15days BEST BETS
April 25 - May 9, 2014
Pub Notes by brad evans - bradevans11@gmail.com
contact us
MAILING: P.O. BOX 14251, Macon, GA 31203 OFFICE PHONE: (478) 508-7096 ADVERTISING: meg@11thHourOnline.com
Palindrome, my second daughter, Iris Mae Evans, was born. This pregnancy was a lot different for us. I know that I felt guilt for not giving it as much thought to it as I did the first one. It seemed like with Ella, every inch Meg’s belly grew we were writing it down and taking a picture. This time, we were chasing a boisterous and headstrong toddler around the whole time. I wondered a lot, how the birth could be as magical as the
one. But again, veteran parents were right. It just happens. The moment I saw her come above that curtain,
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ever be. Mom came through like a champ, and Iris was perfectly healthy, and we came home in a couple
be here for you as long as we’re on the planet.
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
I was just as smitten and anxious and sappy as I can
ing you and your sister around. We love you and will
SKY OVER MACON 8-10pm. Explore space, the constellations and planets visible from Central Georgia in "Sky Over Macon" in the Mark Smith Planetarium. The show starts with a general tour of the heavenly sights visible each season, then a live presentation updates the current position of the planets and special events in the sky. After "Sky Over Macon" (if the sky is clear) view the real night sky through our telescopes in the Observatory. Every first Friday of th emonth. $5
MET LIVE IN HD: MOZART’S “COSIDSPhotoGuy.com FAN TUTTE” at Douglass Theatre. Music Director James Levine conducts Mozart’s beloved opera about testing the ties of love. 12:55PM. $24/ $20 Seniors & Students
could love another child as much as I loved my first
Iris, we look forward to spending our lives chas-
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first one. I didn’t consider it a real possibility that I
kind.
FRIDAY
FIRED WORKS REGIONAL CERAMICS EXHIBIT AND SALE Presented by Macon Arts Alliance at Central City Park April 26-May 4, The 9th Annual Fired Works Regional Ceramics Exhibition and Sale will be held April 26-May 4, 2014 in Macon's Central City Park. The exhibit and sale features more than 6,000 pieces of pottery by 70 artists from Georgia and the Southeast. Fired Works began as a local pottery show and has grown to become the largest exhibit of functional and sculptural pottery in the state of Georgia. Daily Tickets $5 (Unlimited return visits. Daily tickets good during regular hours only.) Visit website for information about special events during Fired Works.
On Tuesday, April 15th, under the blood moon and a
of days to start a whole different kind of life. The best
Culture Calendar
Owners of the 11th Hour, Brad & Meagan Evans welcomed a new baby girl, Iris Mae Evans, on April 15th. Pictured above with big sis, Ella Raines, who has already taken to calling lil’ bit “Sizzy”.
ANNUAL PET SHOW AT MUSEUM OF ARTS & SCIENCES Children are invited to show off their pets in the pecan orchard during the Museum’s 58th Annual Pet Show, the Museum’s longest continuously-running fundraiser. Enjoy games, yummy foods, and animal-related activities. 24PM. $1 per person and $1 per pet ROSE HILL RAMBLE Children are invited to show o
FRIDAY
IN MY HEAD... Ripped from the journal of a suspected serial killer 5.02
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n the months before their deaths, relatives say Mildred and Jewel Cleveland had struggled living in the same house with Mildred's grown son, Jason Howard. Jobless and socially withdrawn, Howard was a disturbed man who had been committed to a mental institution for schizophrenia following his arrest for robbing a bank. Police think that after JASON HOWARD Arrested 4/13/2009 killing and burying the Clevelands, 4 Cts Felony Murder Jason Howard continued to live in the house. He paid bills, cared for the family pets, and even took a trip to the family's vacation home. With the aid of cadaver dogs, Liberty County police found the bodies of Jewel and Mildred Cleveland wrapped in tarps and buried in a barn on June 15, 2004. An autopsy later confirmed that both had been shot in the head and that Mildred had been beaten first. In his own words from a November 1994 note, Howard explained: Let it be known that I, Jason M. Howard, can be extremely paranoid, therefore as a fugitive I will not only be carrying firearms but explosives as well...I'm not dangerous until I am crossed or cornered, so stay away. Keep away and don't blame me for a dead tactical team. For the next several years, Howard would live in the woods in Macon Georgia, in a camp he constructed out of camouflage tarps and tents and everything else he could find. He was featured on America’s Most Wanted during those years, though he would elude arrest until 2009, when Macon Police found him breaking into a rental car. Some months later, a friend of the 11th Hour, and a cross country runner, came across Howard’s camp in the woods. In it three journals were found. What follows is a page of one of these journals, the first in a series of pages that look inside the head of a suspected killer.
