SET is a publication of Listerhill
VOLUME 02 ISSUE 06 JUNE/JULY 2014
THE TABLES HAVE TURNED SCRATCH THAT!
YOU DON’T KNOW HANDY BUT WE DO
LITTLE DRUMMER BOY GETS AROUND
2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
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YOU GOTTA BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND WHAT YOU’RE DOING. IF IT’S MEANT TO BE, IT’LL HAPPEN BUT ONLY IF YOU KEEP AT IT. FROM LOCALS TO LEGENDS, P12 FEEDBACK
LETTER
LET’S HEAR IT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
FROM THE EDITOR
DJS – ARTISTS OR NAH? NITTY-GRITTY DETAILS OF THE ONE-MAN BAND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
STREAM TO SAVE WHAT’S THE BEST MUSICAL BANG FOR YOUR BUCK? . . . . . . . . 7
IT’S BACK! Here it is, the one you’ve all been waiting for — Music issue number two! We know how important music is in this area and we wanted to be sure to bring this theme back for 2014. It goes without saying that this area we live in is teeming with talented musicians. Whether it’s your brother, sister, cousin or friend, you definitely know someone who is involved in the music scene. I feel like each year, this scene continues to grow, but this musical growth is nothing new. W.C. Handy grew up in Florence with a passion for music. He pursued that passion to the nth degree, and now he’s a local legend (you can read more about him on page 17). The same thing happened years later with The Swampers. They were all just young guys doing what they loved, and that grew into something that really put the Shoals on the map (read some of their interviews on pages 11-15). Today, young people in the area are still pursuing their passion of music and cultivating the culture of the Shoals. You can see the way passion and love for music has just become part of living here, everyone feels it and everyone wants to be a part of it. We’re definitely proud and excited to bring you this issue. We’ve got some amazing interviews to share, insight into what’s going on with The Great Cypress Creek Raft Race (page 22), a glimpse at what the young people in this area want to see from The W.C. Handy Fest (pages 18-19) and a lot more. If this is your first time to pick up SET — or maybe you need a refresher of what we’re all about — we are a
THE HALL LEGACY RICK HALL’S FAMILY MAKES A MARK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
SECOND CHANCES FAME GIVES MORE THAN LEGENDARY MUSIC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
FROM LOCALS TO LEGENDS YOUNG MUSICIANS LEARN THE ROPES FROM LOCAL LEGENDS. . . 11-15
15 THINGS ABOUT W.C. HANDY THESE FACTS SHOULD COME IN HANDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM HANDY FEST? YOUNG LOCALS ANSWER THE QUESTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19 collaborative publication by and for young people. So what does that even mean? It means that all of the content, from articles to illustrations, comes from our contributors! This entire magazine is exactly what it is because our contributors made it that way. Does that sound like something you want to be a part of? Don’t be afraid to ask! Whether you’re a writer, photographer or illustrator, we’ve got room for you! Not only do you get to give back to your community, but you get the opportunity to build your portfolio and earn some cash on the side. If you’re interested in becoming a contributor, email me at editor@getsetmag.com and I’ll get you started. Enjoy reading through this issue, and when you’re done get online and leave us some feedback. We want to know what you think!
BY LINLEY MOBLEY, EDITOR
SET is a publication by and for local young people dedicated to lifestyle, finance, technology and community. It is published by Listerhill Credit Union as
part of its ongoing mission to promote the credit union philosophy of cooperation and financial literacy. It is a platform for 15-20 somethings in the community and it is free.
CALENDAR WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21
NO RAFT RACE... BUT WHO’S STOPPING US? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
SPOTLIGHT SET READERS IN ACTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-27
TUNE IN AT UNA UNA UNVEILS THEIR NEW RADIO STATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
WHO DAT? WHO DAT? GUESS THE CELEBRITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
DRUMROLL, PLEASE A LOOK AT ONE OF FLORENCE’S OWN GNARLY BUNCH. . . . . . . 32
MARCY JO’S MEALHOUSE & BAKERY A MENU OF MEALS AND MUSIC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
FREESTYLE ONE FINAL THOUGHT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
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PHYSICAL ADDRESS:
4790 East Second Street Muscle Shoals, AL 35661
4 FEEDBACK & CONTRIBUTORS
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FEEDBACK MAY
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MOLLIE SCHAEFER I love the cover art, mostly for the colors and fonts. I think that the Throwback idea is wonderful.
NIKKI MESSER, @_NIKKIMESSER I love this retro issue! Even though I wasn’t born yet, this iconic decade speaks volumes to our fashion, music and culture nowadays. Not to mention the fabulous ads.
CLAIRE STEWART, @CLURRSTEW O A LO G O IN
IS G AM
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CHRISTIAN STOVALL, @CHRISTIANSTVLL
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I want to play with the paper dolls immediately!
O LD N D S TH E OU G GR M P IN
My favorite article of this issue is definitely the “Livin In An Amish Paradise.” It proves that if we get out and travel to unknown places we will definitely learn new things about different cultures along with discovering something new about ourselves.
SET CONTRIBUTORS CLAIRE STEWART
Vestavia Hills, AL
Anderson, AL
LACEY SMITH
ROB MCFARLANE
LEE TAYLOR
SAMUEL SATTERFIELD
RYAN ETHERIDGE Florence, AL
Murfreesboro, TN
LOUISA MURRAY
QUINT LANGSTAFF
Florence, AL
Florence, AL
Cairo, AL
Florence, AL
Florence, AL
KYLE ENLOE
JORDAN CAMPBELL
KALI DANIEL
JAMES THIGPEN Killen, AL
Birmingham, AL
MOLLIE SCHAEFER
JEREMY COUCH
SHANE PARKER
Florence, AL
Birmingham, AL
Killen, AL
Florence, AL
NIKKI MESSER Florence, AL
JUSTIN ARGO
Hartselle, AL
HANNAH BOYD
Columbia, TN
DALLAS MOORE
Savannah, TN
JARED MCCOY
Hazel Green, AL
SHANE MOODY Ford City, AL
JENNIFER OSBORN
Muscle Shoals, AL
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TECH 5
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DJing is 20% skill and 80% psychology.
Avicii also goes by four other names.
PHOTO BY KATPTURED PHOTOGRAPHY
DJS – ARTISTS OR NAH? THE BEHINDTHE-SCENES, NITTYGRITTY DETAILS OF THE ONEMAN BAND
“GO DJ, GO DJ, GO!” When people think of today’s liveperforming DJ, they immediately generalize and stereotype — and I don’t mean DJ StereOtype (hey-o!)! I’m talking about the literal generalization that DJing is simple. All DJs do is play a track and twist the turntable — how hard could it possibly be? After seeing DJ Hunter Jackson’s daily, behind-the-scenes tasks of being one of Florence’s liveperforming DJs, my respect for this job title has increased to a whole new level. DJing is so much more than simply hooking up an iPod to a pair of speakers at a house party. Technology has given Jackson and other DJs an opportunity to express themselves through mixing music and performing live. For DJs like Jackson, DJing is no longer just a hobby — it’s an art. According to Jackson, there are actually two phases of doing a show as a live-performing DJ: the production phase and the performance phase.
THE PRODUCTION
Before the show can ever happen, DJs have to spend countless hours preparing tracks. During this
production phase, DJs take the best elements out of today’s greatest music and mix the tracks in the studio. This process is known as “sampling.” “It’s normal for me to spend five hours on a three-minute track,” Jackson said. According to Jackson, the sampling process really starts to make sense on a songwriting level because he is essentially creating a new piece of musical art. To achieve this unique mix of sounds from the crowd’s favorite music, it’s essential for DJs like Jackson to have the latest and greatest editing programs (which might also contribute to the techjunkie stereotype often associated with DJs). Jackson has used basically every piece of sound editing software that exists within the past five years, but his favorites are the ones that give the highest sound quality: Ableton, FLStudio, Adobe Auditorium, Cool Edit Pro and Massive (also known as Jackson’s “sound bending tool”). After each track is mixed, a set list is organized for the big show. Overall, the entire production phase for an event generally takes about two months.
