishing a collection of his photographic portraits of country legends. Stuart's regular efforts to spotlight Mississippi culture included early support for establishing the Mississippi Country Music Trail.,
Images Courtesy of Marty Stuart, Research: Barry Mazur.
(side 1)
From his boyhood days performing here, Marty Stuart displayed singular zest for every flavor of country music. Beginning as a teenage mandolin player with Lester Flatt, he became an ebullient Grand Ole Opry star, "hillbilly rock" hitmaker, accomplished songwriter, multi-instrumentalist bandleader, and country artifact collector. With a musical missionary's zeal and a bold showman's style, Stuart committed himself both to preserving country's history and contributing to its future.
(side 2) Marty Stuart Born in Philadelphia on September 30, 1958, (John) Marty Stuart was at age ten fronting the Musical Rangers, a honky tonk guitar band that sometimes played on this square. Stuart even offered the local press a headline: "Local boy sings country songs in a Beatles society." Later, as an established star, Stuart often noted that the country, rock, gospel, blues, and Choctaw musical streams that converged in Neshoba County formed a rich pool of inspiration from which his eclectic repertoire would always be drawn.
After his musical debut touring with the Sullivan Family Gospel Singers, Stuart was invited to join the legendary Lester Flatt's traditional bluegrass band, the Nashville Grass. Stuart left for Nashville on Labor Day, 1972, not quite fourteen years old, and was Flatt's
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boy wonder mandolin player until Flatt's death in 1979. Stints working with two other masters—fiddler Vassar Clements and guitar picker/vocalist Doc Watson—followed, and during the years 1980-'85 Stuart was the electric guitar-slinger in Johnny Cash's hot back-up band.
An award-winning instrumentalist, a distinctive country vocalist, and a songwriter who could spin contemporary tales in traditional country modes, Stuart had two solo albums out by the late 1980s, the first saluting the Busy Bee Café that once operated not far from this site. He then emerged as a uniquely flamboyant star in country's generally restrained, roots-minded "New Traditionalist" movement. His string of hits with the major MCA label included "Tempted," "Now That's Country," " Little Things," hit duets with Travis Tritt ("Whiskey Ain't Workin" and "This One's Gonna Hurt You"), and the smash that named his exciting new party sound, "Hillbilly Rock."
He was inducted as a Grand Ole Opry cast member in 1992. As his career matured, on the Opry stage and beyond, Marty Stuart actively upheld country music's history and traditions while easing it into a new century. "Traditional country music is the empowering force in our genre," he said. "It's my legacy; it's who I am. A lot of what I do is about not letting something great slip away." In keeping with that goal, Stuart produced albums for
via Wikipedia, 2012
2. Marty Stuart
country legends Johnny Cash and Porter Wagoner, headed a versatile country touring band, and featured traditional country on television and radio series. He recorded bluegrass, honky tonk, gospel, and ambitious original albums while avidly collecting and publicly displaying precious country music memorabilia and publishing a collection of his photographic portraits of country legends. Stuart's regular efforts to spotlight Mississippi culture included early support for establishing the Mississippi Country Music Trail.
Images Courtesy of Marty Stuart, Research: Barry Mazur
Erected 2010 by Mississippi Country Music Trail. (Marker Number 2.)
Location. 32° 46.252′ N, 89° 6.643′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Mississippi, in Neshoba County. Marker is at the intersection of Main Street (Mississippi Route 16) and Byrd Avenue, on the right when traveling east on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 501 Main St, Philadelphia MS 39350, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Neshoba County Confederate Monument (within shouting distance
Also see . . . Marty Stuart. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on February 4, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 29, 2013
4. Marty Stuart Marker (wide view; Main Street & Neshoba County Courthouse in background)
5. Marker detail: Flatt & Scruggs and Johnny Cash
To some, "hillbilly" and "rock" might have been contradictory terms. Not in Marty Stuart's hands, on this major hit.
Area residents were handed this leaflet in 1970. Marty is second from left, and his sister Jennifer is at the center.
The Musical Rangers Appearing Thursday & Friday August 6 & 7 at 8:30 P. M. at the Neshoba County Fair Grandstand
Stuart discovered the music of Flatt & Scruggs and Johnny Cash when he was five; he’d be in the band of Lester Flatt (above) by the age fourteen and of Johnny Cash (left) by twenty-two.
6. Marker detail: Connie Smith
Stuart first set eyes on the great country vocalist Connie Smith when she rolled through town on tour in 1970; they married twenty-seven years later and proved fruitful songwriting collaborators as well.
In the twenty-first century, Marty Stuart both preserved and nurtured country music. His massive collection of classic country costumes and other memorabilia including instruments, original songs, and letters, saved important artifacts for future fans. He shared them in a touring exhibit, "Sparkle & Twang."
7. Marker detail: "Let There Be Country"
"I come from Mississippi, Now what's countrier than that?... And there ain't nothing' I like better Than my hot hillbilly band, Travelin' cross the country, Shaking hard-working hands. Paying up our dues, We don't want it if it’s free. Just let the music play and Meanwhile—let there be country."
"Let There Be Country" - Marty Stuart
Stuart kept the flashy, costume-conscious style of earlier country generations alive in updated form, as seen on the jacket of his first single.
The Busy Bee Café, which operated a few blocks from this site, inspired the title song on Stuart's first album.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 16, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 473 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on February 17, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2. submitted on February 4, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on February 17, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.