Does anything pass through a small town quicker than gossip? Maybe, but in Iuka growing up your parents knew what you had been doing before you made it home by curfew.

I am pretty certain by now, most of Iuka and the surrounding area knows, one of our very own beloved hometown girls was in Iuka for a brief visit, this past Friday.

Ladye Love Long Smith, along with her husband, Reggie Smith, showed off our beautiful corner of the world to Bill and Gloria Gaither.

Yes, you heard that right. THE Bill and Gloria Gaither, made it to little ole Tishomingo County and Ladye Love was their personal tour guide.

If you know Ladye Love, then you know she is proud of her roots. She loves this little county even though she does not get back as much as she would like.

So, today she showed the Gaither’s ALL things Iuka.

They stopped at the Old Tishomingo County Courthouse to get a brief glimpse of the once known “Marriage Capital of the South.” As a matter of fact, Ladye Love and Reggie were married here in Iuka, back in 1995.
They showed Mr. Gaither the upstairs courtroom of the Old Courthouse and told him about hosting a reception there the weekend of their wedding.

“I enjoyed reminiscing about having our pre-party at the Old County Courthouse with all of our family and friends before our wedding. We had everyone gather there,” Ladye Love said. “We had an old-fashioned get-together complete with sugar cookies, lemonade, and my dad’s Dixieland jazz band playing. It was such a good memory, and I loved being in the museum again to reminisce.”
Ladye Love said how much she enjoyed showing the Gaithers all the wonderful parts of her hometown, including the Mineral Springs Park and the church where she and Reggie were married.
Iuka Baptist Church was Ladye Love’s home church until she left Iuka. It holds many special memories; one of which is uniquely tied to the Gaithers.

They parked their tour bus in the church parking lot of the church, she pointed to it, saying to the Gaithers, “that is where I first heard your music in the second grade. I vividly remember seeing your names on the music that I liked so much, and sang one of my first solos in the fifth grade. It was your song.”
Ladye Love even has her childhood sheet music from the Gaithers “He Touched Me.” She has since had them sign it.

One of the highlights from the visit was seeing Ladye Love’s reaction when she saw a sign in the upstairs window that read, “Dept. Education, Julian R. Long Supt.” “It was so emotional for me to walk upstairs in the Old County Courthouse and see the sign in the window with my daddy’s name and ‘County Superintendent’ on it, being displayed,” Ladye Love said.

Her father was once the Superintendent of Education of the Iuka School District. Her roots run deep in Tishomingo County.

The Gaithers known worldwide for their Christian music ministry were given a brief, but grand welcome to Iuka. While upstairs, Mr. Gaither played on a few notes on one of the courthouse’s pianos.
Reggie recapped his experience the first time he met Ladye Love at Ole Miss after he transferred there from another school.

The visit was quick, but brief stories were shared, while hugs and pictures for everyone that attended.
On hand to greet Ladye Love and Reggie while welcoming the Gaithers was Kenny Carson, Mayor, and Johnny Southward, Vice Mayor.

"It was an honor and privilege to welcome our own Ladye, Reggie, and Bill and Gloria Gaither to our wonderful city," Carson said. "We have so many things to do and the beauty of our area are second to none."
Ladye Love also had a chance to get in a quick visit with her oldest and dearest friend, Gail Cutshall.
“Some of my favorite moments were seeing my friends: Vice Mayor, Johnny Southward, my friend since 2nd grade, Gail Cutshall, my friend since kindergarten, my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Wanda Evans, and one of my mother’s best friends, Mrs. Nancy Brinkley, who was wearing my mother’s necklace,” Ladye Love recapped.

“What an honor to have the Gaithers in Iuka and always great seeing my lifelong friend Ladye and her husband, Reggie,” Southward said.

The atmosphere was upbeat and both the Smiths and Gaithers left with gifts and souvenirs to mark their time in Tishomingo County. Opal Lovelace generously put together a gift package with several books about the history of Iuka along with other keepsakes and a basket full of locally grown vegetables and cherries, Mrs. Gaithers favorite.

After leaving the courthouse, they enjoyed lunch at Table 127, owned by Ladye Love’s niece, before they headed out of town to their next destination.

To the outside world, Ladye Love is a world-renowned gospel singer, but to those who knew her before, she is a small town girl with a million dollar smile and heart full of love who we are proud to call our own.
We may not have many celebrities pass through this area, but when we do, our locals know how to welcome them with open arms and gifts for them to cherish.

About the Smiths and Gaithers: “Grammy-winning duo Reggie and Ladye Love Smith who are with the Gaither Music Group have performed in more than 30 countries and in such prestigious venues as the Super Bowl, New York’s famed Carnegie Hall, and the Kremlin in Moscow. Gaither Music has 133 recordings that have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum, garnering sales of more than 40 million DVDs and CDs. Reggie and Ladye have been performing as part of the award-winning ‘Gaither Gospel Series’ which airs weekly on television networks all over North America and Europe. The company’s website garners over one million hits per month; and the company now has over one million subscribers to its Gaither TV YouTube Channel, which has now garnered over one billion views.” (https://www.reggieandladye.com/#/)