THE PERFORMANCE
Finally, there is the grand performance — the show that everyone comes to see. The most successful DJs are constantly shaping their show based on the crowd. You might as well call good DJs mind readers because, although there is a prepared set list, DJs still have to do a lot of improvising to their prepared tracks based on the energy from the crowd. As Jackson said, “The crowd makes the show.” “If you look at it like a whole band, you got to think what the crowd would want,” said Jackson. “You got to keep the crowd in the moment and keep them in the show. They build the show. It’s 100% reaction based.” The real question is, how do DJs like Hunter Jackson know how to make a performance memorable? Jackson will tell you it’s the originality of his show that makes it special; it’s the sound, the lights and the atmosphere. “If I could take Taylor Swift, Lil Wayne and Elton John, put them in a headlock, mix them up and give them a Skrillex beat, that would be my sound,” Jackson said. Also, if you’ve ever been to a big
show featuring DJ Hunter Jackson, you might notice an elaborate light show. Jackson admits that his lighting crew at Sweet Tree Productions plays a large role in sustaining the energy of a show. The technical lighting part of a show is very complicated, but when the bass finally drops, and the sound and lights are orchestrated together, it’s totally worth it. “The reaction is what I play for,” said Jackson. If you’d like to catch DJ Hunter Jackson in a live performance this summer, look no further than the Shoals! He will be headlining at the live music showcase during the Sweetwater Depot Grand Opening June 22 in the new Sweetwater District of Florence. In addition, he will be on his first East Coast tour from Austin, TX to Manhattan, NY during the month of September.
STORY BY KYLE ENLOE
6 MONEY
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MONEY 7
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Spotify paid about $500 million in royalties in 2013.
U.S. digital music sales decreased 5.7% in 2012.
STREAM TO SAVE per year, but allows for unlimited downloads at no extra charge.
WHAT’S THE BEST MUSICAL BANG FOR YOUR BUCK?
2. PANDORA
In all honesty, Pandora should probably be number three, but the cheap price is what gets them the number two spot. Pandora only costs $4.99 per month, but you get what you pay for. Unlike Rhapsody, you can’t download songs to your device to play in offline mode. This is a bummer to those who want their music on demand. However, one of the benefits of a Pandora subscription is that there are no ads, fewer interruptions from Pandora (unfortunately, you still get ads from them even with a subscription) and more skips per day. Pandora is great for the listener on a mission to discover new music. But as far as the ease on your wallet, it is much more cost efficient than CDs, vinyl or iTunes downloads. Pandora will cost around $60 per year.
1. SPOTIFY
EVERYBODY WANNA GET DOWN! Question — do you love music or LOVE music? Depending on how you answered, you could be dipping very deep into your pocketbook to get the latest CD, vinyl or iTunes download (barring the fact you actually pay for your music). While it’s true the quality sound of vinyl, album art of a CD and convenience of the iTunes store are more attractive, the cost of these will eventually add up (a lot). To date, CD’s and vinyl cost anywhere between $13 and $20. While iTunes is way cheaper, full albums can still cost about $11. So how can you keep your costs down while increasing your love for music? Two words — streaming services! This isn’t a big reveal by any stretch of the imagination. Most people have at least heard of Pandora or Spotify, but the problem lies in the limitations the free version of
streaming services have to offer. Even the casual music listener gets annoyed with ads every couple of songs and nobody likes to have a limitation on the number of skips you can use. So what is the alternative? Subscribe. All the services that offer free streaming also offer a subscriptionbased service. While most young people shudder at the fact they will have a fee coming out of their account every month, the benefits of the subscription far outweigh the small fee. Let’s look at the numbers. Let’s say you buy, on average, an album every two months. At $13 per CD, that adds up to $78 a year. Vinyl at $20 per record ends up at $120 per year and the entire album off iTunes at $11 runs you $66 per year. As you can see, the costs add up.
There are essentially eight top music-streaming services, each one offering something slightly different from the other. In fact www. CultofMac.com has seven of the top eight streaming services listed if you want to check them out. For this article, however, I’m just going to list my top three.
3. RHAPSODY
Rhapsody is one of the oldest online streaming services, so their credentials speak for themselves. They offer a $9.99 per month subscription that allows the user to download an unlimited number of songs to listen to both on and offline. This helps cut costs by reducing the amount of data a carrier uses for streaming services. Rhapsody offers about 16 million songs and they do a great job of suggesting new music. All in all, Rhapsody will run about $120
Taking the top spot based on function and cost effectiveness is Spotify. With access to over 20 million songs, a radio service and downloads to mobile or other devices for offline listening, Spotify is the best option. But here is what makes it number one. The price for a regular subscriber is $9.99 a month, which adds up to around $120 per year — but, Spotify offers a student discount subscription package, which costs only $4.99 a month! This adds up to only $60 per year. With a price like that, Spotify premium is the best deal around. Music can get expensive. And when it comes to having access to your favorite music for a reasonably good price, streaming is the way to go. Happy listening.
STORY BY JORDAN CAMPBELL
8 HERO
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In 2012 FAME Girls Ranch added a new wing.
JUNE/JULY 2014
There are a total of four ranches in Alabama.
THE HALL LEGACY Mary Elizabeth Hall, a native of Florence, AL is the type of emerging leader the community is proud of cultivating. An alumnus from the University of North Alabama and an active leader in the community, Hall has already made her mark on the small town of Florence.
Hall has had many life-changing experiences while working at the ranch. One experience in particular made her realize how much she takes the simple things in life for granted. A girl was brought to the ranch and had never been provided with proper dental PHOTO BY DALLAS MOORE
RICK HALL’S FAMILY MAKES A MARK
Recently, Hall has taken on a fulltime position at FAME Girls Ranch where she volunteered for years. Hall fell in love with FAME Girls Ranch as she followed in her mother’s footsteps. Hall’s mother took on the position of director when Hall was a young teen. Hall was not initially happy sharing her mother with the girls at the ranch, who also called her “mom.” She even admits to being slightly resentful of her mother’s devotion to the girls. It wasn’t until Hall was asked to help on the ranch that she had a change of heart. Hall will be working with the house moms and overseeing special projects. She has a passion for coordinating projects and fundraisers with the community. In fact, her favorite part of working at the ranch is the community involvement. She calls it an “ask and you shall receive” kind of relationship.
care. She was suffering from low selfesteem from the state of her decaying teeth and never gave anyone a smile. The ranch decided to pay for a visit to the dentist, and not only did she come out with a new smile, but a new dose of self-confidence as well. Hall remembers the happiness as the girl beamed up at her and said, “I’m never going to stop smiling! I have to make up for all the times that I didn’t.” Hall plays a thankless role at FAME Girls Ranch, yet is able to impact the lives of everyone that passes through. For young leaders like Mary Elizabeth the best is yet to come.
STORY BY NIKKI MESSER
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NONPROFIT 9
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The girls go on annual fishing and beach trips in Gulf Shores, AL.
SECOND CHANCES
THE GATES TO FAME GIRLS RANCH.
FAME GIVES MORE THAN LEGENDARY MUSIC FAME Girls Ranch is a nonprofit organization and serves as part of the Alabama Sheriffs’ Association. While some of the Alabama Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches house only boys, FAME is an all-girl facility. The cozy ranch, formerly owned by Rick Hall and his family, is currently the home of nine girls seeking refuge from various abusive situations. The ranch has two houses, the Hall House and the Wilbrooks House, which can hold up to 15 girls total. Each house has a primary caretaker known as a “house mom.” There are also several relief moms that work between both houses. Girls, ages 12-19, live in dormstyle rooms in one of the two houses. The girls are taught Christian-based values and are given chores to teach them responsibility and teamwork. The girls on the ranch are either privately placed or assigned by DHR, at no fault of their own. The length of the girls’ stay varies from case to case — some stay for a few weeks, others for several years. The ranch provides counseling, programs and day-to-day necessities. Ultimately, the goal is to reunite the girls with their families when possible. The Halls, who continue to direct the ranch, and many of the house
moms have created activities that serve as coping mechanisms. A popular activity among the girls is the Broken Glass Project. The ranch set aside a multipurpose room known as the Plate Room where any of the girls can throw glass plates at the wall to help relieve stress. Then, they take the broken glass and make picture frames, posters and other art projects that they sell at fundraisers. In addition, Rick Hall sponsors the Randy Owens Celebrity Golf Tournament every June as a fundraiser for all of the ranches. Local celebrities donate their time to play golf with members from the community. Although programs and fundraising are important functions, the most important part of FAME Girls Ranch is love. Countless girls enter the ranch from a broken home and with the help of loving caretakers and community support, they are able to leave with confidence and poise. FAME Girls Ranch is an organization that successfully betters the community.
