Inspired Southerner

We tell real stories about the South.

Nashville’s Elliott Park collaborates with daughters on new album

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Nashville Elliott Park
Elliott Park and his daughters collaborate on a new album

Nashville-based singer-songwriter and musician Elliott Park has a flair for storytelling. His songs have been sung onstage at the Ryman Opry Theatre and on Late Night With David Letterman. The main body of his work leans towards the unconventional telling of truths and healing messages. In his latest album, Songs With My Daughters coming in October provides comfort and healing the world needs.

Elliott Park and daughters
Songs With My Daughters out Oct. 16

Harmonizing Drive

In March, Park like others in this world faced extended time at home due to the pandemic. One day on a drive he and his daughters began harmonizing. The result is a creative musical collaboration with his three teenage daughters, Anna 18, Autumn, 16 and April 14.

“This is an acoustic 12 song collection was created as a response to the current times which have called for compassion and calming reassurances,” said Elliott Park. “Our album is compiled of unique songs that provide comfort and warmth to all of those who listen to it.”

Park’s unique songs couldn’t be more perfect for this moment in time. They provide comfort and warmth with a touch of whimsy. His songs can go from delightfully playful and imaginative, to dreamy and introspective. Guitar, piano, strings and sweet soulful vocals that features Park’s quintessential weathered, soothing and soulful vocals. 

Blue Skies of the Rainbow Mashup

Therapeutic songs

The album provides reassuring messages of understanding and empathy. His lyrics are vulnerable, honest and passionate with a touch of quirkiness and comedic fevor. Park often gives a wink to his audience to exude his southern charm and soft fatherly way. Listening to his songs are therapeutic. 

The album kicks off with To The Moon and Back, a catchy uptempo duet featuring daughter Anna that’s chock full of cheeky cuteness. The song Follow is a lighthearted encouragement to take a break from the bright lights of popular culture and to search within for one’s own talents and interests. In addition, Park encourages young adults to listen with their own heart instead of following influencers. He will donate proceeds from the sale of the song Follow to teen suicide and prevention.

Park and his daughter, Anna, perform

Road Trips

Park’s Memories of growing up in west Texas and favorite road trips with his father brought forth Three Bottles In The Wind. The song is a rebirthing of his love for that area and its wonderfully slow culture. The emotional song Beautiful is for older kids who are just starting to see the complications of a bigger world. The song Set Me Free is a song where the instrumental leads allow the music and melody to serve as a vehicle to lift the listener to a higher place. Songs like Bloom, which is a song of encouragement and Crickets’ Ball, with its poppy harmonies and lyrics you cannot help but visualize them. Similarly, Orange Jello and The Flute Song bring more delightful vocal play from the girls and their dad.

“This album is an ear to the door of my home. My girls have grown up singing and harmonizing on their own. It’s a joy to bring that to a larger audience,” added Park. 

Ellott Park Songs with My Daughters
Nashville’s Elliott Park and his daughters make memories as they perform

Songs that heal

Park’s career in music and songwriting continues on a refreshingly honest course, writing chapters of courage and healing for family and fans alike. His song I Loved Her First hit number one on Billboard and R&R in 2006. 

Songs With My Daughters will be available for digital download on Oct. 16. Follow Park: Spotify, iTunes, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

Jessie Powell is healing the world through her music

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Jessie Powell Inspired Southerner
Jessie fell in love with music at an early age

Jessie Laine Powell began her music career at an early age. At 14, she was singing on the weekends at weddings, festivals, and churches with her high school teachers whom she considered her mentors. The Lexington, Kentucky singer, songwriter soon found that music was her calling. Her goal is to heal the world through her music.

“We lived in the very small town of Winchester, Kentucky and I would travel all over the place singing,” said Jessie Laine Powell, owner of JLPMusic. “I was making good money, for a 14-year-old and I soon realized that I could make music my professional career.”

Inspired Southerner Jessie Powell
Jessie grew up singing gospel music

Jazz Standards and Gospel Music

Jessie fell in love with jazz music in her early 20s. Her dad was a minister, she grew up singing gospel music. In fact, she and her sisters traveled with their father when he preached, and they would be his choir. Traveling and singing inspired her to compose music and she released her first gospel album, “On the Edge,” in 2004.

