Live weekend music returns to The Coop at Graduate Hotel

Weekend live music continued through the holiday season at The Coop, the fourth floor terrace and lounge at The Graduate Hotel on the Square, offering free performances that drew Oxford residents and guests. The series showcased regional country, folk, blues, and rock along with The Coop’s craft cocktails and Southern menu items, and it emphasized rooftop views of downtown Oxford as part of the experience.

Recent performers included Memphis duo Gia Welch and JD Westmoreland, Delta musicians Edna Nicole and Reverend Slim, and local solo artists Laila Dinisco, Kyle Kite, and Davis Coen. The program remains active for the coming weekends, with Davis Coen scheduled to kick off the weekend at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19. Dinisco will perform Saturday evening, and Louisville, Mississippi singer songwriter Jodie Ross is slated for an earlier Sunday set at 5 p.m.

“Spend your holidays with us at The Coop, where you’ll find the gift of live music every weekend,” said Mark Parsell, Event Promoter at South Main Sounds, and President of the Memphis Songwriters Association, who partnered with The Coop for the series. Parsell worked with Troy Dixon, General Manager of The Graduate, on a similar program at Central Station Hotel in Memphis that informed the partnership in Oxford.

Admission to The Coop performances is always free, and multiple lobby elevators provide easy rooftop access, which helps make the series accessible to a wide cross section of residents and visitors. For local businesses and the hotel, free weekend music is a low cost draw that can lengthen visitor stays and increase evening spending in nearby restaurants and shops during a crucial holiday sales window.

The program began in March and has continued into December, providing months of regular performance opportunities for regional musicians and recurring entertainment for the community. As the season progresses, the series is likely to remain a visible part of downtown activity, reinforcing The Graduate’s role as a cultural anchor on the Square and offering residents a consistent, no cost option for live music during the holidays.