Contact: Maridith Geuder
A nationally recognized Alabama musician will present a June 7 concert of Civil War tunes at Mississippi State University.
Bobby Horton's free concert of Union and Confederate songs begins at 7 p.m. in the Colvard Union small auditorium. Drawing on a range of instruments, including the violin, banjo, guitar, mandolin, and concertina, the Birmingham resident will share a wealth of period pieces based around his own research.
His appearance is sponsored by the history department and MSU professor emeritus John F. Marszalek, a nationally recognized Civil War scholar teaching this summer in a department-sponsored program for high school teachers.
"Mr. Horton and I met a number of years ago when he was performing and I was lecturing on the steamboat Delta Queen," Marszalek said. "We're very fortunate to have an individual of Bobby Horton's status appear on our campus."
In addition to performing throughout the U.S., Horton was documentary producer Ken Burns' selection to compile music for the much-praised 1990 Civil War series on the Public Broadcasting System. His role in that effort, along with his many other professional accomplishments, led to an Alabama Public Television-produced video about his work.
In all, his music has been featured in more than 15 compact disc recordings.
"I'm very pleased to be coming to Mississippi State," Horton said. "I love performing for university audiences. I'm a teacher at heart, and I enjoy the chance to interact with faculty, students and everyone who shares my love of the Civil War era."
Marszalek is teaching this summer in the history department's Project Impact, a U.S. Department of Education-funded collaboration among MSU and 13 public school districts. Through the program, high school educators earn master's degree credit through intensive all-day Saturday classes. Richard Damm is project director.