Transitioning to Soul R&B

During the last three years, Jessie has been undergoing a transformation and delving into Soul R&B. She says as an artist you are should be constantly growing and evolving, especially with your music. For her R&B was the next step for her to enter into naturally which allows her to reach a totally new audience of listeners. 

Jessie Powell heals the world with her music
Jessie is transitioning from jazz to soul R&B

“ Soul R&B allows me freedom and simplicity as a vocalist, It is a very intriguing style. It is a genre I particularly enjoy singing. It also allows me to tell a story musically and strategically. The flow is much smoother, and I am learning and growing in a completely different genre,” she added. 

Over the years, Jessie has found inspiration from the sounds of such musicians as Anita Baker, Patti Austin, Phyllis Hyman as well as others. Jessie has teamed up with music producer and manager  Baron Harris, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was instrumental in helping Jessie release her first Soul R&B single in the U.K. 

Inspired Southerner Jessie Powell
Jessie has received great feedback on her new single

“We released her single April 17 and it has been in rotation since with over 8.5 million listeners around the world,” said Baron Harris, president of Baron Harris Music. “DJs and radio executives from the U.S., U.K., Australia, Italy and Germany have given us great feedback on her new single.” 

Helping others Heal

Jessie released her single “Like No Other Love” in the U.S. earlier this month and she hopes to put smiles on people’s faces. For Jessie, her music is a way for her to give hope, healing and happiness to the world. Through her music, she hopes that people learn to live their lives with compassion, joy. She added that before COVID-19 we all were living life at a fever pitch and at a speed in which we could not sustain. “Many lives have been lost and it breaks my heart. We’ve been forced to re-examine our priorities,” stated Jessie.

Inspired Southerner Jessie Powell
Jessie creates music to help listeners relax

The state of the world also, as she puts it, has made humanity stop and take a look at our priorities. Families are shifting and getting back to the basics of spending time with each other, having compassion for one another, and connecting with each other in a deeper way. 

“I am creating music for people so they can relax and exhale and put into perspective what God has given to us,” she said. “My purpose is huge, but I am ready to bring joy to peoples’ lives.” 

Motherhood in Bloom: Self-care course helps moms parent intentionally

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Inspired Southerner Motherhood in Bloom
Dr. Leesha Cox offers a Motherhood in Bloom self-care course for moms


Dr. Leesha Ellis-Cox is helping moms relieve stress and extend themselves more grace during the month of May by offering them a free trial of one of the modules in her new online self-care course, Motherhood in Bloom. The course is designed to help moms parent intentionally and is comprised of six modules. This course celebrates the woman who existed before the children, dares moms to replace the traditional notion of sacrificial motherhood with one that reflects modern-day parenting where self-care is no longer a dirty word and teaches moms to pursue health and wholeness. No more pouring from an empty cup.

Motherhood in Bloom Self-Care Course

Inspired Southerner Mother in Bloom
Dr. Leesha’s children’s book is a wonderful story about spiritual truths.

Dr. Leesha is passionate about transforming the lives of moms who wish to parent effectively but without losing themselves or their sanity in the process.

“I have taken the bull by the horns by showing mothers that they never really lost their identity after having children,” said Leesha Ellis-Cox, creator of Motherhood in Bloom. “We focus on both the mom and the amazing woman who existed before children because our identity does not solely revolve around our role as mommy. The truth is it never did.”

Inspired Southerner Motherhood in Bloom
Dr. Leesha helps moms let go of “mommy guilt”

Mastering Your Mommy Mindset Self-Care Course

The trial module, Mastering Your Mommy Mindset, is divided into three components: 1) Defining a healthy mommy mindset; 2) Cultivating mindfulness; and 3) Understanding the relationship between your mindset and parenting. The entire course covers six modules: 1) Remembering who you are; 2) Parenting 101; 3) Mastering Your Mommy Mindset; 4) Maintaining Your Mental Health; 5) Practicing Self-Care For Real, For Real; and 6) the Supermom Course Wrap Up. The entire course is available for $197.

