When thinking about Mississippi and country music, for some people, thinking of artists that hail from the state may be a struggle to come to mind immediately. However, there are actually several Mississippi country artists who have played a significant role in laying the groundwork for the genre and helping make it what it is today. Here is a short list of seven country artists who call The Magnolia State their birthplace.

Randy Houser

Birthplace: Lake, Mississippi

Randy Houser was born in Mississippi in 1975. Known for songs like “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” and “How Country Feels,” he also co-wrote songs for other artists, such as Trace Adkins’ “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.” The New York Times described his voice as “wholly different, thicker and more throbbing, a caldron bubbling over.” Fans can also find him on-screen in “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “The Hill.”

Jimmie Rodgers

Birthplace: Meridian, Mississippi

Born in 1897, Jimmie Rodgers is viewed as one of the giants of country music, often called the “Father of Country Music.” Songs like “Blue Yodel” and “T for Texas” helped solidify his legacy as a country music trailblazer. Also called “Singing Brakeman” and “America’s Blue Yodeler,” Rogers’ hometown of Meridian continues to keep his legacy alive with the Jimmie Rodgers Museum and Jimmie Rodgers Foundation.

Paul Overstreet

Birthplace: Newton, Mississippi

Paul Overstreet, born 1955, is more widely known as a songwriter than a singer, writing hits like “Forever and Ever, Amen” for Randy Travis and “When You Say Nothing at All.” He was also part of the trio Schuyler, Knobloch & Overstreet in the 1980s. He also released several successful albums of his own and earned multiple Grammy Awards.

Bobbie Gentry

Birthplace: Chickasaw County, Mississippi

Bobbie Gentry is probably best known for her song, “Ode to Billie Joe,” but not everyone knows that this trailblazing artist was born Roberta Lee Streeter in 1942 in Mississippi. She became one of the first female artists to compose and produce her own material. Genrey also achieved another first – she became the first female songwriter to front a series on BBC Two in the United Kingdom in 1968, where she hosted her own variety show.

Moe Bandy

Birthplace: Meridian, Mississippi

Born in Meridian, Mississippi, in 1944, Moe Bandy’s love for country music was in his DNA – his father was a country musician. Bandy is known for hits like “Bandy the Rodeo Clown” and “It’s a Cheatin’ Situation.” Bandy has several musical accomplishments under his belt, including ten # 1 Hits, 40 Top Ten Hits, 66 Chart Hits, 5 Gold Albums, ACM Song of The Year, ACM Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year, American Video of the Year, ACM and CMA Duet of the Year, according to his official website.

Conway Twitty

Birthplace: Friars Point, Mississippi

Born Harold Lloyd Jenkins in 1933, Conway Twitty initially pursued a rock ‘n’ roll career before transitioning to country music in the 1960s. He’s known for tunes like “Hello Darlin'” and “You’ve Never Been This Far Before.” Nicknamed “The High Priest of Country Music” by Jerry Clower. Twitty was inducted into both the Country Music and Rockabilly Halls of Fame and topped Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart 40 times in his career, a record that wasn’t broken until twenty years later by George Strait.

Tammy Wynette

Birthplace: Itawamba County, Mississippi

The “First Lady of Country Music” herself was born in the Magnolia State in 1942. She is most widely recognized for her signature song, “Stand by Your Man,” which is still extremely popular among country music artists today. Wynette achieved inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, two Grammy Awards, three Country Music Association awards, and two Academy of Country Music Awards. Selling 30 million records around the world, she was one of the first female country music artists to have her music certified platinum and Gold.

Marty Stuart

Birthplace: Philadelphia, Mississippi

Born in 1958, Marty Stuart started as a teenager, performing with Lester Flatt’s bluegrass band and Johnny Cash’s road band before pursuing a successful solo career. He’s won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame. He has also worked hard to preserve country music’s history, maintaining an extensive memorabilia collection.

Conclusion

Mississippi’s contributions to country music are undeniable, producing an array of country music artists who have used their unique perspective, talent, and flair to help make the genre what it is today. With powerful storytelling, unforgettable lyrics, and immense passion, Mississippi has definitely left its mark on the genre and should be proud.

Who is your favorite country music artist on our list? Who did we leave out that deserves some shine?