Spotlight Series: Kate Campbell

kate_campbell_header

Today, we’re shining the spotlight on the Mississippi Delta’s own Kate Campbell—a country/folk singer-songwriter who uses music and storytelling to preserve memories from her childhood in the small town of Sledge, Miss. and who will be taking the Levitt AMP Cleveland stage in her home state tonight.

With exactly two weeks until public voting opens for the 2017 Levitt AMP Grant Awards, which bring communities in small and mid-sized towns and cities across the nation together through music, perhaps it’s only fitting to pay tribute to this eloquent musical storyteller, who uses her clear, earnest voice to celebrate the small-town experience. 

Now a resident of Nashville, Tenn., Campbell often speaks about how her early childhood years in Sledge shaped her. From the start of her career, Campbell made it clear who she is, where she is from and what she will always hold dear—particularly in “Mississippi and Me” off of her award-winning debut, Songs from the Levee (1994):

“Way down in me a river runs deep,
Reminding me just who I am.
Good or bad, it’ll always be
Mississippi and me…”

In response to this particular song, Campbell explained, “I used to hear people say, ‘Don’t forget where you came from.’ And as you can tell from this song, I haven’t.”  Listening to the track, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Campbell has dedicated it to Mississippians everywhere. Her deep-rooted love for the region—in all its complexities—pours out of every one of the 18 albums she has created over the course of the past 20+ years.

Campbell has charmed audiences with her heartfelt musical storytelling at esteemed venues and festivals across the globe—including the Cambridge Folk Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival and Port Fairy Folk Festival—and she’ll continue to do so tonight at Levitt AMP Cleveland! 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *