COURTESY: ANWESHA BASU
Thacker Mountain Radio has an exciting line-up of artists and authors tonight at their show at the Lyric. Oscar winner Paul Williams and screenwriter Tracy Jackson will be in attendance to promote their new book “Gratitude & Trust: Six Affirmations That Will Change Your Life,” and artists Tyler Keith and The Shoe Birds will be performing music from their new albums.
Continuing on their U.S. tour to promote their book, Jackson and Williams said they are both very excited to be visiting Thacker Mountain Radio. The pair joined up over a mutual interest in the process of recovery from addictions. Williams even called his co-author Jackson the “inspiration” for the book.
“I’m amazed at the creative process,” Williams said, calling the experience of writing with Jackson “magical.” “We’d write separately, and then we’d move things around and cut and paste. I think that’s a bit of the success of the book.”
Although “Gratitiude & Trust” does cover the very serious topic of addiction, Williams said there is some “real entertainment” in the book.
When asked what message the authors would want their readers to take away, the answer was unanimous.
“The only person you have control over is yourself,” Jackson said. “And we have to realize that when something needs to change, it’s probably ‘me.’”
Both authors confirmed that the content of the book is very personal to them but also something that can be applied to anyone – not just addicts.
“While the text is written in one voice, there are separate boxes within the books where we tell our own stories, and I can speak in detail about what happened to me,” Williams said.
He added that they were able to create a book that could relate to people who have an addiction to something as simple as checking their iPhone constantly.
“We’re all addicts of some sort or another, and these are life limiting habits,” Jackson said.
She added that the book is intended to show readers a way to turn their lives around. Both Jackson and Williams are very excited to present their hard work at Thacker Mountain Radio.
Also joining Williams and Jackson is a Mississippi-grown band known as The Shoe Birds. Norman Adcox and Scott Coopwood make up the core of the band. They met here at the university and, after 29 years, they finally decided to record and perform their music.
“We’re really excited about playing,” Norman Adcox said.
Adcox is the main vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the duo. He also said he and Coopwood are anticipating the release of their album in November.
“This is our first live show for this music,” Adcox said, addressing the content of the album.
He said the music and lyrics on the album were a collaborative effort of both him and Coopwood. Both of them are proud of their heritage, as is suggested by the name they chose for their band.
“We have a real appreciation for Southern writers and Southern artistry, and we wanted the name of the band to reflect that,” Adcox said.
The name “The Shoe Birds” comes from a book of the same title by Eudora Welty.
“The moral of the story is being an independent thinker, and we think that’s a really great metaphor for ourselves and the production of our own music,” Adcox said.
Also joining the artist line-up for Thacker Mountain Radio is Tyler Keith, who is celebrating the release of his solo acoustic album.
Thacker Mountain Radio’s staff itself is also excited about tonight’s show.
“Thacker Mountain Radio Hour is thrilled to be a part of hosting Paul Williams and Tracey Jackson,” Kathryn McGaw, producer of Thacker Mountain Radio, said. “The Shoe Birds and Tyler Keith are both amazing artists who are friends of the show.”
McGaw said that tonight’s performance will be “an intimate, invigorating and exclusive experience,” and she is really looking forward to a special night at Thacker Mountain.
“We are looking forward to spotlighting great literary talent, outstanding musical talent and showing once again how live music and live literature are an exciting part of our Oxford and Mississippi Culture.”
