Tammy Wynette Legacy Center plans big celebration for late singer’s 80th birthday

The Legacy Center atrracts music lovers from across the globe

TREMONT, MISS. (WCBI) – A big celebration is taking place this weekend in Itawamba County to mark what would have been the 80th birthday of Tammy Wynette.

When Larry Cantrell became director of the Tammy Wynette Legacy Center a couple of years ago, the building, an old garment factory, was empty.   But after a lot of hard work, from Cantrell, the board of directors, and other volunteers, the center, opened.

It is a tribute to the country music singer and songwriter who was born in Itawamba County and grew up in the area before moving to Nashville and becoming the First Lady of Country Music.

“She was the first female, they called them girl singers back in the day, to sell a million albums,” Cantrell said.

The Legacy Center has a museum, with personal items from Wynette’s childhood, her time at Tremont High School,  and of course her rise to fame.

And then there are the gates to Wynette’s Nashville home.

“There’s no telling how many people have already had their picture made by this, by the gate, and then they post it and that’s wonderful for us,” Cantrell said.

There is also a stage, where artists perform for music lovers of all ages.

This Saturday, May 14th, the Legacy Center is celebrating what would have been the late singer’s 80th birthday.

” It will be music all day, activities all day, we have bands inside, starting at 10, play all the way until 8 or so, front porch pickins,” he said.

The celebration also kicks off what promises to be a busy summer tourist season.

“We get people stopping here from everywhere, we had two guys in here today from Canada, we’ve had people from Hong Kong, Minnesota, Minneapolis,  Arizona, Belgium. they see the sign, they know about country music, they come here,” Cantrell said.

There is live music every Friday and Saturday night at the Tammy Wynette Legacy Center.  It’s an opportunity for musicians, singers, and songwriters to share their talents in the hometown of the First Lady of Country Music.

Cantrell says many of the center’s guests also visit the Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum in Tupelo.