Mississippi Expat: Melvin Myles

"As I continue on my path, I carry with me the spirit of the Mississippi Delta, a constant reminder of where I've come from and the boundless possibilities of where music can take us."

What does it mean to call Mississippi home? Why do people choose to leave or live in this weird, wonderful, and sometimes infuriating place? Melvin Myles grew up in Clarksdale, Mississippi, surrounded by gospel and blues music. In 2013, he moved to Atlanta to pursue a career in music. There he became a member of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and through his participation in the Worship and Arts Ministry, he met Rabbi Micah Lapidus at an interfaith Shabbat service. Together, they formed the duo Lapidus & Myles—their music seeks to “bring people together in a spirit of love, respect, peace, and justice.” Though Melvin considers the Mississippi Delta to be his foundational home, “[s]ignificant strides in social justice, equality, and community support systems would be essential,” before he would consider moving back. Below, Melvin tells us how his home state has influenced his career and sense of purpose.

Melvin Myles lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Where are you from?

I am from Clarksdale, MS.

When did you move to Atlanta and why did you move there?

I moved to Atlanta in August of 2013. I moved to Atlanta because I was not satisfied living in Mississippi, and New York was just too expensive. I am a Vocal Artist, and I am not cut out to be a starving artist, so I settled on moving to Atlanta where I can afford to live. Although I sometimes still desire to live in New York City, I do feel at home in Atlanta.

What does “home” mean to you? How does Mississippi fit into that definition?

To me home means…comfort, peace, no pretense, and safety. Mississippi is where I was born and raised. I am appreciative for my time in Mississippi; it is my foundation. Although I decided to leave, it is still a part of me; it is who I am. My musical identity and artistry is because of how living in the Mississippi Delta and being surrounded by gospel and blues (even though secular music was not allowed in our home) endowed me with the gifts that I carry now. So, yes, Mississippi is and will always be my home of foundation.

What do you miss most about Mississippi?

Mississippi has some of the best food in the world that I have tasted; I’m not saying that the food in Georgia is bad, but I do believe Mississippi food is much better.

How have you cultivated community in Atlanta? Do you still feel rooted to Mississippi?

As soon as I arrived in Atlanta, I started looking for a church home. I attended a few services at a few different churches; some I felt okay there, others not so much. On this one Sunday, I was intending to go to a church called Beulah Missionary Baptist Church but I woke up late and starting rushing to get dressed to try to make it on time (because I used to hate being late for church). Once I got on the highway traffic was a little crazy, so I came to realize that I am not going to get there on time, so why don’t I go to another church near me. At that time I was coming up to the Auburn Ave exit, so I thought, oh maybe I’ll check out Dr. King’s church, Ebenezer. So I got to the church and as soon as I stepped in the door everyone was so nice and welcoming…I started getting a good feeling. I had not felt this way about any of the other churches that I had visited. I enjoyed the service, although the Pastor was not there that Sunday, I enjoyed the services enough to want to come back so I could hear the Pastor preach.

Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Image courtesy of ebenezeratl.org.

Every time I came to Ebenezer, especially after I heard Pastor (now Senator) Warnock preach, I felt more and more like I was home. I joined after going for a month and started cultivating community in the Worship and the Arts Ministry, and that is really where my career in Music started to blossom.

The Temple is a Historic Synagogue in Atlanta, GA that has close ties with Ebenezer, and every MLK birthday the Temple hosts an MLK Shabbat service where our two music ministries come together at the Temple to sing, and Pastor Warnock delivers the message. Once some of the choir leaders heard me sing, I was invited to lead a song that Rabbi Micah wrote called “Praying With Our Feet,” and leading that song led to other invitations to sing, and a great and growing musical partnership with Rabbi Micah Lapidus.