04 APRIL 25 - MAY 9, 2014
MACON’S SECRET GARDEN TOUR Presented by Hay House. Make plans now to attend Central Georgia's premier home and garden event, named one of the Top 20 Events by the Southeast Tourism Society. Please call for Details! 478-742-8155. $15 In Advance/ $20 day Of PICKIN’ & POTTERY 5-8 p.m. It's First Friday at Fired Works. Live music by Louise Warren, food, fun and more in Central City Park. Tickets are only $10 each. Firedworksmacon.com/ NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: KING LEAR AT THE HISTORIC DOUGLASS THEATRE An aged king decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters, according to which of them is most eloquent in praising him. His favourite, Cordelia, says nothing. Lear’s world descends into chaos. 3PM. $20/ $15 Seniors & Students PRESERVATION WORKSHOPS PRESENTED BY HISTORIC MACON The theme for this year’s Preservation Month is New Age of Preservation: Embark, Inspire, Engage. Historic Macon honors this year’s theme by hosting a series of workshops for owners of historic and older homes every Thursday evening throughout the month of May. All workshops are free and open to the public. Sidney Lanier Cottage 935 High Street . On the line up: Old Home Essentials : May 1, 2014 | 5:30 p.m.; Historic Preservation and African-American Communities: May 8, 2014 | 5:30 p.m.; Creating a Maintenance Plan: May 15, 2014 | 5:30 p.m.; Incentives of Owning a Historic Home: May 22, 2014 | 5:30 p.m.; Ask the Experts: May 29, 2014 | 5:30 p.m.
Culture Calendar SATURDAY
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MACON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA “GOES HOLLYWOOD” al ive MSO Goes Hollywood is the perfect concert for and those avid movie lovers. Guest Conductor he Roderick Cox leads the MSO in a program of pes the best cinematic soundtracks in movie history. The night will include blockbuster musical tunes from Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and more! Don't miss the "Conductor Chat" with Guest Conductor Roderick Cox at 6:30pm! Featuring the GCSU Select Ensemble and the Mandala Rainbow Tribe. Partnering with the Otis Redding Foundation & The Tubman African American Museum. The Grand Opera House, $38.50 for adults, $18.50 for students, and $13.50 for children age 12 & under. y ANCIENT SPIRITS & SECRETS sale 7-9pm. Tickets $25. Macon Arts Alliance and Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative a proudly present "Ancient Secrets and Spirits" at t the Ocmulgee National Monument on Saturday, of May 3. This special event is part of the 9th y Annual Fired Works Regional Ceramics Exhibition and Sale, Georgia's largest exhibit of g functional and sculptural pottery. Discover ancient secrets as you enjoy pottery demonstrations, live Native American music, and lantern TE” tours at sunset at one of Macon's most beautiful and historic attractions.The fun begins at 7 p.m. with live music by Wodige Wehali (WOH dee geh weh HAH lee) and the percussion group Spirit Drum. Enjoy the sights and sounds while immersing yourself in the rich heritage of pottery and culture in the Ocmulgee River Region. Take a walk through the gorgeous an historic Ocmulgee National Monument on a one-mile candlelit lantern tour along the lantern light trail. Museum tours are also available and refreshments will be served. he oy
FRIDAY
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MACON LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS “A CLOSER WALK WITH PATSY CLINE” Thru May 18th A biographical musical that traces the rise to stardom of one of our most beloved recording artists. From her hometown in Winchester, VA, all the way to the Grand ‘Ol Opry, Las Vegas and Carnegie Hall, you’ll hear all of Patsy’s hits! Adults-$18, Students $10. 4220 Forsyth Rd. MACON PARKS & REC PRESENTS SUNDOWN SCREEN SERIES SHOWING “TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE” At Luther Williams Field, Central City Park. All movies are free and begin at sundown. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and relax on historic Luther Williams Field while enjoying a movie on the big screen. Trouble with the Curve, starring Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake was partly filmed on this very same field. What a neat experience, don’t miss it.