STORY BY NIKKI MESSER
10 FEATURE
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Kahri Member Since 2013 Abby Member Since 2013
Drew Member Since 2013
Rebecca Member Since 2013
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FEATURE 11
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If you live anywhere near the Shoals, then you’ve grown up having music engrained in your life. Even if you’re not a musician, I’m sure you can name most of the famous recording studios and list at least five bands or artists who’ve recorded a hit song here. You can sing the songs and you’re proud to call this place your home (as you should be!), but do you know who really put this place on the map? Do you know about the young guys who started out just like most of us — fiddling around with
instruments in the garage — and ended up making Muscle Shoals the “Hit Recording Capital Of The World?” We’ve managed to round-up some of the Shoals’ own musical history makers to sit down with young local musicians and talk about their time recording hits and making music.
12 FEATURE PHOTO BY DALLAS MOORE
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DF: The one I get kidded about the most is the night I fell asleep onstage. We were playing one of Kris’s slow songs, ‘For the Good Times’, which was also a huge hit. I just went right out, definitely long enough to miss some chords. We were on the road for months at a time, once for 16 months straight. I was tired! LM: Tell me about your favorite memory while in the studio. DF: When I cut my first album here with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and Kris’s band. John Prine came down and spent the whole two weeks with us. We had a ball. The only thing that was wrong with that album was that I didn’t know how to sing then. LM: That was your first album, ‘Prone to Lean’, right? That album has my favorite of your songs, ‘We Had It All.’ DF: Yes. That’s my favorite of mine too. A lot of people have cut that song: Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Conway Twitty... LM: So many different artists have recorded your songs. Have you been able to pick a favorite of their versions?
“The one I get kidded about the most is the night I fell asleep onstage.” LOUISA MURRAY: You grew up here in Florence but you’ve been on the road touring most of your life. Did your travels ever take you to anywhere else that you felt you could’ve called home? DONNIE FRITTS:
Yes, I grew up here and actually our first music studio was on the corner of Seminary and Tennessee Street. I was in Nashville at the end of the ‘60s but I moved back here in ‘82. Nashville is my second home.
LM: How did you get involved in the local music scene, and when did you know this would be a career? DF: My father was a great musician, so I already
had a love of music. I started playing drums in bands when I was about 15, but I really wanted to be a songwriter so I started slowly learning to play the piano. It seemed like it took forever but I kept at it.
LM: What musicians did you look up to when getting your start? DF: Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles and Bobby ”Blue” Bland are some. They all cut songs of mine later on. It was a big deal getting a song cut by those guys because I’d been listening to them my whole life.
LM: What was your experience working on your first hit? DF: It was the craziest thing. The first song I ever recorded wasn’t a hit but it was the B-side of a big hit called ‘Everybody’ (on a record by Tommy Roe). So, the dang thing was a million seller. It was a horrible song. I don’t know why the guy cut it but I’m glad he did! It was called, “Sorry I’m Late, Lisa.” You can tell how horrible that song is just by the title. LM: Did you ever feel like you were making history as it was all happening? DF: Not really. I knew it was different, especially after I started touring with Kris (Kristofferson) and everywhere we’d go people would ask me about Muscle Shoals. It was shocking that all these young kids knew about the place. Especially because that was still the early days for the area, in the 1970s.
DF: Ray Charles did that same song. It is my favorite version of all my songs that have ever been cut. It was a total surprise. LM: You’ve recently been recording a new album that I’m very excited to hear. Do you have a release date yet? DF: Not yet. We’re mixing it now. It’s my favorite thing I’ve ever done. I’m really proud of it and we used a lot of young musicians from around here, which I was glad to do. LM: There are a lot of young bands cropping up in the Shoals area who are inspired by the area’s rich musical history and ‘sound.’ As someone who was a big part of building that framework, do you have advice for them? DF: I would hate to be trying to start out right now. It’s a lot harder now. When I was starting, young people in music was a new thing. Rockn-Roll music had really only been around for five or six years, so it was a wide-open field. Now days, millions of bands and the Internet ... it’s a lot tougher than when I started. You just gotta keep at it. You gotta believe in yourself and what you’re doing. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen but only if you keep at it. I truly believe that.
LM: In the past, you’ve told me some of my
favorite stories about life on the road. I think my personal favorite is about the time that you were playing with Kris Kristofferson and y’all wound up being the opening act for an elephant. Can you top that one?
INTERVIEW BY LOUISA MURRAY OF THE BEAR
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FEATURE 13
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“I met Jimmy Johnson in a hotel room in 1980. He thought my style would fit well in Muscle Shoals. Joining the rhythm section here was one of the best things that ever happened to me.”
WRM: Tell me about your favorite memory while in the studio.
WM: ROB MCFARLANE: Where did you grow up?
your experience working on that song?
WILL MCFARLANE: Well, I’m a Navy brat. I WM: My first hit was “Run Away” by Bonnie was born in California but I grew up in several different places, mostly northern Florida. My dad was a fighter pilot so we lived close to Navy bases, but I’m a Texan by heritage. So when he would go overseas, I would go live with my family in Texas. We lived in D.C. some and I finished high school in Long Island.
RM: How did you get involved in the local music scene?
Raitt. It was my first gold record. We recorded it on my honeymoon. I was 24, and it felt amazing. Driving down the street and hearing it on the radio, I just cranked it up and laughed! It was like that scene in “That Thing You Do.”
RM: How did it feel hearing yourself on the
radio for the first time?
WM: Turn it up!
WM: I’ve been playing since junior high dances, RM: Did you ever feel like you were making but I’ve been making a living playing since 1970. I met Jimmy Johnson in a hotel room in 1980. He thought my style would fit well in Muscle Shoals. Joining the rhythm section here was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
RM:
How old were you when you were involved with your first hit, and what was
I have so many favorites. One of them was cutting a duet with Steve Winwood and Etta James, with Jerry Wexler producing it. I’ll never forget that. Another would be sitting there with Levon Helm, him on mandolin and me on dobro, doing over dubs. We [were] hang[ing] out and swapping licks.
RM: How was it different recording with The Swampers opposed to studio musicians in LA or Nashville? WM:
They’re all great players, but The Swampers had intuition from playing with each other for so long. I’ve never done more “first takes” than when playing with The Swampers. They just FEEL it. Roger Hawkins pocket was mystical.
history as it was all happening?
WM: Playing the “No Nukes” rally with Jessie
Collin Young in front of hundreds of thousands of people at Battery Park singing “Come on people now, smile on your brother” — you really feel like you’re a part of something. It was like rock-n-roll church.
INTERVIEW BY ROB MCFARLANE OF THE LOCAL SAINTS
14 FEATURE PHOTO BY DALLAS MOORE
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I’d ask, “What’s the deal here? How do you become a session guy?” And they’d say, “Well the first thing you gotta do is create a style.” So I’d ask, “What is that?” And they’d answer, “Well, whatever it is, you’ll know when you have it, because everyone will be saying, ‘Gimme that Jimmy Johnson lick!’” And when that happened, I realized, I have a style.
QL:
What do you think is the most important ingredient for a good session?
JJ: It didn’t take us many years to realize that
“I think any good redneck Southern boy hears himself on the radio for the first time — it’s a pretty mind-blowing experience.”
