Music and fellowship are returning to the Beckham Hotel in Mineola as Amye Cox works to revive the Pickin’ Parlor in honor of her longtime friend and guitar teacher, the late John DeFoore.

For Cox, a lifelong Mineola resident, bringing back the Pickin’ Parlor is about preserving the sense of community DeFoore fostered through music.

“I feel like it’s time to come back to the roots of what life is really about. It’s about coming together to enjoy life. Not about how much you make or who you are. It’s about a community that loves music and good ole singing,” Cox said in a written statement.

DeFoore purchased the Beckham Hotel in 1989 and operated the Piney Woods Pickin’ Parlor there for 17 years, according to his obituary.

The venue brought musicians and audiences together in the historic hotel’s upstairs ballroom. He also established the DeFoore Music Institute, teaching guitar and songwriting to generations of students, including Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves.

DeFoore died in August 2021, but his influence continues through former students such as Cox. She said the original Pickin’ Parlor welcomed people of all ages to enjoy the fellowship of music, a tradition she hopes to carry forward with the support of current Beckham Hotel owners Chris and Sarah Butler.

The Butlers share her enthusiasm for bringing music back through the Pickin’ Parlor and honoring DeFoore’s legacy, Cox said. T

he revived Pickin’ Parlor scheduled a free gathering Oct. 23 that featured a variety of singers and guitar players.

Organizers hope to continue holding gatherings approximately every six weeks, giving local musicians and listeners a recurring opportunity to come together.

“I hope to keep this going for a long time to come just like my friend John,” Cox said.

The Pickin’ Parlor is held at the Beckham Hotel, 115 E. Commerce St. in downtown Mineola.