“There’s a special feeling I have deep in my heart and it’s for the place where I got my start.” –– From the song “Hometown of Picayune” written by Brenda Davenport Taylor.

Almost one year ago, Picayune native Brenda Davenport Taylor decided to showcase the hometown she’s been proud of all her life.
Once that was decided, she enlisted the help of four of her sisters and created the show, “Wake Up Picayune.”
A new 30-minute episode airs every four months and the program can be found with a search at www.youtube.com.
“I want to feature information about Picayune and keep people informed who no longer live here,” Taylor said. “I’m always coming up with projects, so I coerced my sisters into joining me.”
The sisters’ talk show is reminiscent of ABC’s daytime talk show “The View,” the sisters said. Each sister brings their own unique element to the show’s five segments.
Doreen Wilson-Hughes serves as host of the show.
“I have the gift of gab,” she said. “I like the quiet and slow pace of Picayune. I’m also excited to see it evolving. It’s been fun to explore and come up with new ideas for the show. We’re just going to go higher and higher.”
Charlotte Wilson-Williams hosts the “Walk Down Memory Lane” segment.
“We have all the dynamics of a talk show, except the members aren’t family,” Wilson-Williams said. “The show is unique and different. I remember going to school here in Picayune and the holidays, spent with my family, were always fun here, especially the Christmas parade.”
Alphia Wilson-Campbell lives in Slidell now, but will always call Picayune home. She hosts the viewer comments segment, where she reads the comments made on the videos.
“Picayune is special to me,” she said. “I have relatives and friends here. I also taught school here. It’s a special place for me.”
Wilson-Campbell’s husband Edward, who is a photographer and videographer, edits the sisters’ videos.
Virginia Wilson, or better known to her family as the “casserole queen,” hosts the show’s cooking segment. She said she enjoys cooking foods from a variety of regions and ethnicities including Asian, Mexican, Cajun and soul food.
“I’m the family chef and have been cooking for as long as I can remember,” Wilson said. “I love to cook and they love to eat, so I use them as guinea pigs. I’m always watching the Food Network. Picayune is where my parents chose to raise us and we have deep roots here. It’s a comfortable fit.”
The group discusses Picayune trivia and also feature a local musical guest or artist.
Future plans for segments include family childhood stories, a fashion show and a talent search.
A few years ago, Taylor wrote and recorded the song “My Hometown of Picayune,” which she has performed throughout the city at community events.
“Picayune has a lot to offer,” Taylor said. “YouTube can attract viewers from throughout the country. We want the country to know about Picayune. I’ve even had a serviceman stationed in Japan respond to my song and said he listened to it when he got homesick. We are sprinkling a touch of Picayune throughout the country. We want people to subscribe and for it to grow.”
The sisters plan to post their next episode in April.
Listen to the song “My Hometown of Picayune” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cvc2cku-VU.
Watch the holiday edition of “Wake up Picayune” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaL4vVgarZo.