A Country Music Trail marker honoring Marty Stuart will be unveiled at The Neshoba County Fair on Sunday, July 25 at the Grandstand.

The marker will later be placed at the corner of Byrd Avenue and Main Street near the Jordan and White law office in downtown Philadelphia, the same block where Stuart bought his first guitar.

The Country Music star and Neshoba County native will join Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant and other state and local officials at the grandstand of the Fair at 2 p.m. for the unveiling.

Stuart requested that the marker be unveiled during the Fair and placed on the block where he bought his first guitar at Turner Hardware on Main Street. His mother worked at the Bank of Philadelphia, which was located on that corner at the time. He also got his hair cut at a nearby barbershop.

The marker resembles the Otis Rush Blues Trail marker already in place at the railroad depot.

At least 30 other markers will be situated around the state and will feature a variety of other country music artists, including Charley Pride, Conway Twitty, Jerry Clower, Faith Hill and Paul Overstreet, among others.

The unveiling is one of several events taking place at this year's Neshoba County Fair, set for July 23 through July 30.

By Steven Thomas