JIMMY JOHNSON : This is the neighborhood. That house up there, straight through the window on the corner, was where I grew up. This house, [Swampers Studio], was my aunt’s. My dad played guitar and sang, and my mother played guitar and sang. He was trying to get me to play country music, but I couldn’t get interested. Never have been able to, but one day I had an inspirational moment. WLAY was starting to play black music, and they played “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry — and that did it. I wanted to learn how to do that. QL:
When did you develop an interest in playing music?
JJ: It was when I started playing guitar. From
the seventh grade, I had been playing trumpet in a junior high band. I learned to read music and to solo. But after junior high, when I went into the ninth grade, that’s when I picked up the guitar.
QL: How did it feel hearing yourself on the radio for the first time?
QL: Where did the name “The Swampers” come from?
JJ: The guy that named us The Swampers was
I liked that. I think any good redneck Southern boy hears himself on the radio for the first time — it’s a pretty mind-blowing experience.
Denny Cordell. He was actually from Ireland. He first made it in the record business over in London. One of his first hits he was responsible for was “Whiter Shade of Pale.” But hardly anybody would’ve known until the Skynyrd boys immortalized us is “Sweet Home Alabama.” Then it slowly hooked on. We were always the MSRS, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, but we started to add, slash, The Swampers onto that. And these days, it’s pretty much all The Swampers.
QL:
QL: Did you ever feel like you were making
QUINT LANGSTAFF: Where did you grow JJ: up?
without a drummer of Roger Hawkins quality, you’ll never make it as a band in this business. The drummer is the most important person in the building when you’re doing a session — unequivocally — all sessions, all the time. Everyone can be incredible, but the drummer has to have it. Roger was in the top five drummers on the planet when in his prime. It got to where during the last ten years we played together, we never went to take two. That’s how good he got the band to become.
When were you involved with your first hit?
history?
JJ: I think I cut my first hit around 1964. I JJ: Never. Not one time. And the strangest was at FAME, and I was Rick Hall’s first employee. [They were] a rock band from Mississippi called The Gants, and the song was a Bo Diddley cover called “Road Runner.” Rick had just bought this new effect called a Fuzz-Tone, so I plugged it into a guitar, and I told the guy, “You gotta play just one string at a time, like a bass sound.” It was the perfect device for that song. Between that and the singer having a British accent when he sang (even though he was from Mississippi), it sold 900,000 singles on Liberty Records.
thing about it is, the players we got to know in the big towns — New York, L.A., Nashville, wherever — you would think would be for us when we started our own business. We were the first studio band to ever have a studio, anywhere. But we started to hear about people taking bets about how long we would last. It was real discerning. Nobody was ever going to tell us, “You’ve made it!” But looking back, our proof was on the Billboard charts.
QL: What do you think about the nickname, “King of the Chink Track?”
JJ: I’ll tell you, it doesn’t bother me in any
way in the world. When I first started playing sessions, I started talking to players all over — Nashville, New York, L.A.
INTERVIEW BY QUINT LANGSTAFF OF THE DOGWOOD VANDALS
FEATURE 15
WWW.GETSETMAG.COM PHOTO BY JEREMY COUCH
JUNE/JULY 2014
LACEY SMITH: Where did you grow up? DAVID HOOD: Sheffield, Ala. Just across the street from the 3614 Jackson Highway studio, on the other side of the cemetery.
being very primitive with a kerosene heater in it and no headphones, but I was so happy to get to work I didn’t care. That was a gold record, and when you have a gold record, people start calling you to play on their records.
LS: How did you get involved in the local music LS: How did it feel hearing yourself on the radio scene?
for the first time?
DH:
I was always a music lover and remember my next-door neighbor who was in a dance band practicing his drums. I was also in the school band where I played the trombone. About the same time there was a band called Hollis Dixon and The Keynotes, the first rock n’ roll band in town. I saw Hollis playing guitar for his girlfriend, who was also my neighbor at the time, and I was thinking, “Man, that is so cool!” [Dixon’s band] inspired me, Jimmy Johnson, Roger Hawkins, and a lot of the musicians that later became part of the recording industry. After that, I got into a band of my own called The Mystics, and that got it started. I was 18 when I started playing the bass guitar. We copied Hollis Dixon’s band and also Jimmy Johnson’s band at the time, The Del-Rays. We learned most of our music by [listening] to them and be like, “Oh! That’s how it goes.”
DH: That was a thrill! The money wasn’t really that good back in the day, but it was better than what I was making at the tire store. I still get that thrill when I hear myself on the radio. We weren’t interested in being stars or playing on stages with thousands of people, we wanted to be heard playing on records and radios.
LS: When did you know this would be a career?
the studio.
DH: I never planned on making music my career.
The Mystics got to record at FAME with a hit called “Where is My Little Girl.” That brought the attention of me to Rick Hall. While the band was breaking up, I would go hang around FAME and try to work — even if it was for free. It was close to where I was working, my father’s tire store, and there weren’t many bass players around at the time.
LS:
Did you ever feel like you were making history as it was all happening?
DH: Not really, we never thought of it that way. We were young, and it was really exciting to get to do it. After we were making these hit records and seeing the stars, we weren’t thinking of making history. We were getting to do want we wanted to do — that was the thrill. LS: Tell me about your favorite memory while in DH: There are so many. I really enjoyed working
with the Staples Singers. I remember there being a couch under the window and the producer, Al Bell, rocking back and forth to the music. They were so excited about recording. It was a thrill to get to work with people who were your heroes.
LS: What is on your daily spin right now?
LS: How old were you when you were involved DH: I listen to satellite radio, because I like to [stay] with your first hit, and what was your experience working on that song?
DH: I was about 22 or 23 when I cut the first hit. It was May 15, 1966. The song was “Warm and Tender Love” by Percy Sledge, the follow up to “When a Man Loves a Woman”, and it was a gold record. I remember, Percy’s first producer, Quin Ivy’s studio
upbeat with what is popular. I’m not a fan of rap and hip hop necessarily, but there is some that I do like. For the most part, the newer albums I have are Bonnie Raitt’s new album, Jimmy Cliff, my son’s group, The Drive By Truckers, Jason Isbell, The Alabama Shakes, and St Paul and The Broken Bones.
“Almost anybody can play a guitar, keyboard, bass, whatever; you just have to be willing to work twice as hard as anyone else.” LS: What was that drive that made you want
to move to the other side of town and start the Muscle Shoals Sound?
DH: Fred Bevis had built a music studio here on Jackson Highway, and he loved music, but he didn’t really know what to do with it. So he approached Jimmy Johnson and Roger Hawkins about buying it from him. They knew they couldn’t without the rest of the rhythm section and so they asked Barry and me to be partners with them. At the same time, Rick Hall wanted us to sign an exclusion contract where we wouldn’t work with anybody but him and his artists. By that time we were working with a lot of different people and didn’t really want to be exclusive. We liked Rick a whole lot, but we didn’t want to go that route. When we went up to tell him we were going to open up our own studio, Rick had a contract with Capital Records, and we were a key component of that deal to be exclusive for the record label. We didn’t see how important that was to him, and of course he got mad and said things like, “You’ll never work here again.” We weren’t mad when we left — but Rick was. So we knew when we left, we had to make this work. It was all or nothing. LS: What would you tell local musicians today about making it in today’s industry from your experiences?
DH: You have to be willing to work a lot harder than you think it’s going to be. It’s fun to play music, but you have to go that extra mile. You have to be on time, be in tune, and do whatever it takes. Almost anybody can play a guitar, keyboard, bass, whatever; you just have to be willing to work twice as hard as anyone else.
INTERVIEW BY LACEY SMITH OF SCM ELECTRIX
16 SPECIAL FEATURE
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JUNE/JULY 2014
JUNE/JULY 2014
SPECIAL FEATURE 17
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Henderson, KY also has a W.C. Handy Festival each year.
Handy Home & Museum is at 620 W College St, Florence.
