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April 23-25, 2027

Word of South

Del Suggs

Del Suggs is an original. Del is a singer/songwriter and guitarist from the beaches of North Florida and is considered by many to be one of the founders and pioneers of “Trop Rock” (tropical rock) music. Del began to perform in a similar style, which he called “Saltwater Music,” drawing on his experiences growing up […]

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David Kirby

David Kirby is a poet, critic, and scholar. Influenced by artists as diverse as John Keats and Little Richard, Kirby writes distinctive long-lined narrative poems that braid together high and popular culture, personal memory, philosophy, and humor. “One thing that I want to do in the poems is to portray the mind as it actually […]

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Jeff VanderMeer

Jeff VanderMeer grew up in the Fiji Islands and currently lives in Tallahassee, Florida and Portland, Oregon. His critically acclaimed New York Times-bestselling Southern Reach Trilogy has been published in 20 countries, and the Paramount Pictures film of the first book in the trilogy, Annihilation, starring Natalie Portman, was released in 2018. Jeff’s subsequent fiction, […]

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The Fried Turkeys

Back for the second time at Word of South, the Fried Turkeys, based in Tallahassee, Florida, combine a surprising blend of truly original music and a uniquely eclectic selection of covers that will have you dripping in greasy, hippy, roots-country music. Soulful pedal steel, soaring vocal harmonies, a thumping rhythm section, dixieland piano lines, and […]

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Benjamin Crump

Through a steadfast dedication to justice and service to others, Benjamin Crump has established himself as one of the nation’s foremost attorneys and advocates for civil rights and social justice. His legal acumen as both a litigator and advocate has ensured that those most frequently marginalized in American society are protected by their nation’s contract […]

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Allison Clarke

Allison Clarke is a singer-songwriter based out of Nashville, Tennessee, whose soulful vocals and authentic lyrics have carved a distinct niche in the realm of Contemporary Country and Americana. In 2023, Allison won the iconic Bluebird Café’s “Golden Pick Contest” with her song “What Day Would You Go Back To.” She was also a semi-finalist […]

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Diane Roberts

If you are a fan of the FSU Seminoles or a resident of Florida, you know – or should know – about the writings of Tallahassee’s own Diane Roberts. Her book, Tribal, a comic, critical analysis of a Southern intellectual’s love of FSU football and distaste for the excesses that go with it, made several […]

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Chuck Reece

Chuck Reece and his wife Stacy are the founders of the online magazine Salvation South, andbelieve that every Southerner sees their home region differently. Their stories are as unique asthe South’s people, and Salvation South wants to give every Southerner who has a knack fortelling a good story a place to tell theirs. Salvation South […]

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Allison Moorer

Allison Moorer is a writer in every sense of the word. Since her debut in 1998, she’s released nine albums and had five singles reach the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and her songs have appeared in movies ranging from “The Rookie” to “Moonshiners” to “The Horse Whisperer.” She and her sister, Shelby Lynn, released […]

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