Second Verses, a Chattanooga based organization dedicated to harnessing the transformative power of music, recently conducted a series of impactful songwriting workshops at Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. These workshops, held on death row and with chapel bands, aimed to offer inmates a creative outlet and a path toward hope and healing through music.
Officials said, "The visit to Parchman was a significant step in Second Verses’ mission to reach communities and provide them with the therapeutic benefits of music.
The songwriting workshops were designed to help inmates express their emotions, share their stories, and discover new avenues for personal growth and emotional healing. Mississippi marks the third state Second Verses has launched operations, following Georgia and Tennessee."
During the workshops, participants engaged in collaborative songwriting sessions, learning about melody, rhythm and lyrical composition.
"The sessions were met with enthusiasm and heartfelt participation from the inmates, who embraced the opportunity to connect with their inner selves and each other through music. Through a generous donation from Gibson Gives, Second Verses was able to equip songwriting participants on death row with their own guitar," officials said.
In addition to the death row workshops, Second Verses also worked with chapel bands within the penitentiary. These bands, composed of inmates who perform during religious services, were given the chance to enhance their musical skills and develop new material, fostering a sense of community and purpose.
Second Verses believes that music has the power to break down barriers and create lasting change. The organization is committed to building on the groundwork laid during their time at Parchman and plans to expand their efforts to reach more inmates across the state.
"We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with the inmates at Mississippi State Penitentiary," said Andy Tallent, executive director of Second Verses. "Commissioner Burl Cain and Superintendent Marc McClure have been incredible to work with in bringing our program to Parchman. The workshops were only the beginning of our relationship and we are already working on plans for our return to Parchman and continuing to grow the music and songwriting culture. We look forward to continuing our work and helping more inmates find hope and healing through the power of music.
“Second Verses has been doing songwriting workshops for over two years inside correctional facilities and each and every time it overwhelms me with just how powerful music is and how it is a valuable tool for anyone to leverage in their life. The men and women dealing with incarceration that we have the privilege to work with are facing obstacles to healthy emotional expression due to the nature of incarceration. Music, more specifically songwriting, is giving them an outlet to grieve, to pursue forgiveness and reconciliation with family, to face demons of addiction, and to find hope. Hope can definitely be elusive behind prison walls, but songwriting and the power of music is bringing hope and healing into these places and changing lives.”
For more information about Second Verses and their initiatives, visit www.2ndverses.org or contact Mr. Tallent at andy@2ndverses.org or ?423-834-8846?.