ILLUSTRATION BY JENNIFER OSBORN
15 THINGS ABOUT W.C. HANDY THESE FACTS SHOULD COME IN HANDY W.C. Handy, one of the most talented musicians of his time, brought about a musical Renaissance in our country, and his entire story began in Florence, Alabama. So, if you don’t know anything about this gifted instrumentalist, don’t worry. Below are 15 facts to help you get to know the man that put the Shoals on the map.
1.
Born in 1873, Florence native William Christopher Handy was a composer of both religious and secular music and became known as the “Father of the Blues.”
2. Handy showed a love for music
at an early age. He was the son of a Methodist preacher and his father was very opposed to secular music and only agreed to pay for organ lessons for Handy. Thankfully, he found other, more acceptable instruments and picked up the cornet as well as a cappella voice lessons.
“When I was no more than ten,” he handwrote in his autobiography, “I could catalog almost any sound that came to my ears…I knew the whistle of each of the river boats on the Tennessee....Even the bellow of the bull in my mind made a musical note, and in later years I recorded this memory in the ‘Hooking Cow Blues.’”
3. Handy’s first guitar was bought
with money earned from picking and selling berries and nuts. He first saw the guitar in a shop window and purchased it without his parents’ permission.
“With all their differences,
my forebears had one thing in common: if they had any musical talent, it remained buried,” he wrote in his autobiography, referring to the absence of music in his family as a child. He said that to them, “Becoming a musician would be like selling my soul to the devil.”
4. At 15, at the discouragement of
his family, he joined a traveling musical performance group and traveled around the South playing for various audiences. He returned home later when the traveling show ran out of money.
5. His second trip from home was
permanent — with 20 cents in his pocket, Handy’s goal was to travel to Chicago and see the World’s Fair. He believed that he would be able to start his music career after meeting people at the event; unfortunately that was not the case. He ended up poor, homeless and starving in St. Louis.
6. Fortunately,
that terrible experience in St. Louis is what set him to write his most famous song, “St. Louis Blues,” written in 1914. With this song, it is said that he single-handedly made the blues mainstream in America. Throughout his lifetime, it is estimated that Handy was paid $25,000 in annual royalties for that song, earning him over a million dollars in his lifetime. The St. Louis National Hockey League team is named after this tune.
7. Handy was married twice in his lifetime: in 1898 to Elizabeth
V. Price, and again in 1954, to his secretary.
8. As well as being a composer of many songs, he was the author of several books, including “Blues: An Anthology” in 1926 and “Collection of Negro Spirituals” in 1938.
9. “W.C.
Handy, won’t you look down over me,” is a noted line in Marc Cohn’s 1991 hit, “Walking in Memphis,” referencing the statue of Handy that sits in downtown Memphis.
10. He
said, “Life is something like this trumpet. If you don’t put anything in it you don’t get anything out. And that’s the truth.”
11. His
company, Handy Brothers Music, continues today, run by his family members in New York.
13. He and his second wife planned
to fly to St. Louis April 7, 1958 for the opening of the film, “St. Louis Blues,” a fictionalized biographical story of the composer, starring Nat King Cole, which featured many of his original songs. Unfortunately, W.C. Handy died March 29 of that year.
14. On
the day of his death radio stations around the world played “St. Louis Blues,” “Memphis Blues” and “Beale Street Blues” all day to pay tribute to him.
15. Over
25,000 people attended his funeral in Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church in 1958, and over 150,000 people gathered in the streets near the church to pay their respects. He was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, New York.
12. After
a terrible fall from a subway platform in 1943 that fractured his skull, he lost all of his sight. At times, later in life, he said his vision would come and go.
STORY BY CLAIRE STEWART
18 SPECIAL FEATURE
“I KNOW BONNAROO USES WRISTBANDS
that give you access to set lists, merchandise and shows throughout the festival. I don’t know if they do this now, it would be great to pay a lump sum to see all the bands I want to at one time versus paying covers at every door. I now consider Florence my home and want to see the festival grow and grow. If somehow the festival board itself got a greater percentage or a percentage at all for buying the whole week up front, I would do it in a heartbeat — of course I don’t know how that would logistically work, but I like the idea.” – Dustin Varner
WWW.GETSETMAG.COM
“I’VE LIVED IN THIS AREA MY ENTIRE LIFE.
My parents and friends’ parents have gone to Handy Fest several times, but my friends and I never went. Maybe they should target local younger people more.” – Ashley Remkus
“MORE CENTRALIZED LOCATIONS. Less smaller
areas. More like a typical festival. Show off downtown Florence and feature UNA.” – Matt Johnson
“HOW ABOUT DANCE BATTLES?” – Secily Dorrough
“MORE LOCAL ARTISTS.”
– Cory Miller
“CAMPING FOR SHOWS and more
promotion of the thing in general. And the poster for it this year is so boring.” – Katie Threet
“I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AN UP-ANDCOMING, WELL-KNOWN ARTIST grace the
Shoals, just a little diversity in the music and maybe even a big downtown concert with some local artists.” – Kaitlin Chappell
“I THINK LOCAL FOOD PLACES SHOULD GET INVOLVED. They should offer free food to people they
know are going to be hungry and thirsty while watching bands play. I think that’s just good business.” – Chad Miller
“I’D LIKE TO SEE AN UPDATED WEBSITE.
That would be cool. I think they should also take the opportunity to give a shout out to the Honors Program kids who consistently work their butts off to design a poster for them. I’m pretty positive that competition/ homework assignment is one of the hardest things Ronald Davis makes you do in his CIS 125 class.” – Corinne Edmiston
“HANDY FEST NEEDS NEW MANAGEMENT, NEW DIRECTION. They have led the festival through
the desert and now it is time to pass the leadership onto a new group because hearing “Pink Cadillac” 40 times a day during that week is not Jazz or entertaining.” – Matt Wilson “I
WISH THEY WOULD TARGET THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY a little better and get the word out on
our campus more. Because I honestly have no idea what it is and I’m starting my second year in the fall.” – Mari Williams
“I WISH THEY COULD EITHER MOVE IT CLOSER TO THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR
or at least provide a sampler. It’s in the summer when a lot of people, including myself, go home because we don’t have anywhere in Florence to stay.” – Alli Ownby
“BETTER CONCESSION STANDS and bigger bands
and more famous musicians.” – Jordan Raffield
“WHAT IS HANDY FEST?”
– Justice Jordan
“A FEW MORE REGIONAL, POSSIBLY NATIONAL, BANDS that
are close to our age playing in the area would be profitable and bring more people to the area for the festival.” – Shane Moody
“FREE MUSIC IS ALWAYS GOOD.
So the more free shows there are the better.” – Will Rhodes
“I’D LOVE TO SEE A LARGER HERITAGE ACT AS THE HEADLINER, one or two up and coming indie acts, and a few Muscle Shoals locals featured on the main stage.” – Philip Blevins
“FEATURE DIFFERENT MUSIC DOCUMENTARIES IN PARKS.” – David Sides
JUNE/JULY 2014
JUNE/JULY 2014
SPECIAL FEATURE 19
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“SPREAD LOCATIONS ... more Pegasus and The End shows.” – Jeremy Couch
“I WOULD LIKE MORE FAMILY/KID FRIENDLY EVENTS and maybe some
educational opportunities to learn about W.C. Handy, jazz and music in general.” – Angela Voigt
“I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A MORE SUPPORTING AND NURTURING ATTITUDE toward
the younger generation of musicians in this area. Variety is not a bad thing.” – Jackson Gillreath
“I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE LOCAL BANDS FOR THE YOUNGER CROWDS.
We’ve got some pretty awesome bands in the Shoals who don’t get enough recognition or stage time for how talented they are.” – Whitney Bayles
“I WISH MORE OUTSIDE BANDS WOULD COME TO TOWN ... something new and fresh. Maybe more vendors. More arts/people’s creations.” – Lily Holly
“MY BAND, HIGHWAY 13.” – Grayson Brown
“MORE OF A HISTORY ON W.C. HANDY HIMSELF. For Florence
to be the birthplace of a man who had such influence on music, there are locals who know nothing or very little about him or his story.” – Courtney Rumage
“MORE HISTORICAL INFORMATIVE PLACEMENTS OF HANDY TRIVIA around Florence.