Inspired Southerner Motherhood in Bloom
Dr. Leesha helps moms let go of the “mommy guilt”

During the month of May, Dr. Leesha is supporting and advocating for mothers through her:

  • Five-day super self-care challenge
  • Nightly Facebook Live sessions for the entire month of May which is Mental Health Awareness Month
  • Her Amazon best-selling books, Ditch the Mommy Guilt: A Blueprint for the Modern Mommy and The Love Garden
Inspired Southerner Motherhood in Bloom
Motherhood the Remix is a fun, fresh conference for moms

Motherhood the Remix Conference

Her signature event, Motherhood the Remix, is a fun, fresh conference for moms designed to honor their strength and vulnerability, grow their mommy tribe, and learn how to be a better parent while also investing in themselves. She created this event because she knows, first-hand, how tough parenting can be as the mother of three energetic children, wife, entrepreneur, and physician. She adds, “I know mothers struggle to fulfill the needs of their children and families and while at the same time, fail to meet society’s unrealistic parenting expectations.”

Inspired Southerner Motherhood in Bloom
Cox helps moms avoid the mommy burnout.

She boldly and loudly calls “foul” on these unrealistic expectations and is raising the bar so that moms no longer feel guilty, weighed down by a never-ending to-do list that puts them at risk for mommy burnout. Dr. Leesha pours into moms not only as a mental health expert and parents but also as a friend who helps women grow and blossom into their best selves. “Happy, healthy moms raise happy, healthy kids! Here’s to helping momma become happy, healthy, and whole!”

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Birmingham mother takes family on exotic adventures during quarantine

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Inspired Southerner Quarantine Travels
Brittany Todd Miller and her daughter sip on tea in London

Parents have had to come up with more ways than ever before to entertain their children during these uncertain times. Many families have also taken this time to become closer by learning new things together. A Birmingham, Alabama mother recently took things to a higher level and amazed friends and family with her adventures called the ‘Quarantine Travel series.’  

Inspired Southerner Quarantine Travels to Italy
The Miller family first themed dinner was in Italy

No traveling during COVID-19

Brittany Todd Miller, a children’s party planner, used her creative ideas to help her husband, four-year-old daughter and one-year-old son experience imaginary and real-life exotic places during Alabama’s safer at home order. The quarantine travels also helped the family take their minds off of what is going on in the world with the COVID-19 virus.

Inspired Southerner Quarantine Travels
Dinner out of this world in Outer Space!

“The ideas came to me when I was making spaghetti for dinner one night and calling it Italian night,” said Brittany, owner of Parties By B. “So, I called my husband and told him that since flights now are so cheap, that I went ahead and purchased some tickets to Italy and that I hope he didn’t mind. Of course, he didn’t believe me, but it did spark the idea to pretend like we were visiting Italy while eating dinner that night.” 

Inspired Southerner Quarantine Travels
The family went to Japan one night for dinner

Dinner in Italy, India, Japan and Arendelle

By the time her husband got home that night, she had set the stage with props, for a pretend plane ride, complete with clouds, cafe lights and she made a gondola. After visiting Italy, the family embarked on many adventures around and out of this world including, India, Japan, Arendelle (the fictitious town in Disney’s Frozen, and chosen by Miller’s four-year-old daughter), Outer Space and England. The destinations were chosen based on what she was cooking for dinner and what decorations she had on hand. She also created some of the decorations with lots of hot glue and spray paint. Each themed dinner exhibited Miller’s attention to detail.

Inspired Southerner Quarantine Travels
Brittany’s attention to detail is simply amazing, right down to the replica of London’s Big Ben.

Big Ben, London’s Tube and High Tea

Her most recent dinner in London was complete with a replica of Big Ben and a ride on London’s Tube. Simply put it was amazing.

“During this time in our life, community and world I believe that it is important to keep my family happy and safe. I’ve always loved themed parties and I used this family home time as an opportunity to use my gifts and make some fun family memories,” added Brittany. 

Inspired Southerner Quarantine Travels
London’s dinner was London’s quintessential fish n chips!

Brittany’s daughter caught on to the travel fun immediately and loved the adventures as much as she did. Prior to ‘visiting’ or taking the adventure, the family learned something about each country or destination by watching YouTube videos and Disney movies. In addition, Brittany taught her daughter about each destination through activities themed crafts and coloring activities. 

