Chapel Hart returns to Coast with powerful, bittersweet performance

In a performance that was both triumphant and bittersweet, Poplarville native country group Chapel Hart made their return to the Coast on Wednesday night with a packed show at Ground Zero Blues Club in Biloxi.

It was the country trio’s first public performance in South Mississippi since placing fifth on the “America’s Got Talent” TV show and performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

But it was also their first performance since the passing of their grandmother, Beatrice Hart, of Poplarville, who died Nov. 16. The three members of Chapel Hart are two sisters, Danica and Devynn Hart, and their cousin Trea Swindle, who all grew up in Poplarville.

Throughout the show the group mentioned their grandmother and how charming she was, with all three women at times tearing up during their performance.

Despite dealing with the loss, the group put on a powerful performance playing their biggest hits like “You Can Have Him Jolene” and “The Girls Are Back in Town,” as well as covers of Journey and Loretta Lynn songs.

“They never let us down, we’re always excited to play in Mississippi, especially South Mississippi. So we’re ready,” Danica Hart said in an interview before the show.

“The support of the fans have been incomparable to anything else,” Trea Swindle said. “I know the love that’s going to be in the room tonight is going to be incredible.”

The group said during the show they had recorded one of Loretta Lynn’s songs, Fist City, and they are working on a third album. County legend Loretta Lynn, who recently passed away, had been asking the group before she passed to record one of her songs.

The group also said that it has been on their bucket list to play at the original Ground Zero in the Delta and the performance Wednesday night is one step closer to that.

This story was originally published December 1, 2022 at 1:51 PM.

Hannah Ruhoff

Sun Herald