Promotional attempts to get more to visit Handy historical sites.” – Raymond Voigt
“I’D LIKE TO SEE MORE A STRUCTURED AREA where the main festival events are held. I’d
also like to see the city change their legislation that causes food truck/vendors to be unable to work out here. It would add appeal to the festival, as well as improve commerce in the area.” – Robert Coble
“I’D LIKE TO SEE LESS DIVISION BETWEEN GENRES OF MUSIC ... all kinds of
people at every kind of show.” – Evan Sandy
“MORE EMPHASIS PUT ON CURRENT LOCAL ACTS.” – James Moody “I WANT TO SEE MORE FREE EVENTS
and even better music at Handy Fest this year. And Johnny Cash, but that’s not happening.” – The Bear and The Bride
“A WEB/MOBILE EVENT SCHEDULE. Tired of the Word/PDF versions. Get with the times! :)” – Jeremy Britten
“THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE VARIETY.
Of course it’s centered around music, but it could use more attractions to appeal to different ages and personalities.” – Harper Gillreath
“I’D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO VOTE for local bands we
would like to see play. I would like to have a say.” – Cooper Gillreath
STORY BY RYAN ETHERIDGE AND KALI DANIEL ILLUSTRATION BY JENNIFER OSBORN
20 CALENDAR
WWW.GETSETMAG.COM
EVENTS
JUNE 2 - JULY 29 CALENDAR OF EVENTS GLOW IN THE PARK 5K @ Hoover, AL COLOR YOUR WORLD 5K @ Oakville Indian Mound Park and Museum, Danville, AL 6:30am PEACH RUN 5K & 10K @ Clanton, AL 7:00am NATE CURRIN & JENNY MARIE KERIS @ 116 E Mobile, Florence, AL 9:00pm
JUNE 16
FUTURE @ Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN 8:00pm
JUNE 17
COUNTING CROWS @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 8:00pm EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS, JUNE 5 AT THE RYMAN
JUNE 2
CONCERT IN THE PARK @ Big Spring Park, Huntsville, AL 6:30pm
JUNE 3
FLORENCE FOODIES @ The Pie Factory, Florence, AL 6:30pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm STARS FOR SECOND HARVEST FT. CRAIG WISEMAN, FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE AND FRIENDS @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30pm
THE POLLIES & THE BOHANNONS @ 116 E Mobile, Florence, AL 9:00pm FIRST FRIDAYS @ Downtown Florence THE EDGE OF TOMORROW @ Your Local Theatre THE FAULT IN OUR STARS @ Your Local Theatre
JUNE 7
CMT MUSIC AWARDS @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 7:00pm
MOUNTIAN MANIA 15K & 5K @ Decatur, AL 7:00am 911 5K @ Downtown Park in Haleyville, AL 7:00am BUTTERFLY RUN 5K @ Waynesboro, TN 8:00am JILL BROOKS @ Puckett’s, Columbia, TN 8:00pm
JUNE 5
JUNE 8
JUNE 4
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNATETIC ZEROS @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30pm
FLY BY RADIO @ Flobama, Florence, AL
JUNE 6
JUNE 10
BRENDA LYNN ALLEN @ Puckett’s, Columbia, TN 8pm
JUNE/JULY 2014
JUNE 9
FLORENCE FOODIES @ Yumm Sushi & Beyond, Florence AL, 6:30pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR @ Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, AL 8:00pm
JUNE 11
BRUNO MARS @ Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, AL 8:00pm
JUNE 12
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
JUNE 13
RICK AND BUBBA OUTDOOR EXPO @ Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, AL LIZ MORIONDO @ Puckett’s, Columbia, TN 8:00pm MIKE EPPS @ Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, AL 8:00pm 22 JUMP STREET @ Your Local Theatre HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 @ Your Local Theatre
JUNE 14
JUNE 18
31st ANNUAL WORLD DEER EXPO @ Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, AL
JUNE 19
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
JUNE 20
JOHN TOMLIN & CO. @ Puckett’s, Columbia, TN 8:00pm
JUNE 21
JUNE 24
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
JUNE 25
PAUL MCCARTNEY @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville TN 8:00pm
JUNE 26
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm VINCE GILL @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30pm DAN DYER @ 116 E Mobile, Florence, AL 8:00pm
JUNE 27
KATY PERRY @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, 7:30pm TOMMY EMMANUAL @ BirminghamJefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, AL 8:00pm TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION @ Your Local Theatre
JUNE 28
HELEN KELLER 5 MILE & 1 MILE FUN RUN @ Tuscumbia, AL KATY PERRY & CAPITAL CITIES @ Phillips Arena, Atlanta, GA 7:30pm EST SCOTT HOLT @ Puckett’s, Columbia, AL 8:00pm LINDSEY STIRLING @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 8:00pm
ROCK THE SOUTH @ Cullman, AL PAUL MCCARTNEY @ Phillips Arena, Atlanta, GA 8:00pm EST ELVIS COSTELLO @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 8:00pm BOOMARANG @ Puckett’s, Columbia, AL 8:00pm
JUNE 29
JUNE 23
JULY 2
HELEN KELLER FESTIVAL @ Spring Park and Downtown Tuscumbia, AL AN EVENING WITH SEVENDUST @ Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN 8:00pm
MARTINA MCBRIDE @ Von Braun Civic Center, Huntsville, AL
IF YOU HAVE ANY EVENTS YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED, EMAIL CALENDAR@GETSETMAG.COM
LAST DAY OF HELEN KELLER FESTIVAL @ Spring Park and Downtown Tuscumbia, AL
JULY 1
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm PHANTOGRAM @ Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN 8:00pm DELIVER US FROM EVIL @ Your Local Theatre TAMMY @ Your Local Theatre
JUNE/JULY 2014
JULY 3
FIRST FRIDAYS @ Downtown Florence, 5:00pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
JULY 4
INDEPENDENCE DAY SACRED HEART 5K & 1 MILE FUN RUN @ Lawrenceburg, TN SHOALS SPIRIT OF FREEDOM CELEBRATION @ McFarland Park, Florence, AL ATLANTA BRAVES VS ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS@ Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia 7:35pm
JULY 5
MAKKY KAYLOR & THE SWANKY SOUTH PLAYERS @ Puckett’s, Columbia, AL 8:00pm
JULY 7
FLORENCE FOODIES @ Sperry’s Restaurant, Florence AL 6:30pm
JULY 8
CALENDAR 21
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LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
JULY 10
THE BEACH BOYS @ Von Braun Civic Center, Huntsville, AL LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
JULY 11
ST JUDE 5K @ Florence, AL DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES @ Your Local Theatre
JULY 16
JULY 20
JULY 17
JULY 21
KISS & DEF LEPPARD @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 7:00pm
W.C. HANDY FEST Check the schedule for events
LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
W.C. HANDY FEST Check the schedule for events
JULY 18
JULY 22
LOOK AHEAD 5K & FUN RUN @ Cullman, AL RAVEN CLIFF @ Puckett’s, Columbia, AL 8pm
W.C. HANDY FEST Check the schedule for events ERIC ERDMAN @ 116 E Mobile Street, Florence, AL JUPITER ASCENDING @ Your Local Theatre THE PURGE: ANARCHY @ Your Local Theatre
W.C. HANDY FEST Check the schedule for events LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
JULY 14
JULY 19
JULY 24
JULY 12
BECK @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30 pm THE NEIGHBORHOOD @ Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN 7:30 pm
JULY 15
FLORENCE FOODIES @ City Hardware, Florence, AL 6:30pm LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm
W.C. HANDY FEST Check the schedule for events WC HANDY 5K & 1 MILE RUN @ Florence, AL ATLANTA BRAVES VS PHILEDELPIA PHILLIES @ Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia, 7:10pm EST RAY LAMONTAGNE @ BirminghamJefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, AL 7:30pm
JULY 23
W.C. HANDY FEST Check the schedule for events W.C. HANDY FEST Check the schedule for events LIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN 7:00pm EARLS OF LEICESTER @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30pm
JULY 25
W.C. HANDY FEST Check the schedule for events
IF YOU HAVE ANY EVENTS YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED, EMAIL CALENDAR@GETSETMAG.COM
FRESHWATER CREEK @ Puckett’s, Columbia, AL 8pm HERCULES @ Your Local Theatre STEP UP: ALL IN @ Your Local Theatre
JULY 26
W.C. HANDY FEST Check the schedule for events AMERICAN IDOL LIVE! @ BirminghamJefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, AL 8:00pm
JULY 27
W.C. HANDY FEST Check the schedule for events
JULY 28
YES @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30pm STEELY DAN @ Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, AL 8:00pm
JULY 29
SARAH MCLACHLAN @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 7:30pm
22 ART/DIY
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Each year various awards were given to race participants.
