February 7, 2025
Mississippi native and celebrated songwriter Steve Azar brought soulful stories and lively rhythms to 91福利, captivating the audience with music that reflects Greenville鈥檚 rich cultural heritage. Throughout the evening, Azar鈥檚 profound love for Mississippi shone through, alongside his passionate commitment to nurturing the next generation by championing arts and education.
Azar鈥檚 appearance was part of the Honors Institute Lyceum Lecture Series, which invites thought leaders to inspire and challenge students and community members. The series is made possible through the generous support of the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation.
From left to right: Dr. Jennifer Seal, Dr. Becky Askew, Mr. Clyde Dease, Steve Azar, Mr. Ray Scott, and Ms. Barbara Alexander.
鈥淪teve Azar provided a joyous full-circle evening, reminding the future leaders of Mississippi that our home is a diverse incubator of talent and grit,鈥� said Executive Vice President for Planning and Accreditation and Dean of the Dr. William Lewis Honors Institute, Poplarville Campus Dr. Jennifer Seal. 鈥淗is 鈥楧elta Soul鈥� music highlighted his journey from Mississippi to success back to success in Mississippi.鈥�
Honors Institute Q&A听
Ahead of his main presentation, Azar met with Honors students from the Forrest County and Poplarville Campuses for an intimate Q&A session at Crosby Hall.听听
Azar opened the session by reflecting on his 20 years in Nashville and his current role as Artist in Residence at Delta State University. He encouraged a lively exchange of questions, even turning the tables to ask students about their own aspirations.
Azar discussed his journey from writing songs as a teenager to achieving his first hit at 37. He then shared about the life-changing impact returning to Mississippi had on his family.
鈥淭hey were 10, 13, and 15 and would have to leave their friends when they moved to Mississippi,鈥� said Azar. 鈥淭hey all said yes, and I can tell you that it changed their lives for the better. In Nashville, they were sort of coexisting, but in Greenville, they were locked and loaded.鈥�
He tied their experience to the opportunity available to students at PRCC.
鈥淭he world is out there for you, and I believe that a lot of dreams happen because you鈥檙e in an environment that is not crowded yet,鈥� said Azar. 鈥淚t gives you an opportunity to find out what you really want to do.鈥�
Nickolas Rogers of Petal is a criminal justice major on the Poplarville Campus.
鈥淚 admired his creativity and passion for the arts,鈥� said Rogers. 鈥淎 big takeaway for me is to always strive to continue to pursue your goals.鈥�
Azar layered in words of advice and wisdom for the students, reflecting his passion for mentoring the next generation. He encouraged students to embrace their dreams and passions while also writing down goals.
鈥淎 lot of times, you鈥檒l get a spot in your life where you can stop or keep working hard,鈥� said Azar. 鈥淭he people who stop never get to know what opportunities open up if you keep pushing.
鈥淚’m a true believer in the dream, but also know dreams take work. Everybody talks about plan A and plan B. I think that plan A is it. When preparation meets that moment of opportunity, that鈥檚 when it happens.鈥�
Bella Rainey of Oak Grove is a sophomore studying psychology at the Forrest County Campus. She plans to attend the University of Southern Mississippi with the goal of helping others after earning her degree.
鈥淚t was inspirational to hear the experiences of someone so local to us,鈥� said Rainey. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all from Mississippi; from places that are more of a small town than big city. Seeing someone become such a huge person from such a small place is impactful because I know I could become that big someday.鈥�
Main Presentation
Community members and students of all ages gathered for Azar鈥檚 presentation at the Ethel Holden Brownstone Center for the Arts. With his iconic Gibson J45 guitar, Azar alternated between stories and songs, offering a glimpse into his life and musical journey.听
His passion for songwriting began after hearing Eugene Powell, aka 鈥�,鈥� playing songs behind his father鈥檚 liquor store in Greenville. He soon started to share songs he had written with Powell who became a mentor. An appearance in Country Weekly included a photo with Powell.
The song 鈥淒own at the Liquor Store鈥� from the album of the same name with The Kings Men pays homage the influence the people at his dad鈥檚 store had on him. This includes Johnny Lee, the woman who mostly raised him, her husband Shorty who worked there, and Sonny Boy who sang the blues out back.
Some songs were inspired by the consequences experienced by his bad choices. The song 鈥淕oin’ To Beat The Devil鈥� is reminiscent of the time he snuck out of the house to visit a red-headed girl in Louisiana. He stopped in Arkansas, and it only took 45 minutes for someone to strip down his 鈥�77 black Camero. It left him without a vehicle for a while, but it gave him a song.
Other selections woven into his presentation included 鈥淗ighway 61,鈥� 鈥淪unshine,鈥� 鈥淚 Don’t Have To Be Me (‘Til Monday),鈥� and 鈥淲aitin’ On Joe.鈥�
Commissioned by then-Governor Phil Bryant to write a song for the state鈥檚 bicentennial, Azar wrote 鈥極ne Mississippi鈥欌�攏ow the official state song鈥攄uring a single drive from Jackson to Greenville. He closed the evening reflecting upon its importance to him and performing it in its entirety.
鈥淭here are songs that take 17 years to write and there are some that just write themselves,鈥� said Azar. 鈥淚t literally just fell out by the time I got home from Jackson to Greenville.
鈥淗aving written the official Mississippi State Song is probably the greatest accomplishment I will ever have in my life.鈥�
Samantha Nobles is a sophomore from Lumberton studying art. She attended the presentation with several friends who are part of the Honors Institute and some who are not.
鈥淭his is the second Lyceum Lecture that I’ve been invited to attend, and I’ve really enjoyed both of them,鈥� said Nobles. 鈥淚 loved hearing his music and stories鈥攊t鈥檚 exciting to see someone from Mississippi achieve so much.
鈥淚’m glad that we can listen to successful people talk here like this as I never had the opportunity before.鈥�
About Steve Azar听
Mississippi Delta native Steve Azar is a With nine Billboard Hot Country singles and seven critically acclaimed studio albums, Azar is best known for his hit 鈥淚 Don鈥檛 Have to Be Me (鈥楾il Monday),鈥� a 4X BMI Million-Air award winner and one of the top five most-played country songs since 2000. His career highlights include being chosen by Bob Seger for the Face the Promise Tour, a #1 feature in O Magazine with his single 鈥淪unshine,鈥� and the release of My Mississippi Reunion, which won the 2021 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters award and features 鈥淥ne Mississippi,鈥� the official state song. Azar also made history recording an album at the iconic Club Ebony alongside musicians from B.B. King鈥檚 band, captured in the documentary Something in the Water.听
Beyond music, Azar is Mississippi鈥檚 official Music & Culture Ambassador, an in-demand keynote speaker, and host of In a Mississippi Minute on SuperTalk Mississippi radio. He and his wife Gwen founded the Steve Azar St. Cecilia Foundation, raising millions for charitable causes. Azar鈥檚 accolades include a Mississippi Country Music Trail marker, the 2023 Mississippi Music Awards Lifetime Achievement award, and a featured spot in the Grammy Museum Mississippi鈥檚 鈥淐elebrating Mississippi鈥檚 Influence鈥� exhibit. Known for his signature Bloody Mary mix and his Viking Cruise show, 鈥淪teve Azar鈥檚 Mississippi,鈥� Azar continues to inspire through his music, philanthropy, and entrepreneurial ventures.
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Article by Laura O’Neill. Photography by River Roderick.