SATURDAY
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‘FISH TO DISH’ TROUT FISHING TOURNAMENT 10am - 5pm. Come enjoy fishing with the entire family at our fully stocked RainbowTrout pond! Both kids and adults can compete for fabulous prizes and the honor of catching the "big one" in a serene family-oriented environment. Adult Admission is $10 and includes a meal and beverages- beer, wine and un-alcoholic beverages.Kids Admission is free and eat for free. Fishing Tournament will be held from 10am-2pm. To enter there will be a $30 fee for Adults and Kids can compete for free. LH Harris Ecology Center, 7549 Lower Thomaston Rd. Macon,
18th Annual Pan African Festival, April 25-26 Join us on April 24, 25, and 26 of 2014, as we drum up a lot of excitement, entertainment and fun in downtown Macon as our Pan African Festival of Georgia prepares for another successful year, with some subtle changes the whole family will enjoy. For a third time, all of the activities will take place on – Cherry Street Plaza, near our beautiful new, 49,000 square-foot Museum, slated to open in early 2015. The 2014 Pan African Festival will be bigger and better than ever and is jam-packed with activities (music, dance, food, film, art, and the International Children’s Village) the entire family can enjoy. Vendors will line Cherry St. Plaza with unique items, food, and art people can purchase at our Pan African Marketplace. At center stage, in front of the Terminal Station, regional and local artists, musicians, and performers will entertain the crowds, and a special kick-off event, the Poetry Theatre, will launch the Festival on Thursday evening, April 24, at 7pm at the Douglass Theatre. Other features and offerings of the 2014 Festival include a community services village, an Interfaith Unity Service, activities for small children, and specials at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. Poetry Theatre sponsored by GEICO– Thursday, April 24, 7-9pm, Douglass Theatre Local artists step forward to deliver authentic poetic pieces. This event is a collaboration between Poetic Peace, the Douglass Theater, and the Tubman African
American Museum. Festival Kick-off – Friday, April 25 7- 10 pm – FREE, Douglass Theatre Marketplace & Entertainment Saturday, April 26 11am – 10pm Cherry Street Plaza Enjoy the day with the
whole family! Local artists take to the streets in the form of song, music, dance and much more. Performers in every genre of music from gospel to R&B to Alternative will take to the stage. Vendors provide unique items and exquisite culinary treats. FREE
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Hay House presents its 21st Annual Secret Gardens and Historic Interiors Tour Amble at your leisure through lush, blossoming private gardens in the Ingleside and Vista Circle area. Take a tour through Historic homes, private lofts, and newly restored interiors in the downtown Macon area. Attend Garden Seminars by garden designer and historian Kirk Moore, as well as Tim Lake, and Patrick Wells from T. Lake Environmental. Browse the wonderful Garden Market with charming vendors presenting plants, bird houses, and garden and patio accessories, featured on the front lawn of Hay House.
Nestled among historic magnolias and camellias, the Garden Market returns to the beautiful lawn of Hay House. Browse charming vendor booths for plants and trees, perennials, garden and patio accessories, bird houses, home accents and much more!
Secret Gardens Tour: Friday May 2, 10am-5pm Saturday May 3, 10am- 5pm Sunday May 4, 1pm-5pm Included are an eleven acre country estate, a home with a plethra of Yoshino Cherry trees, a garden rich with fruits and vegetables and an ongoing restoration.
Tim Lake and Patrick Wells Friday and Saturday at 11:00 am Sunday at 3:30pm Friday: A Garden in the City: How to grow your own. Saturday: Potted Plants, Pretty Please: Eye catching designs Sunday: A novel Plan for Native Plants: Thinking outside the box
Historic Interiors Tours: Friday May 2, 5pm- 8pm Saturday May 3, 5pm-8pm The Historic Interiors Tour allows views of private lofts and historic newly restored inte riors in the downtown area. Included are:
Florabrilliance: Friday and Saturday 10am-5pm Sunday 1pm-5pm Special flower displays by local florists and floral design artists on the main level of Hay House.