JUNE/JULY 2014
Learn more at greatcypresscreekraftrace.com
NO RAFT RACE… BUT WHO’S STOPPING US?
“WELL YOU GET A PADDLE AND BUILD YOURSELF A BOAT OUT OF OLD TRUCK TUBES OR ANYTHING THAT WILL FLOAT.” “The Great Cypress Creek was a beautiful place, it’s been the scene of the mighty Raft Race,” exclaims the short song written about The Great Cypress Creek Raft Race, an infamous event in the Shoals that lasted from the late ‘70s to mid-‘80s. The very first raft race on Cypress Creek took place in the early summer of 1978. Robin Wade was a senior at Ole Miss and had just started a new screen-printing business. Wade and his father established the race as a way to gain exposure for the new business by printing shirts and posters to promote the event. Close to 50 entrants showed up with about 18 rafts crafted from a wide array of materials including old truck hoods, plastic buckets, inner tubes and several other repurposed materials. After the first year, the rafts got more creative; some were two stories and built out of trucks, cars, caskets and more. As the annual race matured it became a buzzworthy topic across the Shoals. Each year, the race’s attendance grew by leaps and bounds. The simple race developed into a community wide festival with the addition of post-race festivities in Wildwood Park. However, the years of fun that the
raft race created soon met a very lethal opponent. A low-head dam was constructed in the early ‘80s just downstream from where the race participants put their rafts in the water. Raft race organizers realized just how dangerous the dam was and decided to end the annual event in 1985. Recently, the dam was replaced by a much more boat-friendly structure, making the creek much safer for people to use for recreational purposes. With the danger from the dam diminished, Wade was eager to re-establish the raft race. He spent time planning and coordinating the return of the event, which was set to take place Saturday, July 19 (purposely coinciding with the first Saturday of the W.C. Handy Music Festival). “I’m just trying to invite my friends to paddle down the creek that day,” Wade said, “and by my friends, I mean everybody.” After the announcement in early April that the race was making a return, excitement began buzzing around the Shoals. Groups of people began creating raft designs and planning to camp near the Cox Creek Parkway bridge, the starting point for the original raft race.
Despite all the excitement from the community, city officials made Wade call the race off due to safety and environmental concerns. Safety has been greatly improved with the removal of the dam, but they thought an organized event on Cypress was a liability issue and seemed way too risky. They were also concerned that rafts could lose pieces along the way and ultimately pollute the creek. After being stopped by officials, Wade put a new plan into action. He handed out stickers at May’s First Friday with the message “No raft race,” along with the time and date of the event that ‘wasn’t happening.’ Wade also posted a picture to his Facebook timeline stating, “We just wanted to have a little raft race — but they said no, no, no ... no Great Cypress Creek Raft Race.” Even though there is “no official raft race” this year, the buzz about the race still continues and everyone has the same mindset — officials can’t stop a person floating down Cypress Creek at their own risk. Wade is hoping to work with the city and “officially” re-establish the Great Cypress Creek Raft Race next summer, which will be the 30th anniversary of
the very last raft race. Wade also plans to host a new festival this year, the Wildwood Creek Festival. The Wildwood Creek Festival, which will hopefully become an annual event, will take place July 19 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Each year the festival will focus on a different theme. This year the festival’s theme will be water and the event will emphasize environmental responsibility and appreciation. All the details haven’t been nailed down as of yet, but it is hopeful that local acoustic acts will perform on (or in) Cypress Creek at Wildwood Park. The hope of a new festival does help ease the disappointment of the raft race being canceled, but we all know nothing is going to stop people from floating Cypress. So we’ll “meet you at the creek bout a quarter till nine, we’ll get together and have a really good time,” won’t we? We all know the answer to that…
STORY BY SHANE MOODY
JUNE/JULY 2014
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ART/DIY 23
24 SPOTLIGHT
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SAY CHEESE!
SET READERS IN ACTION
PHOTOS BY JUSTIN ARGO, JAMES THIGPEN, SHANE PARKER, JARED MCCOY
JUNE/JULY 2014
PHOTOS BY NAME AND NAME
UNA SPRING CONCERT NORTON AUDITORIUM, APRIL 29, PHOTOS BY JUSTIN ARGO
LAUREN WALLACE, HANNAH MCGUIRE, KATIE DAY, LAUREN MAPLES AND TORI PARKER
MADISON LEWIS
REAGAN BUTLER AND MICHAEL JENNINGS
KAITLIN SMITH, JUSTYNNE WHEELER AND DAKOTA SMITH
ANDREW TATE
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SPOTLIGHT 25
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THE FILTHY SIX 116 E MOBILE, APRIL 29, PHOTOS BY JARED MCCOY
THE FILTHY SIX
JORDY SEARCY, LAURA MCCRAY, AND PACE HOLDBROOKS
HOUNDMOUTH 116 E MOBILE, MAY 1, PHOTOS BY JAMES THIGPEN
HOWARD WALKER, KENZIE ALDRIDGE AND ELIJAH WALKER
PARKER NATHAN, JOHN HILL, JANA COBBS, ALLI RHODES AND JOHN MULLICAN
ARTS ALIVE DOWNTOWN FLORENCE, MAY 17-18, PHOTOS BY JUSTIN ARGO
CHRISTOPHER WHITTEN AND TOSHA-PAIGE BREWER
ARTS ALIVE 2014
LAURIE GIVENS
26 SPOTLIGHT
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PENNY & SPARROW 116 E MOBILE, MAY 14, PHOTOS BY JAMES THIGPEN
TREY RICHARDSON, ANNE MARIE GREEN AND CALEB WILSON
KYRA BROWN AND ANTONIO MARTELLO
RYLIE SANDERS, MADDIE MILLER AND KEVIN STEPHENS
GNARLY CHARLIES ALBUM RELEASE SHOW PEGASUS RECORDS, MAY 16, PHOTOS BY SHANE PARKER
SHELBY FINK AND BRIDGETT GLADWIN
GNARLY CHARLIES
CHRISTOPHER CRUNK
MAGGIE BEECH AND BRADY GOMILLION
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SPOTLIGHT 27
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FIRST FRIDAY DOWNTOWN FLORENCE, MAY 2, PHOTOS BY JAMES THIGPEN
PHILLIP BLEVINS AND JASMINE HYDE
AUSTIN SHIREY
JUSTIN MCGILL AND WHITNEY HARGETT
ASHLEY WHITE AND KATIE MITCHELL
28 SPECIAL FEATURE
SET isn’t just a magazine looking for people to share their 2 cents. It is entirely comprised of content provided by the 15 - 29 year olds of our community. No one else writes the articles, no one takes the pictures and no one else decides what runs. That’s why we need you. Attend our next editorial meeting, drop us a line or send us an idea for your story. We want your photography, art and music. Get on SET’s team.
getsetmag.com/contribute
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SPECIAL FEATURE 29
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Radio reaches more than 90% of the US population in a week.
TUNE IN AT UNA
LEO AND UNA APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.
