University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Yearbook (Oxford, MS)

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VOICE OF THE HIGHWAY D. Allan Mitchell connects to the true Mississippi BLUES AS THE VoiCE OF HIGHWAY 61 RaDIO T ■ roMng up, D. Allan Mitchell iuiddled amtind his radio tuned to Public Radio of jjjjliisiisippi every Saturday night at 10 for one houn ' curing that seemingly brief 60 minutes each week, Mitchell became enamored with the rhythmic sounds of B.B. King, Howlin ' Wolf and Muddy Waters. Nearly 20 years later, Mitchell sdll listens to the same show. This dme around, however, he runs it. Mitchell, better known as Chip, is the producer of Highway 61 Radio that now airs at 9 p.m. every Saturday from Kinard Hall. The program is aired by Mississippi Public Broadcasting, formerly PRM. As a kid, I would listen to Bill Ferris on Highway 61 and just fell in love with it, Mitchell said. I had never really heard the Blues in its original form. Mitchell grew up in the suburbs of Jackson, but his dad is from the Mississippi Delta. He said he always went to the Delta for family trips but was never introduced to the music that has molded his musical soul until the radio show. They (his dad ' s family) were poor whites that never listened to that sort of music, Mitchell said. I found blues on my own. Mitchell, now 29, came to the university in 2002 as an English graduate student. After lixdng in 0.xford for nearly a year, Mitchell found out his beloved radio show had been in reruns for a few years and decided to do something about it. The show had not been up and running for a couple of years, so I began to pester them about it, Mitchell said. I told them I would do it for free. After nearly a year, Mitchell ' s dream came true. He began production of Highway 61 Radio with the help of joint operators - the Center for Media Producdon and the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, both at Ole Miss. The show is aired by Mississippi Public Broadcasting as a non-formal and non- formulated public radio show. Currently, the show has around 125,0(J0 listeners statewide, including Mobile, Ala. Mitchell believes this amount is adecjuatc lor such a genre of music but believes it would be much higher if the show was at a peak time and if more students at Ole Miss knew of the program. Mitchell has been a part of the program for nearly three years, and this year marks the show ' s 20th anniversary on the airwaves. Mitchell ' s goal for Highway 61 Radio is to be as blended and diverse as possible, but making sure to stay focused solely on the blues. The show should be about the music and the music played, he said. The blues has been so exploited by so many people, and I want to make sure to stay close to its roots, especially its deep ties to Mississippi. The deep ties he refers to is the real U.S. Highway 61. Not a radio program, but an actual road that once ran from New Orleans all the way to Thunder Bay, Ontario, in Canada. This Blues Highway also runs through the Mississippi Delta - even Alligator, the town in which Mitchell ' s father was born. Mitchell considers the highway to be a musical melting pot for black Southerners. Mitchell has produced over 100 shows, playing the songs of famous blues musicians as well as interviewing the not so well-known artists of Mississippi. Cadillac John is one of the kindest and sweetest men I have interviewed on the show, Mitchell said. He was so excited. All of these unknown blues guys are just as worthy as the famous ones. This is why I love my job. This is why I do it. Though Mitchell does not plan on running the show indefinitely, he says he will always look to the blues for inspiration, especially in his life and in his poetry. If I was ever deserted on an island, and I could only take two groups of things, it would be my books and my blues CDs, Mitchell said. Oh, and a stereo to play them on. That ' s heaven for me. unllen by SALIMEH SHAMALY PERSGNALrriES | 1 69

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Nararret - Richardson SOPHOMORES Xararret, Carley, Alpha Omicrun Pi Natalya, 1 ' igginUm Neely. Josh . ewell. Case JVguyen, An . Wcholson, Deanna Xicosia, Julia, Pi Beta Phi . ohtill. Scutt jXorman. Man Beth. Delta Gamma .North, William, Sigma Chi . owlin. Amanda Oihx Patrick Onwuhiko. L ' dochi Palmer, Joshua Parker, Breanne Paulk, Ryan Payne, Diane Pearson, Lauren, Phi Mu Phillips. Reriii Pincher. WUliam. Lappa Alpha Pinkham, Bnttney, Tn Delta Pinkstiin, Christopher, Sigma Chi Pittman, Felicia Pope, Kimberly Prestage. Paige Pnvett. hrislen. Phi Mu Pryor, Andrew Putham, Sunil Qi iallx Slacia Qiiesenherry. .1 texaridii Quiller, Beii Ray, Georgia Anne, Delta Gamma Ray burn, Bryan, Kappa Alpha Reeves, Abby. Delta Gamma Rhodes, Austin. Kappa Apllia Richardson, . ngel L« A H BK. .t rr ' B K ' J Pechencina, Anna H Pee, Lindsey i H Pegues, Sir Allen k ' I Perside, David B ' - . H Peters. Christopher L- ' H Pharr. Brandon HI 168 I Tin: OLE Miss 2005

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Richardson - Smith SOPHOMORES Richardion, Eia Rippy, John Roach, Rosland Robk Philip, Pi Kappa Alpha Robinson, James Robinson. Mary Rodgers, Claire, Chi Omega Rogers, Kasey Roluing. Andrea, happa Kappa Gamma Rooney, Celeste Ruis, Xathan, Sigma Nu Rowell, Brian Rowland, .Selh. Pi Kappa Alpha Roybal, Anne. Delia Gamma Rushing, (17 Riiisell. Jocelyn, Alpha Omicron Pi Russell. Margaret, Delta Delta Delta Sanderson, Jamal Sandifer, Rand] Sanford, Elizabeth Sapperfield, Jessica, Kappa Delta Schenk, Meagan. Phi Mu Schuchard. Mary. Delta Gamma Scott. Allison, happa .M pha Theta Scott, Andrea Scott, Paul Scott, Rainee Scott, Shira Sellers, Kristen, Pi Beta Phi Sellers, Megan, Pi Beta Phi Sliarpe, Matthew Shaver, Imccv, Tri Delta Shepherd. Sarah, Kappa Alpha Theta Shiffler. Kendall. Pi Phi Shivers. Andrew, Alpha Inii (hnuruii Skrlliin. ' lilpiiiy Skelton, Tyler, Sigma (.hi Sledge, Caroline, Kappa Delta Taylor. Kappa Alpha Smith. Brittney Smith, lavlor. Delta P i Siiitlh. ' Inn 1 4 170 I The OLE Miss 2005