Free Garden Market: Lawn of Hay House Friday May 2, 10am-5pm Saturday May 3, 10am-5pm Sunday May 4, 1pm-5pm
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Free Garden Seminars: Kirk Moore, Friday-Sunday at 2:00 pm Friday: My Romance with Herbs Saturday: All Neat and Right: Appropriate plants for the period Macon garden Sunday: The Herbal Cupboard
Your ticket purchase includes a free tour of Hay House. 478-742-8155
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SCENE HAPPENING THIS WEEK
Macon Beer Co. Equipment Expansion will Increase Production by 400%
08 APRIL 25 - MAY 9, 2014
Macon Beer Company is announcing a cellaring equipment expansion that will provide an additional 400% to its production capacity. “This expansion will move the company toward a larger distribution area, more year-round brands, and additional packaging options,” said Co-Owner Jeremy Knowles. The equipment is scheduled to arrive during the next couple weeks and will be installed in May. Since it takes about a month to make a batch of beer, it will be summer before the market sees the impact of the increased production. Once operational, this expansion will allow Macon Beer Company to produce enough beer to expand distribution to other regions of the state, such as metro Atlanta, Augusta, and Columbus. Cory Smith, Co-Owner of Macon Beer Company, elaborates: “The additional capacity gets us a step closer to canning our beers and that will result in potential product placement in package stores, grocery stores, and restaurants without draft beer, such as Ingleside Village Pizza and Lemongrass. It also gets a Macon product into other areas of the state, therefore bringing more revenue back to our town.” The newly manufactured fermentation vessels were American-made in Oregon by AAA Metal Fabrication using American steel. “Buying American is very important to us,” says Knowles, “It’s more expensive sometimes, but we are strong advocates of keeping work inside the country and we hope to find a local manufacturer for our future expansion needs.” The new vessels are custom designs to Macon Beer Company’s specifications to allow for more efficient operation in its facility. About Macon Beer Company Macon Beer Company is a Macon-based craft brewery, living by the motto “Engineering Great Beer.” Led by longtime friends Jeremy Knowles and Cory Smith, Macon Beer Company produces local craft beer that celebrates the history of Macon and contributes to its progress. Knowles, a chemical engineer brings an innovative perspective to the brewing process. The company is focused on applying lean manufacturing principles, as well as innovation, sustainability and community. Macon Beer Company is located at 345 Oglethorpe St. Macon, Georgia 31061. For more information visit maconbeercompany.com.
11thHourOnline.com
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OP-ED
{ SEEING RED }
BY BILL KNOWLES
Political Breakdown Last week, the huge story in town was the choice of Sarah Tenon who was chosen by Mayor Robert Reichert, to be placed in charge of the Animal Services in Bibb County. Originally, Reichert had endorsed the selection of former interim Animal Services director Van VanDeWalker, then did a complete about face and nominated Sarah Tenon, who has been at the position since October, 2012.
Emory Christian
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wept under the table with very little scrutiny, was the nomination of Reverend James Bumpus as Director of Small Business Affairs by Reichert, who was voted in 7-1 by the County Commission. (Tenon, Bumpus and now-Public Works Director Steve Pettis were all included to be voted on in one resolution.) I'll be willing to bet that there was a lot of backdoor shenanigans that went on for Reichert to back off of Vandewalker and at the same time putting Bumpus in. You can bet that the two are somehow related. I also wonder why Rabbi Schlesinger ditched the vote early and did not take part in the vote. Maybe his absence was completely legit, but it sure is curious as to why he left. Bumpus, who is also running for a position on the Bibb County School Board, is securely planting himself as an "Associate" in the Cotton Avenue Mafia. Apparently Mayor Reichert is trying to get an honorable position as well as both the VanDeWalker flip-flop and the nomination of Bumpus seems to fall in line with what the Mafia would like. Excuse the pun, but I really don't have a dog in the Animal Control position and can see both sides...to a degree. Tenon has made some improvements to the Animal Shelter during her tenure, but she has alienated MANY in the community by distancing the shelter from animal rescue groups, while I see no downside at all with the selection of VanDeWalker. The upside of VanDeWalker is that Elaine Lucas didn't want him in there. Advantage: VanDeWalker. It is my understanding that Bumpus is completely unqualified to be in the position of Director of Small Business and has absolutely no business being there. Further, Bumpus has ties to many other boards which brings him squarely into the incestuous relationships that have plagued Macon for decades. I high ly recommend that you all keep this in mind in a few weeks when you all should vote for someone does NOT have
