Paul Tate is latest artist at museum’s Beyond the Tracks music series

Local musician Paul Tate was the guest artist Tuesday for the Union County Heritage Museum’s Beyond the Tracks series.

As part of the UCHM 30th birthday celebration, the museum staff are recording area musicians as they play music and tell their stories.

The performances are available on Facebook live and edited versions can be seen later on the museum’s YouTube channel.

Tate talked about how music was a part of his family life growing up and then going on to study music. He said he was influenced by his high school band director and then was able to study with talented teachers at Ole Miss and Memphis State University.

He said he has played in several bands over the years but his best gig is his current one. A couple of years ago he was asked to fill in on an emergency basis for the Yalobushwhackers, the house band for the Thacker Mountain radio program on Mississippi Public Radio. After filling in, he was asked to become a permanent member of the group.

Recent other Beyond the Tracks artists were Mike Carter and Garry Burnside with Gracey Williams.

Beyond the Tracks is held on an irregular basis, museum director Jill Smith said, depending on artists’ availability and schedules. Weather permitting, they may be in the Faulkner Garden, but otherwise will be in the Faulkner Library inside the museum

More information is available at the museum or on their web site.