Gwyen Elizabeth (Sutphin) Franklin

Gwyen Elizabeth (Sutphin) Franklin is a locally known pianist in the Mississippi-Alabama area. She has an undergrad degree in Business Information Systems and a Master of Science in Information Systems from Mississippi State University where she currently works for the Information Technology Services department. Gwyen Elizabeth has studied piano for over 18 years and has grown to love jazz piano in the last 13 years. She was a member of the Famous Maroon Band as well as the Mississippi State University Jazz Band where she performed in the large jazz group as well as a small combo that performed around Starkville. She has been a guest pianist for the Mississippi State Wind Ensemble, even touring with them across parts of Europe. Gwyen Elizabeth is known for always "jazzing" her music up while still appreciating what the composer wrote. Gwyen Elizabeth has hosted two personal concerts, "A Night of Jazz," featuring hits like "A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square" and "Unforgettable" while living on an Army base in Alabama, as well as hosting a Christmas concert in Starkville titled "Christmas with a Touch of Jazz." Gwyen Elizabeth wants to dedicate her music to her god-grandmother who taught her piano and how to truly appreciate music, Kathryn Wasson, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 101. Thanks to her as well as encouragement from Mr. Jeff Barnhart, Gwyen Elizabeth has started teaching piano to young children in hopes of instilling in them the love of music, specifically jazz.

Performed in: 2024