a political agenda, but is running for the good of our children and the community: Daryl Morton. Further, if you missed the blurb of a news conference Bumpus called, current Bibb County BOE Board Member Tom Hudson can be seen in the background. A vote for Bumpus is a return to the Dallemand way of thought and will only help the pockets of the Mafia members. To set some things straight, I did support Mayor Reichert in the runoff with Jack Ellis. It was a choice a lot of us really didn't want to make, but we held our nose for the betterment of the community. If left with the choice again, I might have to write my good friend David Corr's name in next time around. In some other political news, there is a very bitter race going on in order to replace Judge Billy Randall with political newcomer Emory Christian. Christian, a former Houston County Assistant District Attorney, who most recently has been an employee of the Bibb County Board of Education as the districts guidance administrator, although she still lists herself as Student Evidentiary Coordinator for the district on Facebook, must not want people to know or remember, that she was a very vocal supporter of Dr. Dallemand and his $51 million miracle as she 'forgot' to list that in her initial press release. When she qualified to run, don't forget, she listed herself down for the wrong position of Magistrate instead of Civil Court Judge. (The Board of Elections sided with Christian saying her 'intent' was to run for Civil Court Judge. The other day I bought a Mega Millions lottery ticket with losing numbers. I, however, intended to put down the right numbers. Do you think any court would see it my way? Me either.) As I have driven around Macon recently, I've seen a great number of signs around with Christian's last name on it and something else came to my mind. My first thought was that retired Judge Martha Christian was running for something, then I had to remember that Judge Christian RETIRED....and isn't running for anything. I hope that this is not a factor, but I can promise you, knowing how politics works, it was certainly a discussion behind closed doors. Don't fall for it. Emory Christian is certainly NOT Judge Martha Christian and has never been on any bench. Judge Randall may be an older jurist who has some issues of his own, but his experience and knowledge of the legal system vastly overshadow the ineptness and inexperience of Christian. And again, as I have said before, this is an attempt by the Mafia to go after State Representative Nikki Randall through her father, Judge Randall. That fact alone should make you want to vote for Randall‌.Both of them. 11thHourOnline.com
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ChanK The Life & Times of
By Candice Dyer
I’m not a musician,” he says. “I can’t play, sing, or write songs. I was just a friend who got entwined and ended up on this ride, and I’m still on it because we were always more like brothers than friends.” He was shining shoes, “trying to make a quarter,” at a barbershop when he first glimpsed members of the newly-formed Allman Brothers Band, trailing their long, cornsilk hair behind them, in the spring of 1969. “That was the first anybody ’round here had seen of hippies, and all the brothers in the barbershop started running to the window and staring, yelling, ‘Look at the hippies!’” says Hewell Middleton Jr., wincing at the memory. “I didn’t go look. I figured if they were hippies in Macon, Georgia, they’d run into enough trouble and embarrassment without me gawking at ’em.” Middleton -- better known as “Chank” -- was right. These shaggy rockers who had ridden into town on some sort of rented mule from Florida were not welcomed.“Those guys would walk down two blocks lined by solid, hard-core rednecks at the pool halls and liquor stores,” he says, “and the rednecks would yell in high voices, ‘Hey, baby, what’s happening?’ Making fun of them ’cause they had that long hair, like they were women.”
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As it turned out, the invading hippies were loping directly toward Chank. That barbershop was fortuitously located next to a building owned by impresario Phil Walden, who had successfully promoted Otis Redding before his fatal plane crash, and now was chasing after a new sound and talking about starting a record company. Chank, who was just out of Ballard-Hudson high school, was a thoughtful young man, “heavy into jazz – Coltrane, Monk, Cannonball Adderley, those cats,” he says. So he shrugged at the newcomers. “Phil was converting an upholstery shop into a studio, and it didn’t have air conditioning or Coke machines,” Chank says. “Our shop did, so the band would come to our place, and we’d talk, laugh, bullshit. For weeks, Duane kept inviting me to listen to them rehearse; I wasn’t sure if he was serious about wanting me there. But one day, after he insisted, I finally went, and when I opened that thick-ass door, they were playing ‘Whipping Post.’ It was a sound I’d never heard before. I said to myself: ‘These white boys are playing this shit?!’
