Jackson Free Press

Anna Kline is one busy girl. The Jackson singer, songwriter, writer and Crossroads Film Festival member also serves as special projects officer for the Mississippi Development Authority. Between singing with her band and enjoying life as a newlywed, Kline coordinated the Mississippi music showcase at this year's South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, featuring homegrown musicians Bobby Rush, Cary Hudson, Shannon McNally, Skipp Coon, Charlie Mars and the Homemade Jamz Blues Band.

Kline, a Hernando native, got the idea from the Memphis Music Foundation that showcased bands such as the North Mississippi Allstars, whose band members are all from the Magnolia State. Kline decided that it was time we had a singer-songwriter spotlight on our state for a change. She wanted Mississippi's musicians to play a large venue with maximum exposure and went to work immediately to put together a showcase for the next SXSW.

Since she began the project in May 2010, Kline had many statewide bands and artists submit albums to her for consideration, and she pitched many of them to the SXSW folks. They only picked one Mississippi artist out of the dozens Kline tried to promote. It almost deflated her efforts. But with determination and fortitude, she met with another festival booking agent who loved her idea about a Mississippi showcase and was ready to take the necessary steps to get this showcase off the ground.

With the help of the Mississippi Division of Tourism, Kline got the ball rolling and finally the showcase, themed "Find your True South," was intact.

While in Austin, she passed out Mississippi Blues Trail maps and harmonicas to concert goers. Kline said many attendees had tales of our state, or were Mississippi natives who had been transplanted to other parts of the world. Many in Austin who had Mississippi roots looked at the showcase as a "musical homecoming."

Oklahoma's Taddy Porter, the band playing just before the Mississippi Showcase, even commented on stage that they love our state and claimed that they were from Stillwater, Miss.

The Mississippi Showcase was a hit, bringing a fairly large crowd to the Hilton Garden Inn of Austin. To everyone's enjoyment, blues legend Pinetop Perkins make a special appearance at the showcase. He passed away two days later.

Kline happily reports that while her week in Austin was pretty busy, the music brought to SXSW by some of Mississippi's finest musicians was a treat for the festival goers and promoters. Because of Kline's hard work, promoters plan to continue the "Find Your True South" showcase at future festivals.

If you're interested in being considered for next year's South by Southwest Festival in Austin, email Kline at [email protected].