Leo Moreira and Carlos Calabrese performing at Friday Nights at Milepost 89

Special to The Clinton Courier

Leo Moreira and Carlos Calabrese are set to bring acoustic guitar music to the monthly Friday Nights at Milepost 89 event, which will take place on Friday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the Clinton Visitor Center.

     Fans of bands like The Beatles, Santana and Toto are especially encouraged to attend, as their performance will offer a mix of those iconic sounds, along with their own special twist on the acoustic guitar.

     The duo’s unique style of playing with their fingernails instead of picks gives the music a special, perhaps even more intimate, feel. Plucking strings with different parts of the finger produces different sounds.  A pick provides a consistent tone. Some renowned players, particularly in classical and flamenco guitar, prefer to play fingerstyle.

     Moreira and Calabrese say they have developed a bond musically as they have performed together between 2018 and 2024 as “The Jackson Gypsies.” Moreira is director and guitar instructor at Virtus Music School in Clinton, and also serves as choir director at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Madison. Calabrese is the lead singer of “The Jackson Gypsies” and also performs either solo or in duo with various musicians in town.

     Friday Nights at Milepost 89 is held the third Friday of the month at the Clinton Visitor Center, and this year celebrates its tenth year to bring acoustic music in a unique setting to the local community.  Admission to each performance is at least “89” cents, and collections go to the musicians.

     The Visitor Center is located at 1300 Pinehaven Road at Milepost 89 on the Natchez Trace Parkway. For more details, call 601-924-2221.