Wasn’t nobody anywhere in the world making that kind of music. I fell in love with that sound. From then on, whenever somebody needed shoes shined, I had to be dragged away from my spot in the studio.” It is a testament to the virtuosic, insinuating, and abiding power of the Allman Brothers Band that many of us have heard those spiraling, physics-defying jams (and their many imitations) so many times that we no longer even notice the music, or recognize how shatteringly original it was at the time. While those “rednecks” were making catcalls at the “hippies,” this young AfricanAmerican man enjoyed a front-row seat at the birth of Southern Rock at Capricorn Records. Chank was reeling from other revelatory dynamics, too, though, that moved him at least as much as the music. “They had a black drummer,” he says, referring to Jaimoe Johnson. “What I really liked about them was – you have to know how prejudiced Macon was then – they took this black guy into their fold, and it was so obvious they loved him like a brother. I thought, ‘These are not your regular white guys.’” In fact, during that divisive era, when Jim Crow laws still lingered like the smell of cordite, the Brothers sincerely revered the brothers. Their charismatic leader, Duane Allman, had been bending notes in the relatively colorblind Muscle Shoals studio, and the fair-haired younger one, Gregory Lenoir Allman, around 21 at the time and looking like a fallen angel – a Botticelli by way of Daytona Beach -- would eat pork-lubed country cooking to lend “soul” to his vocals. “Pretty soon, all that bad feeling passed about the band and hippies and black and white,” Chank says, “and Macon and the rest of the world opened their arms to the Allman Brothers and other things. Between the Allman Brothers and the Byron Pop Festival, things changed. The band shook ’em all to the core, and things changed.” Chank laces his long, coffee-colored fingers together, and nods, conveying a world of meaning – things changed for the band, the town, the country, for all of us. They changed for some of the reasons that he became a fan, and eventually one of the most enduring, and endearing, insiders in the tumultuous group’s inner circle. “Chank is an unusual kind of person,” says Newton Collier, who played horns for Sam & Dave. “He’s always been the glue that holds everybody together.” And it’s no secret that the Allman Brothers have required plenty of adhesive. Over the years, Chank has served as muse, crisis responder, aide-de-camp, valet, wing-man, and confidante, and today he cites his occupation as “personal assistant” to Gregg Allman – “G.A” to other members of the entourage, but the more formal “Gregory” to Chank. “I’m not a musician,” he says. “I can’t play, sing, or write songs. I was just a friend who got entwined and ended up on this ride, and I’m still on it because we were always more like brothers than friends.” Hewell, pronounced “Hugh-ELL,” Middleton, 63, was born in the Bellevue neighborhood, where he still resides today, into a large and ambitious family (His sister is politico Terri Tripp.) “My granddad on my dad’s side is white, and my great-grandma was full-blooded Cherokee, and that’s a helluva mixture.” This lineage gave him vaguely Asian-looking facial features. “My paternal grandmother starting calling me ‘Chank’ because I look Chinese,” he says. That fateful spring when he met the band, he first bonded most intensely with Duane Allman. “He was such a natural leader, had so much presence that you and everybody else wanted to follow him,” Chank says. “He was always asking me and everybody else to look after his little brother, though. He was all about Gregory, not himself. It was like Duane had this sense that he wouldn’t live that much longer; he told me his days were numbered on this earth, and Gregory has always been so shy and vulnerable.” Sure enough, Duane Allman was killed in a motorcy-
“I fell apart,” Gregg Allman says. “Chank was the first person I met outside the studio in Macon, and we hadn’t known each other that long. He was right there for me, when...,” he pauses to collect himself, “I lost my brother. He was there, and I was lucky that he was there.”
