Water Valley is preparing to welcome its first artist in residence through a new program designed to bring creative talent to the small Mississippi town, support its growing arts community, and introduce its unique character to people beyond its borders. The program begins October 18 with musician John Calvin Abney, who will spend time at Dial Back Sound recording an album.
The initiative grew out of an idea developed by Matt Patton, owner of Dial Back Sound recording studio and its associated record label, Dial Back Sound Records. After years of building his businesses in Water Valley, Patton began thinking about ways to strengthen their connection to the town and create opportunities for the community to benefit from the music and artists passing through his studio.
“I was looking around at other labels and studios that were notable, and I noticed that those labels and studios a lot of times became synonymous with the towns they were in,” Patton said.
Dial Back Sound has been operating since 2009, while the label began in 2018. Through recordings, merchandise, publicity, and other business activities, Patton has consistently identified Water Valley as the home of both enterprises.
The artist in residence program represents a way to build on that connection, giving visiting artists an opportunity to work there while allowing the town to benefit from the exposure their projects can generate.
A Community Effort Takes Shape
The idea began to move forward during an informal conversation at Magnolia Coffee, where Patton found himself among Water Valley to the World board members, including Brandon Presley. The discussion brought about the suggestion of an artist in residence program that could be supported through private donations.
Patton envisioned bringing an artist with a decent following to town for a period of several weeks to perhaps a month, depending on what was needed to complete a project. For musicians, that could mean recording an entire album at Dial Back Sound. The artist would also document the experience, sharing impressions of the town and the creative process with an audience that might otherwise have little reason to discover Water Valley.
The concept soon expanded beyond music. Presley and Bradley Gordon, known to many as Gordo, helped develop the idea, suggesting that the program could eventually welcome visual artists, writers, and people working in other creative disciplines.
Patton welcomed the broader vision, seeing an opportunity to encourage an artistic environment that already exists in Water Valley while introducing visiting creatives to the people and places that make the community distinctive.
The effort has also benefited from the experience of local artist Coulter Fussell. A full-time professional artist who has participated in residencies around the country and hosted visiting artists in Water Valley, Fussell offered Patton guidance on how such a program might work.
Other community members have offered practical support. Gordon has made a studio space outside of town available as a place for visiting artists to stay, while some donors have offered spare bedrooms. Organizers hope to build a broad network of residents and supporters willing to contribute lodging, meals, ideas, and other help.
That cooperative approach will be important as the program develops. Rather than relying on one person or business to provide everything, the initiative has hopes to draw on the town’s collective resources and enthusiasm for the arts.
Although the inaugural residency is already taking shape, Patton expects a more formal application process to be established for future participants. For the first artist, he developed a shortlist and discussed candidates with donors and others involved in the effort before settling on Abney.
John Calvin Abney Opens the Door
Abney was a natural choice to launch the program, Patton said, because he is an accomplished musician with an established following and connections throughout the music industry.
“He’s talented. He’s well-versed in a number of instruments,” Patton said. “He has quite a following. He’s a great hang.”
Abney has worked with a number of respected artists, including John Moreland and Margo Cilker, and is currently touring with S.G. Goodman. Patton believes those connections could help introduce Abney’s visit, and Water Valley itself, to listeners who may already be familiar with the musicians he has worked alongside.
The goal is not just to bring a household name to town immediately, Patton explained, but to attract talented people whose work and professional relationships can help spread the word about Water Valley.
Putting Water Valley on the Creative Map
Patton sees the program as part of a larger effort to highlight what Water Valley already has to offer.
He used Marfa, Texas, as an example of a small community that has developed a reputation for its arts and music scene while retaining the character of a rural town.
Marfa has shown how a destination can become known for its creative culture, drawing visitors who want to experience more than the typical attractions found along a highway. Patton hopes Water Valley can build on its own strengths in a similar way.
He believes the compact layout is one of its advantages. Visitors can walk between businesses and restaurants, giving them an opportunity to experience the community at a relaxed pace.
But there are practical challenges to consider, particularly lodging. Patton noted that the limited availability of accommodations makes it hard to organize larger events because visitors need somewhere convenient to stay. He hopes the town will consider additional options as it continues developing its identity as a destination for arts and entertainment.
For now, the program is an opportunity to begin building that reputation one project at a time. It offers artists a place to concentrate on their work while giving the town a chance to share its personality with audiences elsewhere.
For Patton, that connection between creative work and community identity remains at the heart of the effort. Every recording made at Dial Back Sound carries the Water Valley name, and the new program will give that connection another way to reach the world.
With Abney’s arrival—kicked off by a reception in the alley next to The Gordon Gallery on S. Main St.—the initiative transitions from a community discussion into a tangible project. While its future relies on continued local participation, Patton believes the town has the creative energy and community spirit to sustain it.
The hope is that each artist will leave with more than a finished project. They will also leave with a story about Water Valley, one they can share with fans, fellow artists and anyone curious about the creative possibilities found in a small Mississippi town.
About the Author
