Stapleton shines during historic weekend downtown

It was another weekend to remember in Philadelphia as country music star Chris Stapleton graced the stage at the Ellis Theater on Saturday for two back-to-back shows.

Attendees gathered both inside and outside the Ellis to enjoy the music and the moment during one of the town’s biggest new annual events.

The Congressional Sessions, hosted by Marty Stuart's Congress of Country Music, drew a crowd from near and far, turning the heart of the city into a celebration of sound, soul, and small-town pride.

Philadelphia native Lee Smith described the experience as “wonderful” and acknowledged everyone who played a role in making the event possible.

“This type of event is a signal of community, camaraderie, and continuity—those things are important for small towns,” Smith said. “This is a good sign of people interacting on a community level face to face—music is what drives us together and having an event like this draws people back in that otherwise wouldn’t come back.”

Danial Zahid, owner of The Spot Convenience Store and Beacon Street Cleaners, compared the event to those in major cities like Meridian and Jackson.

“We need more than the Fair — if we had a fair every month out of the year, it would be a jackpot,” Zahid said. “I don’t know much of Chris Stapleton’s music, but I know what caliber he is at—he has a beautiful voice.”

Smith added, “He will go down as one of those generational talents and not just because he’s a country music singer—he also has a lot of soul and R&B.”

Philadelphia native Erin Donald Thames said the experience was lively and fresh, especially since she missed the Dolly Parton show in 2023.

“This is awesome,” Thames said. “These events will get a lot of people from surrounding cities to come here, and it will do really well for small businesses—we need something like this.”

Another local, William Breazeale, shared his appreciation for Stapleton’s one-of-a-kind voice and said his favorite song is “Tennessee Whiskey.”

“It’s good to see—whether you’re on the inside watching in that atmosphere or out here with local people,” he said. “It puts our town on the map for all the right reasons.”

Before Stapleton’s performances, the audience enjoyed live music from Grace Bowers, Brittney Spencer, and local artist Jax Moore as part of The Congressional Sessions—a showcase blending legendary icons, chart-topping stars, and rising talent.

A total of 888 tickets were sold for the event, with total attendance, including the Stapleton shows, nearing a thousand, organizers said.

All proceeds will go toward the construction of the Congress of Country Music’s Community Hall—a future gathering space within the world-class museum and performing arts center.

Earlier in the day on Saturday, Stapleton attended the unveiling of a mural on Beacon Street showcasing his song “Broken Halos”, which pays tribute to fallen first responders.

He was joined by his wife Morgane, received Choctaw medallions from Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben, delivered a heartfelt speech, and posed for photos with fans.

“I did not expect all of this,” Stapleton said in his speech. “I’m very humbled and grateful for the gifts and appreciation, and I’m grateful to the men and women who we are honoring today with this mural.”

He added, “I’m so thankful for Marty as a friend. I look to him a lot—who he is, what he stands for, the kind of career I want to have, and the way I want to handle myself with people. Marty Stuart does that—he’s just the man that you see all the time, and I’m really grateful that he thinks enough of me to be a part of something so special to him and this town.”

Marty Stuart echoed that sentiment, reflecting on the day’s success and the community’s energy.

“I wish everybody in the world could have been in Philadelphia on Saturday—it was a perfect day beneath a pure blue Mississippi sky,” said Stuart. “As a community we gathered for the unveiling of three more of Shawn Byars’ beautiful murals honoring Loretta Lynn, Linda Ronstadt and Chris Stapleton. The town was abuzz.”

Stuart added, “I met people from 10 different states, shook hands with local as well as state leaders, family, friends, music fans, Congress of Country Music board members, workers who are building the Congress as well as two people from California who now know the meaning of the term ‘hoop cheese from Williamsville’ thanks to Sid Williams. All of that topped with two shows at the Ellis by my friend Chris Stapleton can only be termed as a divinely ordered day that was highly blessed. I love my town, and I love seeing what the Congress of Country Music is contributing to it.”