Dylan DuPont

Mississippi Smile

Dylan "Mississippi Smile" DuPont

Dylan "Mississippi Smile" DuPont is an emerging Texas Americana and Folk singer and songwriter whose heartfelt songwriting, distinctive voice, and natural gift for storytelling are earning recognition throughout Texas and beyond.

In 2025, Dylan was named Runner Up for both Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year by the Houston Songwriters Association. His songwriting has also received national recognition through the Nashville Songwriters Association International, where two of his original songs earned the coveted "One to Watch" designation. Another original earned placement on the Bob Kingsley Top 40, further establishing Dylan as a promising young voice in American songwriting.

Dylan's musical journey began at eight years old when he picked up his father's guitar and learned the only three chords his dad knew. After a year of formal lessons, he continued developing largely on his own, learning by ear and spending countless hours with a guitar in his hands. By eleven, he had discovered his love for singing.

At thirteen, Dylan found his way to an open mic at The Empty Glass in Tomball, hosted at the time by Texas country musician Josh Fuller. Surrounded by a community of local musicians and songwriters, Dylan began discovering the music that truly spoke to him. It was there that he was introduced to artists such as Guy Clark and Turnpike Troubadours, and began developing an appreciation for songs where the story mattered just as much as the melody.

Those nights also gave Dylan the name he still carries today. A local Tomball musician known as Chief began calling the thirteen year old musician "Mississippi Smile." The nickname stuck, eventually becoming the name audiences throughout Texas would come to know him by.

That early appreciation for Guy Clark and the Texas songwriting tradition would later come full circle. Dylan has had the opportunity to study the craft of songwriting through classes with Hall of Fame songwriter Verlon Thompson, longtime friend and musical collaborator of Guy Clark. Dylan would later share the stage with Verlon Thompson and Shawn Camp, playing the songs of Guy Clark alongside two musicians closely connected to the music that helped inspire him as a young artist.

Early in his performing journey, Dylan also had the opportunity to open for Grammy Award winning country music legend Crystal Gayle, another important milestone as he developed his confidence and identity on stage.

Today, Dylan's music draws from the storytelling traditions of Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, John Prine, Turnpike Troubadours, Gregory Alan Isakov, and others, while bringing his own youthful perspective to the Texas Americana and Folk tradition. His songs explore relationships, hope, loss, growing up, and the ordinary moments in life that often carry the greatest meaning.

The opportunities surrounding Dylan continue to grow. In October 2026, he will open for Grammy nominated folk duo Trout Fishing in America at the 04 Center in Austin, Texas. The following month, Dylan will perform at the Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe Songwriter Festival.

In announcing Dylan as part of the festival, Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe described him this way:

"Dylan Dupont is a young Texas singer songwriter making a name for himself with heartfelt songwriting, a distinctive voice, and a sound rooted in the rich traditions of Texas music. With a fresh perspective and a natural gift for storytelling, Dylan brings an honest, youthful energy to every performance, marking him as an artist to watch in the next generation of Texas songwriters."

It is a fitting description of where Dylan finds himself today.

The thirteen year old who discovered Guy Clark among the musicians at a Tomball open mic is now studying the craft from writers who helped shape that tradition, earning recognition for his own original music, and finding his place within the Texas songwriting community that first inspired him.

Dylan "Mississippi Smile" DuPont is carrying that tradition forward in his own voice, one story and one song at a time.

 

Featured Performances:

04 Center (Austin, TX) – Opening for Grammy-nominated folk duo Trout Fishing in America (October 2026)

Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe Songwriters Festival (November 2026)

Lucy Blues Annual Guy Clark Tribute – Featured alongside Verlon Thompson, Shawn Camp, and Conrad Olson

Dosey Doe Big Barn – Opening for Crystal Gayle

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo – Beer Gardens

League City White Linen Night (2026)

League City Folk Association – July 2024 Spotlight Artist

11/11 Music Fest - Nov. 2022 featuring: Randy Rodgers, Stoney LaRue, Sunny Sweeny & more

 

Venues Played:

The Red Brick Tavern

The Table at Madeley

Grapevine on Main – Chappell Hill

Hendley Wine Co. – Galveston Strand

Coastal Star Brewing – Galveston Strand

Creekwood Grill

Whitley's Vineyard

The Empty Glass

Haak Winery

Lone Pint Brewery

Excalibur Brewery

Paradigm Brewery

403 Eats

Thirsty Bee Meadery

The Firm Meadery

GuadalaHARRY's Bar & Grill

Cork This Tap That

Weddings, House Concerts, Corporate Events & Private Functions

 

Recognition:

Houston Songwriters Association – Runner-Up Songwriter of the Year (2025)

Houston Songwriters Association – Runner-Up Song of the Year (2025)

Nashville Songwriters Association International – Two-Time "One to Watch" Honoree

Bob Kingsley Top 40 Song Selection

League City Folk Association Spotlight Artist (2024)

Press photos

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