Words & Music: Vasti Jackson

Join GRAMMY Museum^® Mississippi as we feature legendary GRAMMY®-nominated blues guitarist and vocalist Vasti Jackson on Monday, June 26, as the featured guest for the next installment of the Museum’s Words & Music: A Songwriter Series. The event will feature an evening of music and conversation with Jackson, who has worked with such names as B.B. King, Z.Z. Hill, Johnnie Taylor, Denise LaSalle, Little Milton, Bobby Bland, and Katie Webster.

Words & Music: Vasti Jackson will take place on June 26 at 7 p.m. in the Sanders Soundstage. Tickets are $15 for GRAMMY Museum Mississippi Members and $20 for non-members. This program is sponsored by Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi with additional support from Entergy, Maddox Foundation, and the Mississippi Arts Commission.

ABOUT VASTI JACKSON

Vasti Jackson is a consummate guitarist, performer, songwriter, arranger, and producer. From his early beginnings playing in churches and juke joints in McComb, Miss., to playing festivals, concerts, and theaters around the world, Jackson’s sound moves effortlessly from blues and soul to jazz, funk, gospel, pop, and beyond. One of the living Mississippi blues legends, Jackson is a powerful force in the world of music, known for his sweat-drenched, soul-ripping live performances marked by some of the most stunning, and innovative guitar playing today. Jackson’s stellar vocals, fiery guitar and stage presence celebrate the triumph of the blues. In 2014 Jackson was appointed the cultural ambassador of Mississippi.

With music roots in Mississippi and Louisiana, Jackson recorded on B.B. King's GRAMM-winning Blues Summit in 1994. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Jackson was session guitarist for Mississippi’s Malaco Records and Chicago’s Alligator Records. He’s also served as musical director and guitarist for artists such as Z.Z. Hill, Johnnie Taylor, Denise LaSalle, Little Milton, Bobby Bland, and Swamp queen Katie Webster. In addition, he’s worked with gospel greats including the Williams Brothers, The Jackson Southernaires, and Daryl Coley. In 2012 he was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame. He earned a GRAMMY nomination at the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards® in 2017 for Best Traditional Blues Album for The Soul of Jimmie Rodgers.