Inspired Southerner Quarantine Travels
No trip to London would be complete without a ride of a double-decker bus.

She goes on to say that some of her family chores took a backseat during this time but the most important thing is that it was a learning experience for her children and other family members. You can follow more of Brittany’s creative party ideas on Instagram at Parties By B.

Alabama design firm wins national awards for Bicentennial PastPort

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Inspired Southerner PASTPORT
Tatum Design’s creative work for the PastPort wins local, regional and national awards

Tatum Design ‘s work for the Alabama Bicentennial PastPort initiative has earned 39 creative awards at the local, regional and national levels. To date, the PastPort has won 34 ADDY Awards, including four Golds and 20 Silvers at the local level, a “Best of Show” and five Gold regional ADDY Awards, and three Golds and one Silver at the 2018 American Advertising Award’s National ADDY competition in Chicago.

Award-winning PastPort Initiative

The PastPort brand and identity was the “Grand Prize Winner” and “Best of Region – South” at the 2018 HOW/PRINT Regional Design Awards and was selected to be featured in the prestigious 2020 Graphis Design Annual. Posters designed for the initiative will also be honored in the 2020 Graphis Poster Annual. The PastPort APP, which was designed by Tatum and programmed by MotionMobs, was showcased at this year’s Google Flutter Conference. 

Tatum Design
The Alabama PastPort tells unique stories about the history of the state.

Alabama Travel and Tourism

The Alabama Bicentennial Commission reached out to Tatum four years ago to help create a collateral piece that would encourage travel throughout the state leading up to Alabama’s 200th anniversary. However, Tatum envisioned something much bigger. As an Alabama-based design firm, they wanted to create a multi-faceted initiative that would set the tone for the entire statewide celebration and bring Alabama history to life like never before.

Tatum Design PastPort
Tatum Design led the PastPort creative and won 39 design awards

History in the Making

Tatum’s goal was to celebrate every county in the state, big and small, equally. Inspired by historical people, places and events, Tatum named the initiative and crafted an immersive brand that would allow people of all ages to personally connect with Alabama history and chronicle their adventures at stamp sites within every county as they explored the state. Tatum wanted the PastPort book to serve as an educational resource, travel guide and commemorative keepsake.

Alabama PastPort
Travelers learn about Alabama’s history with the PastPort

Collaborating with Alabama Bicentennial

Tatum designed custom artwork and wrote lively narratives for all 67 counties and each of the state’s seven geographical regions. The curation of subject matter was a collaborative process between Tatum Design and the Alabama Bicentennial Commission, as well as state archivists, historians and the Encyclopedia of Alabama. The research was a vital part of Tatum’s creative process, guiding the narratives and inspiring the custom artwork Tatum created for the PastPort book. 

“We wanted to tell the full, unbridled story, not just the familiar historical accounts we all learned in school,” said Wendy Tatum, Co-owner and Creative Director of Tatum Design. For the larger counties where well-known events took place, we dug deeper to bring the lesser-known details to light. While researching the smaller, more rural counties, we were led on adventures that uncovered more pieces of the puzzle and confirmed that every square inch of Alabama is uniquely fascinating, and every county plays an important role in the larger story of our state.” 

Inspired southerner PastPort
The PastPort tells the history of Alabama’s 67 counties

The Creative Process

Prior to the implementation of the PastPort initiative, Tatum tested its concept through extensive visioning exercises and helped attract sponsors by designing prototypes to demonstrate how all of the brand touchpoints would work together. From conception to launch, the project took 18 months to complete and required the tireless dedication of Tatum’s entire creative team. 

Tatum Design Alabama PastPort
Travelers are encouraged to get their PastPort stamped when visiting Alabama attractions

“This was a project that was close to our hearts,” said Travis Tatum, Co-owner and Executive Creative Director of Tatum Design. “Our team is extremely collaborative by nature and by design. As Alabamians and as creatives, we felt a deep sense of responsibility to capture the true spirit of our people, our land and our history. We are truly honored to have led the creative efforts of this monumental initiative, and we are humbled by the overwhelming recognition our firm has received from so many prestigious design competitions.” 

For more information about Tatum Design, visit www.tatumdesign.com. 

We tell real stories about the south. ~Kara Kennedy, Publisher