cle accident in 1971. Today, his kid brother still can’t talk about that tragedy without choking up. “I fell apart,” Gregg Allman says. “Chank was the first person I met outside the studio in Macon, and we hadn’t known each other that long. He was right there for me, when...,” he pauses to collect himself, “I lost my brother. He was there, and I was lucky that he was there.” About a year later, the band’s bassist, Berry Oakley also was killed on his motorcycle, near the scene of Duane Allman’s wreck. “There was a lot of weird shit happening,” Chank says, “spooky coincidences. It was a real struggle for all of us.” In keeping with those hedonistic times and the longstanding proclivities of the music industry, drugs and alcohol were always plentiful, and Chank became addicted to heroin. “I got strung out, had that spike in my arm,” “Look, we were all junkies back then, either selling it or buying it. I did both.” Chank, though, got caught and spent more than a year in prison. “Seven or eight months in South Georgia, on a straight chain-gang, and the rest of the time in Buford.” His experience inspired the song and album title “Win, Lose or Draw.” “I’d been out of prison a couple of months in 1974, and ran into Gregory,” Chank says. “He told me to start talking about what I’d been through, so I did, and he started writing, and that song came out of that.” That would not be the last album he inspired. “I remember first meeting Chank, when he had this gigantic afro,” says quirky rocker Col. Bruce Hampton, who was part of the Capricorn stable and wrote the tribute song “Give thanks to Chank” – the title track of that album. “Chank was always wise beyond his years. He’s a cross between Richard Pryor and Mark Twain. I wrote that song about him because he makes me smile --- not laugh, but smile.” Out of prison, Chank joined Allman for a spree in Los Angeles, where he played another pivotal role for his buddy: Cupid. They were at a nightclub where Etta James was performing when Gregory scribbled a flowery love note and instructed a reluctant Chank to deliver it to Cher’s table. Thus began a whirlwind romance, and an on-again, off-again marriage, that sent tabloids into a frenzy, resulted in a son (Elijah Blue), and brought the glamorous Cher to live for awhile in Macon before she and Allman split up Around the mid-1970s, the band was unraveling messily amid substance abuse, artistic differences, and legal woes. Chank remained stalwart as always, and Allman rewarded him with a new Corvette. “I asked him years later how he knew I liked ’vettes, and he told me he noticed I would turn my head to look every time I saw one. Gregory pays close attention to everything, more than people realize.” Nevertheless, Chank, a “homebody,” felt burned out. “The road is not for everybody,” he says. “The ones that
it’s for, them people got Gypsy blood or something. Any time you spend that much time away from home, you’re living an abnormal life. I’m like Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ – ain’t no place like home.” He checked into detox, and then began using Methadone. He gradually weaned off it, he says, milligram by milligram, until he was clean in 1976. “I said, ‘To hell with that shit!’ I told the people at the clinic, ‘Y’all won’t be seeing me back here again.” And they did not. Chank settled into a calmer lifestyle and a job in the supply department of Brown & Williamson. Capricorn sound wizard Johnny Sandlin had introduced him to reggae, and he went from afro to dreadlocks and began amassing Bob Marley Tshirts – 300+ and counting. (His only casual-wear minus Marley usually features Nelson Mandela.) Much to Chank’s surprise, Allman persuaded President Jimmy Carter – whose campaign had benefited from the band’s fund-raising support -- to grant his friend a pardon for his drug sentence. “The whole time I was at Brown & Williamson – more than 20 years -- Gregory and I talked every month,” he says. “He was always after me to come back on the road with him. I liked being home, though.” Nevertheless, after taking early retirement from Brown & Williamson, Chank returned to his full-time role as personal assistant to Allman in 2005. “Back in the day, they called me their ‘travel director,’ but that was a sham – we were partying,” Chank says. Today, though, he helps Allman forge through the kind of health issues that come with a graying ponytail and rock ’n’ roll lifestyle -- chiefly a liver transplant and its complications. “The Blade – I call him that because he’s so skinny – is my dearest and oldest friend,” Allman says, over the phone from the Mayo Clinic, where his new organ is under inspection before he and Chank embark on a trip to Australia. “He’s one of those people-treasures you’re
PHOTOS: Opposite Page: Gregg Allman with Chank on the right. Above photos courtesy the Allman Brothers Band Museum. This page: Chank with wooly boots ©Lee Gilbert
lucky to stumble across at just the right time in your life. Recently we were trying to think if we’d ever had an argument in the 45 years we’ve known each other, and we haven’t – nothing important enough to verbalize, anyway. Everybody needs a best friend. He’s mine.” Adds Chank, “Even in this day and age, some people can’t believe a white man and a black man can be close friends. People call me his ‘driver.’ Shit! I was never his driver. This is not some ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ bullshit. We are friends who’ve been through a lot, and that runs deep.” After reflecting again on Duane Allman’s long-ago injunction to take care of his little brother, Chank says, “I didn’t realize that Gregory is actually older than I am until his 50th birthday party. I always assumed I was older. Ain’t that some shit?” 11thHourOnline.com
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OP-ED RICK HUTTO
{ CITY SCENE }
