Renowned trumpeter with Copiah County roots to perform free concert on February 15

Wesson News

Copiah County native Kimble Funchess will perform February 15 at 6 p.m. at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Clinton. The concert is free and open to the public.

On Saturday, February 15, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Clinton will once again welcome the community to attend a special musical performance by Mississippi virtuoso trumpeter Kimble Funchess.

Funchess, a gifted musician and music educator, is a graduate of the Copiah County School District. He has performed with some of the nation’s greatest musical giants in jazz, gospel, blues and R&B, including B.B. King, Charley Pride, the O’Jays, Bobby Rush, Johnny Taylor, Dorothy Moore, Brandy, Wilson Pickett, Mavis Staples, The Spinners, The Temptations, The Four Tops and Eddie Cotton. He played trumpet in the 2014 James Brown biopic, Get On Up!, and, in 2019, performed Satchmo! A Tribute to Louis Armstrong” as part of the 2019 Mississippi Opera season.  He also participated in the 2021 Natchez Festival of Music and has received a host of awards and recognition for his contributions to music.

Funchess’ enthusiasm for music led to a professional career in music as a performing artist and music educator, and he has performed at many local churches and been director of bands at numerous schools in Mississippi.

Funchess was the recipient of the Mississippi Jazz Foundation 2021 Music Education Award for commitment to musicianship and creativity in education in schools. In 2024, he received the Mississippi Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee’s Anthony “Tony” Gobar Most Distinguished Juvenile Justice Support Professional Award.  He currently serves as band and performing arts director for the Mississippi School for the Blind.

Funchess, who says he believes it is a blessing to have the opportunity to live a life through music, will present a program that will include gospel and several styles of jazz, as well as contemporary selections. He will perform with the Kimble Funchess Music Group.

The concert, which will begin at 6 p.m. on February 15, is free. No tickets or reservations are necessary. Our Redeemer Lutheran Church is located at 1799 Clinton Raymond Road in Clinton, Mississippi. For more information, call 601-924-9999.