Jackson Free Press

Happy belated 9th birthday, JFP! I remember reading the very first Jackson Free Press when it came out in 2002 and falling in love with the music listings, the music articles and the all-too-accurate astrology section.

For years, I'd grab the first copies that hit the streets and go straight to the music listings to see who was playing that week. The JFP has been my weekend planner since its birth.

I'll admit, when I first read (Editor in Chief) Donna Ladd's columns, I was taken aback. I thought: "This chick has lived up north for all these years. She really has no idea what our state's plight is, so I guess she's like all the other Yankees that run down here trying to pick up the state's pieces of our broken past to 'fix' it."

Donna stood her ground, though, which made me start to respect her. Then, I found out that she wasn't a Yankee after all, but a good ole Mississippi girl like myself who was able to get her education and travel the world, where she really honed her expertise as a writer, editor and a fierce fighter for everyone to have equal rights. I then had the chance to work with her at various events and realized how truly dear she is to so many in this community.

When Donna and (Publisher) Todd Stauffer approached me at Hal and Mal's last year while I was hosting Singers-Songwriters Night about taking over the music listings editor job after Herman Snell passed away, I jumped at the chance.

My first year working for the JFP has been an amazing experience. I have had the opportunity to meet copious numbers of just plain-out awesome people in Jackson, this state and all over. I've gotten to see some incredible bands and listen to fabulous music. These talented artists have been so generous to let me attend their shows and have given me copies of their newest CDs, my lifesavers on long drives. And while I may have listed bands wrong or misspelled band names now and then, I want to thank all of you for cutting me some slack and not demanding my head be on the chopping block.

I can tell you wholeheartedly that working as the music listings editor has meant the absolute world to me. I love to write, and having the opportunity to pursue another one of my passions has made me ever so grateful. Thank you so much, Ronni Mott and Valerie Wells, for all of your help. And to my partner in crime, Latasha Willis—Latasha, if you ever need a kidney, liver or any other organ, you let me know! Latasha, the listings editor, has gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep me updated on music events. Thanks to all of the other JFP staffers who have helped me with listings as well. What teamwork!

But the ones I really need to thank are Todd and Donna. Thank you so much for this opportunity that I was never looking for, wasn't prepared for, but cannot imagine life without. Thank you for giving me the chance to share my obsession of music with others. Thank you for your constructive criticism. (Even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear, I knew you were right.) One night, Todd asked me, "Well, how are you liking things?" And I told him: "I love my job! Please don't ever fire me—I'd go crazy without it!"

How I love this city and the vibrant music scene that I can see shaping up and getting established right in front of my eyes. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I'll continue this next year to work hard, if not harder, to ensure that bands get their shows listed in time for our publication to come out on Wednesdays, and will continue to receive new ideas on how I can cover the city's music scene in a more thorough way. And, yes, I'll even take b*tching and moaning about this, that and the other, but only if it gives me an idea for a story.

I love you, Jackson!

Be sure to send your music listings to [email protected].