MERIDIAN, Miss. (May 5, 2026) – The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) will host Charlie Worsham with The Parchman Band on Wednesday, May 27 at 6 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.msarts.org/events.
The concert opens Worsham’s Pros & Cons Tour, which includes four performances across Mississippi and concludes at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. Joining Worsham is The Parchman Band, a group of incarcerated musicians whose work is quietly transforming both their own lives and the culture around them.
Worsham, a Mississippi native, has become one of Nashville's most respected songwriters and musicians. Named CMA Musician of the Year and CMA Touring Musician of the Year in 2024, he has penned songs for recording artists Kenny Chesney, Luke Combs, and Dierks Bentley, and has worked with icons like Kacey Musgraves and Carrie Underwood. A chronicler of American music history, Worsham hosts the Air Castle Community Hour on WSM Radio, Pickers Radio on Apple Music, and the podcast Mississippi on the Map.
Beyond music, Worsham is heavily involved in local and national charity campaigns, including the establishment of the Follow Your Heart Scholarship Fund. Inspired by fellow Mississippian Marty Stuart, who was asked to write “follow your dreams” in a book inscription to Worsham but instead wrote “follow your heart,” the fund helps graduating seniors and graduates from Grenada, Mississippi pursue undergraduate degrees in the arts.
Mississippi State Penitentiary, known as "Parchman Farm" or "Parchman," has had formal music groups dating back to 1930. A modern band was established in 1952 and grew over decades before disbanding in the mid-1990s. Revived in the 2020s, the current band is comprised of four instrumentalists and three vocalists who are using songwriting, rehearsal, and live performance as tools for growth, connection, and healing at Parchman. The Pros & Cons Tour comes just over a year after their first public performance in April 2025 and follows the recording of their debut studio album in March 2026.
Tickets are on sale now for Charlie Worsham with The Parchman Band at The MAX on Wednesday, May 27. Purchase tickets and explore upcoming events at www.msarts.org/events.
About The MAX:
The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) is an arts and cultural center in the heart of downtown Meridian that celebrates Mississippi’s creative legacy through interactive exhibits, workshops, and live performances. The multipurpose facility contains a two-story Hall of Fame celebrating the state’s groundbreaking artists like Walter Anderson, William Faulkner, Morgan Freeman, Jim Henson, B.B. King, Elvis Presley, and Leontyne Price to name a few, along with over 20,000 square feet of interactive exhibits, art studios, a recording studio, and performance spaces. Every visit to The MAX is a unique experience that leaves visitors feeling inspired and in awe of Mississippi’s global impact on music, literature, art, and entertainment. Visit www.msarts.org to learn more.
###
