Contact: Allison Matthews

STARKVILLE, Miss.—As he first did in 2015, an internationally recognized Magnolia State musician will give a Mississippi State concert to benefit the university’s Department of Music.

Mac McAnally, named Country Music Association Musician of the Year eight years in a row, will be featured Nov. 10 in historic Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium. A portion of proceeds from his 7:30 p.m. show will go to the department’s All-Steinway Initiative. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Now on sale, general admission tickets are $40 each. Online purchases may be completed at www.ecommerce.msstate.edu/music/mcanally. The concert is being sponsored by MSU’s College of Education as well as its Department of Music.

This year, McAnally again is up for CMA’s top honor. His Sept. 22 release, “Southbound,” is a collection of original material completed with members of the FestivalSouth Symphony Orchestra. McAnally, known for his exceptional guitar and songwriting skills, is a regular collaborating performer with other major artists, including Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown. He has written many hits that include No. 1 singles for Chesney, Alabama, Sawyer Brown and Shenandoah.

Though born in Red Bay, Alabama, the singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist grew up just across the Mississippi state line in Belmont, where he began performing as a child at the town’s First Baptist Church. He is a member of the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame. For his complete biography, see www.macmcanally.com.

Launched in 2015, the MSU All-Steinway School Campaign has a goal of $2 million to purchase additional Steinway pianos. With the All-Steinway School designation, MSU would join a select group of more than 160 institutions of higher learning and conservatories around the world and become the only Mississippi school holding the prestigious honor.

Trish Cunetto, College of Education development director, said All-Steinway status will make the department among only a handful in the world to hold such a prominent distinction. Steinway is the primary piano choice of artists in all music genres, she added.

“We appreciate Mac McAnally raising awareness for the All-Steinway Initiative and hope the event garners additional support for the cause,” said Cunetto, who also is concert coordinator.

To learn more about the initiative, visit www.music.msstate.edu/steinway or contact Cunetto at tcunetto@foundation.msstate.edu or 662-325-6762.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.