Radio show kicks off fall season with new executive director

The Thacker Mountain Radio Hour, Oxford’s music and literature program, kicks off its 27 ^th year on the air with a new executive director and lots of surprises.

The season premiere is set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5 at Oxford’s Powerhouse Arts Center.

Admission is free.

Lucy Gaines of Oxford has been named the long-running show’s new executive director. A Jackson native, Gaines received her MFA in Documentary Expression from the University of Mississippi Southern Studies program in 2024. Her previous positions include assistant directorships at the Oxford Film Festival and the Oxford Conference for the Book.

A brief champagne and cake reception for Gaines will be held following the Sept. 5 show at the Powerhouse.

“We feel fortunate to have Lucy Gaines as our new executive director,” said Thacker Board President Mary Margaret Andrews. “Lucy’s experience and energy are a perfect fit with our existing staff and crew. We look forward to growing the show artistically and financially.”

For Gaines’ part, she said she is eager for the challenge.

“I have extensive experience facilitating community engagement with the arts,” she said. “I’m a people person and I look forward to wearing many hats for Thacker. Our immediate goal is to expand the audience and donor base.”

Guests for the Sept. 5 show will include science fiction novelist Tobi Ogundiran with Memphis songwriter Mark Edgar Stuart and blues musician Peggy “Lady Trucker” Hemphill Lesueur. The show is hosted by Jim Dees with Paul Tate and the Yalobushwhacker Big Band featuring the Thacker Horns and guest vocalist, Mary Frances Massey.

Doors open at 5:30 pm. Refreshments will be for sale and showtime is 6 p.m.

Highlights of the upcoming fall season include Blues Hall of Famer Charlie Musselwhite (Nov. 21); “Dispatches From Pluto” author Richard Grant (with an all new, “Dispatches from Arizona”) (Sept. 12); thriller writer (and Mississippi native) Katherine Wood (Sept. 19).

Other highlights include CMT Next Women of Country music/soul singer Julie Williams (Oct. 10); The A’Capella Choir from Rust College (Oct. 17); Delta pianist/vocalist Eden Brent (Oct. 24); and a rare Halloween show (Oct. 31).

Of special note are two Thacker-related events: a special fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Wonderbird Gin Distillery in Taylor and a membership party at Southside Art Gallery on the  Oxford Square on Friday, Dec. 6.

The Powerhouse Arts Center, located at 413 S. 14th St in Oxford, will be the venue for the entire fall season of 12 shows except for Oct. 10 (Off Square Books) and Oct. 17 (The Lyric Theatre).

The show will be broadcast live (and every Thursday in Oxford until Thanksgiving) on WUMS, 92.1 FM (online at http://myrebelradio.com/ ).

In Mississippi, the show can also be heard on air and online every Saturday night at 7 p.m. on Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB).

The show is also available on public and community radio stations in Memphis, Chattanooga and Knoxville, TN as well as on the stations of Alabama Public Radio.

The show’s newest affiliate is KNCE (93.5 FM) True Taos Radio in Taos, New Mexico.

The program can also be accessed on most major platforms including Spotify, Soundcloud, iHeart Radio and Google Podcast, among others.

More information on guests and other fall dates are available at the show’s website https://thackermountain.org/ .

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