by Davis Coen
Oxford, Mississippi, has never been short on music. From the bars around The Square to larger venues on campus, the town has long provided a stage for both local hopefuls and nationally touring acts. Among the newer names making their mark are The Pinksheets, a group of Tupelo friends who reunited in Oxford and have been steadily carving out a place in the city’s music scene.
For bassist and vocalist Bryson Heatherly, the band’s story begins long before their evening sets at Proud Larry’s – back in Room D-111 at Tupelo High School. For Heatherly and his bandmates, this isn’t just a college-town project – it’s the latest chapter in a friendship that began years ago.
“We started in Room D-111,” Heatherly said with a smile, recalling those first jam sessions. “That’s why we called ourselves D-111. It was just a bunch of hometown buddies messing around.” Like many teenage bands, they split apart after graduation, each taking a different path at different universities. But fate – or as Heatherly put it, “just the grace of God” – pulled them back together in Oxford.
The reunion felt natural. Joined by Dylan Gray on vocals/guitar, Aubrey Meredith on guitar, and Carter Maharrey on drums, the four friends slipped back into their old rhythm. They settled on a new name, Pinksheets – an inside joke and nod to the movie The Wolf of Wall Street, since they all once happened to be accounting majors.
A Sound That Doesn’t Sit Still
The Pinksheets’ music is hard to box in, which is exactly how they like it. “I call it chewed-up bubblegum pop,” Heatherly said. “We’ve got the pop elements that make people sing along, but it’s got that Southern grit to it, that classic rock edge that keeps people moving.”
Their playlists tell the story, and influences range from the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd to modern indie acts like Peach Pit, flipturn, and The Moss. “We love keeping it high-energy,” Heatherly added. “We want the songs to appeal to a big crowd, but we also want people to dance.”
That balance came into focus in summer 2023 when the band played Ballard Park in Tupelo, opening for Sister Hazel at the city’s Fourth of July celebration. For Heatherly, it was a turning point. “I grew up hearing them, so just being at the show was cool,” he said. “But stepping on stage before them and seeing that huge crowd – that was when I thought, whoa, maybe this is really happening.”
Oxford Nights at Larry’s
Back in Oxford, The Pinksheets have carved out a steady home base at Proud Larry’s. By Heatherly’s count, they’ve already played the venue over a dozen times, sharing the stage with both national touring acts and fresh local talent.
“Larry’s is special,” Heatherly said. “You never know who’s going to walk through the door, or what kind of band you’ll be on the bill with. We’ve co-billed with brand new local acts and even a band from Canada once. For us, it keeps things exciting – and keeps us on our toes musically.”
The band often curates their own lineups, bringing in groups like The Half of It and Golden Teacher Society to expand the scene. “We love helping other bands get in the door,” Heatherly said. “Oxford has such a market for different sounds, and we want to be part of that bigger picture.”
Originals Taking Center Stage
For years, The Pinksheets leaned on covers in their live sets, but now, original songs are front and center. Their debut EP, My Old Den, released in May, captures both their nostalgic streak and forward momentum. The title track is a fan favorite, recounting nostalgic feelings of the past while also being optimistic.
Another staple, “…Just a Friend,” is a song that made Heatherly stop mid-performance and realize the crowd was singing back to him. The chorus – “You won’t let me in to see who’s knocking at the door again . . . You know I’m always gonna be your biggest fan . . . I wanna be more than just a friend” – resonates as both a love song and something more bittersweet.
These recordings began in Florida at a studio owned by Gray’s uncle, but The Pinksheets have since built a home studio in Oxford. It’s where their next EP is taking shape. “We’ve finally got the gear we need,” Heatherly said. “The best part is we can invite people in during the process – get fresh ears, new perspectives. It keeps us from getting stuck in our own heads.”
Looking Ahead
Though the band hasn’t announced 2026 tour dates yet, they continue to play regularly at Proud Larry’s and other Mississippi stages, including Martin’s Downtown in Jackson. Their focus now is on shaping their next record, expected in the summer.
For Heatherly, the path forward feels both wide open and deeply rooted in where it all began. “We’re just grateful we found our way back together,” he said. “Oxford has been good to us. Tupelo raised us. And we just want to keep making music that reflects both.”
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