SPRING OF 2015, UNA UNVEILS NEW RADIO STATION Is anyone else tired of hearing “Happy” and “All of Me” on the radio? It seems like every time I get in my car I hear one of those two songs — and that’s the way it is with most stations. They pick two or three hits and blare them across the country until people are sick of them. This phenomenon has caused many people to tune out (pun intended) and exclusively use their auxiliary cord. However, a solution may be on the horizon. Coming soon to the Shoals will be the University of North Alabama (UNA)’s own radio station! “We have a construction permit to build a low-power FM station,” said Dr. Greg Pitts of UNA’s Communications Department. “These [types of stations] are created to be a true community radio station and are non-commercial.”
UNA’s station will focus exclusively on the community, reaching about 80,000 people in the Florence and Muscle Shoals area. Hopefully, this will help bring back something radio as a whole tends to shy away from — the hyperlocal aspect. The problem with most stations that reach across huge swaths of land is that they solely play the Top 40 and the newsreels aren’t even applicable to most people in the station’s range. That won’t be a problem with UNA’s station. This station will be taking radio back to the good ole days. “The goal is to put radio back in the hands of local people and communities,” said Dr. Pitts. There are a lot of questions about this radio station, but the most important one is “What will they be playing?” The answer is: all things local — from playing local music to running ads for local businesses and shows. UNA students will man the station for the most part, but anyone wanting to get involved is free to contact Dr. Pitts about ideas. So how will the UNA radio station do? Only time will tell, but if they stick to their word and tune in to what local customers want and need, my money says they’ll do great.
STORY BY SAMUEL SATTERFIELD
ILLUSTRATION BY LEE TAYLOR
ANSWERS: 1. Pharell Williams 2. Macklemore 3. John Mayer 4. Lorde 5. Ed Sheeran 6. John Paul White 7. Wiz Khalifa 8. Adam Levine 9. Bruno Mars 10. Iggy Azalea 11. Elton John 12. Tegan & Sara 13. John Legend 14. The Secret Sisters 15. Justin Timberlake 16. Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes 17. Daft Punk 18. Jason Isbell 19. Taylor Swift 20. Hayley Williams of Paramore
GUESS THE CELEBRITY!
WHO DAT? WHO DAT? Iggy Azalea’s real name is Amethyst Amelia Kelly.
Elton John has played over 3K concerts in over 75 countries.
30 FASHION
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account on campus at the University of North Alabama or any of our CO-OP Shared Branches located worldwide. To find the location nearest you, go to co-opsharedbranch.org
32 MUSIC
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Rock music was born in the 1940s.
JUNE/JULY 2014
Average studio musician charges $80 to $127 per hr.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN ARGO
DRUMROLL, PLEASE A LOOK AT ONE OF FLORENCE’S OWN GNARLY BUNCH If you don’t know that the Shoals is a musician’s beehive by now, you should get out more. It’s hard to find a person in the area that doesn’t have some connection to the music scene. Many musicians in the Shoals area find themselves committed to more than one band at the same time. This seems like it would lead to hectic schedules and overwhelming confusion — but it must not be as bad as it seems, because there are so many people who do it! Drummer Quinn Stanphill is a great example of a musician in multiple bands. He got his start early in life, having hunkered down with his first drum set at the age of four (a gift from his father, a musician who jokingly claimed that he needed a drummer). His drumming hobby quickly became a passion and something he couldn’t live without. Like any other musically impassioned teenager, Stanphill joined his first band, Shiloh Rising, in high school. Joining this band fueled his passion for making music and he developed a constant need to be creating with other talented people. He moved through a number of bands during his high school career, but after graduating he progressed to bands that are more well-known in the Shoals area: The Valley Roots, Cold Cold Sweats and Hempanzee to name a few. Today, Stanphill currently plays drums for four bands: Gnarly Charlies, Follow Apollo, County
“PA RUM PA PUM PUM!” Line and Rachel Wammack. Out of the four, Gnarly Charlies and Follow Apollo take up most of his time. Even with the beat of four bands on his shoulders, he still needs a little more to keep his appetite satiated; he has a side R&B/hip-hop project with Shoals’ residents Alicia Threet, CJ Anderson and Thaddeus Rowell. So how does one keep up with being a part of two local bands that are both a pretty big deal? He uses something pretty simple, actually — Google Calendar. It seems simple enough, but to Stanphill, it’s a lifesaver. Before using Google Calendar, Stanphill only used text messages and Facebook to try to keep his schedule straight. Somewhere in the blurry haze of it all, Stanphill ended up overbooking himself one too many times. He learned his lesson though, and now he keeps his schedule as clear and easy to understand as possible. While it seems like the biggest struggle would be keeping up with all the different practices, shows and set lists, for Stanphill it’s a little more personal than that.
“My biggest struggle has probably been to be able to live up to my own standards and to be able to listen to myself on recordings,” said Stanphill. “I’ve always had problems listening to things I’ve done or been a part of, and it wasn’t until recently that I realized you can gain so much from what you like and don’t like about what you’ve done before. It applies to anybody — if you really know where you came from, it can help you decide where you want to go.” Because of all the hard work that Stanphill puts in, he admits that it’s really hard to hear people say what he does isn’t real work. He doesn’t let that discourage him though, Stanphill is willing to work “in any and every way, shape, form or fashion” when it comes to his music career. While it certainly seems he’s on his way to something bigger, Stanphill already feels exceptionally successful. “Success looks like those people coming up after shows wanting to talk to me about the show, or my drums or the stupid faces I make when I play.
It means a lot to me when something I did moved someone enough to verbalize it,” said Stanphill. “There’s this love-music-life connection that happens when you talk to those people, too. The music I play, the people I create with, the venue full of people that fuels that crazy-rapidradical-reciprocal-energy-exchange between crowd and stage, it all makes me beyond happy; if I can make somebody else feel any of that, that’s success.” Stanphill has met most of the challenges that musicians are faced with, and he certainly seems to have his goals and the goals of his bands at the forefront of his mind. All in all, Quinn Stanphill is someone people should learn from … or at least fangirl over.
STORY BY MOLLIE SCHAEFER
JUNE/JULY 2014
FOOD 33
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Ancient Egyptians were the first to bake bread.
Many of today’s popular soft drinks originated in the South.
MARCY JO’S MEALHOUSE & BAKERY A MENU OF MEALS AND MUSIC Genuine southern diners are hard to come by these days, but one such diner can be found right in Columbia, TN. Marcy Jo’s Mealhouse and Bakery is located on the corner of Highways 99 and 431. It is known for its southern charm and hospitality, and best of all its delicious home-style cooked food. Sisters-in-law Marcy Gary and Joey Martin Feek officially opened Marcy Jo’s in January 2007. Joey is well-known
for being half of the award-winning husband-and-wife country music duo, Joey and Rory. When Joey is not on tour with her husband, she spends time at the diner cooking, baking bread and helping Marcy however she can. The southern diner was a dream of Marcy’s brought to life with Joey’s help. Family recipes that filled their cookbooks helped to make up their menu, which includes items such as Stuffed French Toast for breakfast, Southern Fried Chicken for lunch and Fried Catfish for dinner. Recipes for these delicious meals are no secret, they can be found at joeyandrory.com along with detailed videos demonstrating how to cook each dish. The diner is located in what used to be a popular trading store built in the 1890s. The building is a single room with an upstairs balcony decorated with
Though the diner could be considered small, this does not stop the parking lot from filling before closing time. Occasionally, if customers are lucky, Joey and Rory might pop in and play a little music to entertain everyone. But what really brings people out is Songwriters Night, which includes dinner and live entertainment and is one of their most popular events. Due to its wonderful food, entertainment and owners, Marcy Jo’s Mealhouse and Bakery is now one of the most popular restaurants and music venues in Columbia, so be sure to head over there for your next meal. great yard sale finds. Mismatched chairs and tables topped with designs from the 1950s make up the dining area and a wood-burning stove sits in the middle of the room letting off welcoming warmth.
STORY BY HANNAH BOYD
34 FREESTYLE
FREESTYLE
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ONE FINAL THOUGHT
GNARLY CHARLIES
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