Living Southern — like a good recipe — is an art, an honor and something worth sharing. And who better to share this with folks — from the Carolinas to the Mississippi River and beyond — than a magazine so aptly named: Southern Living.
Born 50 years ago, Southern Living came to be during a time of movement in the South; millions of people were moving from farms and rural areas into the cities and the suburbs. The magazine was launched out of the leading farmers’ magazine in the country, Progressive Farmer, in an effort to stay relevant to the changing culture. “It was a pretty bold gamble for them,” says current Southern Living Editor-in-Chief Sid Evans. “And it turned out to be a really great bet. Within 10 years, it was one of the most successful magazines in the country.”
Today, the recipe for success looks eerily similar to that of the 1966 launch. The South is constantly evolving and Southern Living is keeping up with the region’s expansion in food, music and fashion. In this fast-paced and high-volume environment, Sid and the Southern Living staff are maintaining the respectful legacy of the magazine while staying relevant.
Sid values the pillars of the Southern Living brand: food, home, garden, travel and style. He has an appreciation for elemental cooking, such as that found at Birmingham’s Ovenbird, his drink of choice is an Old Fashioned, Charleston is his preferred destination, he has an ear for music with Southern roots, and he recognizes the incontestable talent of Laura Vinroot Poole, Lindsey Carter, Billy Reid and Ann and Sid Mashburn. Sid is the likeness of a Southerner eager to spark a dialogue of the region’s culture. Moreover, every writer who contributes to the pages of the magazine is a representation of all who are living Southern. It is these relatable voices that keep Southern Living at the forefront as lifestyle experts, and it is these voices that granted it the title of “the Bible for Southern living” in my household.
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originally published on styleblueprint.com
