Biography
The Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band is a Mississippi-based ensemble led by Sharde Thomas Mallory, granddaughter of Othar (Otha) Turner, the last master of the African American fife and drum tradition. Rooted in colonial-era military music blended with African percussion and pre-blues rhythms, the band performs on cane fife, bass drum, and snare drum in a call-and-response style that originated during the Revolutionary War and persisted in southern Black communities. Othar Turner founded the original Rising Star Fife and Drum Band in the Gravel Springs area near Coldwater, Mississippi, playing at farm parties and annual Labor Day picnics featuring goat barbecues.
Sharde Thomas began playing as a child, stealing her grandfather's fifes and making her debut at age seven at the family picnic; Othar handmade her first fife. After his death in 2003 at age 95, she formed the Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band to preserve his legacy, infusing the ancient tradition with youthful energy, funky beats, and modern influences like blues, R&B, hip-hop, and gospel. Alongside her husband Chris Mallory, Sharde has expanded the band's reach, transforming the family picnic into a two-day blues festival and touring globally.
The band's musical style revitalizes country blues and fife-and-drum music integral to Mississippi Delta African American community life, performed at summer gatherings. They have performed at prestigious venues like Lincoln Center (NYC), Ryman Auditorium (Nashville), and festivals in France, Switzerland, UK, and Africa; featured in the Grammy-winning film Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story and the 2022 Voices of Mississippi tour; and released their self-produced debut album Evolution of Fife and Drum Music in 2023. Recognized with a 2025 Governor's Arts Award for Excellence in Traditional Arts, the band continues to captivate new audiences worldwide.
Fun Facts
- Sharde Thomas made her first public performance at age seven at the family Labor Day picnic, playing a fife handmade by her grandfather Othar Turner.
- Othar Turner once performed for a Tennessee dance production in exchange for 200 pounds of dog food and two live chickens.
- The band blends traditional fife and drum with modern genres like hip-hop, R&B, and gospel, recently touring Africa to appeal to youthful blues crowds.
- At 16, Sharde Thomas was already leading performances while attending high school in a small north Mississippi town.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Othar Turner - Grandfather and primary mentor who taught her fife-making, songs, and performance; led the original Rising Star Fife and Drum Band (Family Labor Day picnics, farm parties, Everybody Hollerin’ Goat album) [Childhood to 2003]
Key Collaborators
- Chris Mallory - Husband and co-leader of the band (Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band performances and tours) [2003-present]
- Luther Dickinson - Produced Othar Turner's recording debut and helped bring the band's music to wider attention (Everybody Hollerin’ Goat album; North Mississippi All-Stars shared bill) [Early 2000s]
Connection Network
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band has been played 3 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.