Published author, former Macon City Council
A Purple Georgia? For decades, the State of Georgia voted reliably Democratic. Even in 1928 when the Democratic nominee was Al Smith, an anti-prohibitionist Catholic, 57% of Georgians remained loyal, giving Smith his highest number of electoral votes of any state in the South. Even the wildly popular General Dwight Eisenhower couldn’t carry Georgia in 1952 or in 1956. Not until 1964 did Barry Goldwater move Georgia into the red column as one of only six states in the nation to vote Republican. Georgia was carried by Independent George Wallace in 1968 and then remained Republican in presidential elections until our vote for favorite-son Jimmy Carter in 1976 and 1980. Republicans won again until Bill Clinton narrowly moved Georgia to the Democrats in 1992 but then lost to Bob Dole in 1996. We have remained Republican since then in presidential elections, although in 2012 Georgia was the second-closest loss in the nation for Barack Obama (only North Carolina was a closer defeat). Now, all our state-wide elected officials are Republican as are both houses of our legislature. Many have bemoaned the demise of the Democratic Party in Georgia although perhaps Mark Twain’s admonition would be more accurate: “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” Georgia’s rapid demographic changes are moving us back toward the Democratic Party. Not only is Georgia almost 1/3 African-American, but our Hispanic population is growing rapidly. In fact, we now have approximately 900,000 Hispanics (although some claim the number is much higher), ranking Georgia tenth in the nation. With Hispanics closing in on one-tenth of our population, their usually-Democratic vote makes them an important part of our electoral equation, particularly since the median age of Hispanic Georgians is 25. If you think our Latino population is to be found only in Gainesville (poultry processing), Dalton (carpet manufacturing), Vidalia (onion harvesting) and Fort Valley (peach picking), you are sadly mistaken. Even in Macon Hispanics may attend Catholic mass or Protestant services completely celebrated in Spanish. In fact, some anti-immigration activists have begun calling our state, “Georgiafornia.” What seems certain is that the trend will continue. It will not be too many years before Georgia’s African-Americans and Hispanics together will out-number Caucasians. By that time, a once-blue Georgia that had turned reliably red will almost certainly become purple – a state competitive for both political parties. This year’s elections offer a fascinating opportunity to see whether two conservative Democrats with distinguished Georgia roots can accelerate that process. Michelle Nunn’s resume would be impressive even if she weren’t the daughter of political icon Sam Nunn. As her television commercials attest, Michelle Nunn has for years headed up former President George H. W. Bush’s philanthropic organization, Points of Light. In
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fact, his son, Neil Bush, announced Nunn’s leave of absence to run for the Senate. Early campaign contributions to her came from John Warner and Dick Lugar, both former Republican U. S. senators. She recently opened her first field office in Georgia here in Macon, mentioning her deep roots in the area. Her aunt, Betty Mori, who attended is a Wesleyan graduate and owner of Mori Luggage. Michelle Nunn’s husband and their two children attended, and even her son’s name is a testament to her family’s legacy of service. Vinson was named for Sam Nunn’s great-uncle, Carl Vinson, the first person to serve for more than 50 years in the U. S. House of Representatives. A Mercer law graduate, Vinson was the long-time chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. It seems a safe bet that the crowded Republican field will badly bruise one another while spending pots of money allowing Michelle Nunn to coast to her nomination. The influential Cook Report originally labeled this Senate seat as safely Republican but recently switched it to a toss-up. Michelle Nunn may be just the person to bring it back into Democratic hands. Our current governor, Nathan Deal, has troubles of his own with questions about ethics and financing of his campaign as well as his personal debt. The field was cleared early to support a campaign by State Senator Jason Carter as the Democratic nominee. Media reports never omit a reference to his grandfather, former President Jimmy Carter. What most writers have failed to notice, however, is that Jason’s other grandfather was the colorful and popular State Senator J. Beverly Langford from Calhoun, Georgia. Jason is more conservative than President Carter and, as the husband of a public school teacher, has championed education at all levels. Having worked for President and Mrs. Carter at the White House, I freely admit to a bias in favor this impressive young man I’ve known since he was an infant. After graduating from Duke, Jason volunteered for the Peace Corps as had his great-grandmother, Miss Lillian Carter, serving in a remote village in Africa where he learned to speak Zulu and Siswati. He returned home to earn his law degree at the University of Georgia where he graduated summa cum laude second in his class. Jason practiced law until being elected to an open seat in the State Senate, winning 65% of the vote in 2010. Jason Carter will be the featured speaker at Macon’s Jefferson-Jackson-Carter Day Dinner on May 10th (tickets can be purchased at bibbjj@gmail.com). Even if you haven’t decided how to vote this year, come listen to one of Georg i a ’s impressive new leaders.
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DINING HOTSPOTS
KIDS EAT FREE (OR NEARLY FREE) DINING GUIDE
BLD: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner BAR: Alcohol Served $: Entrees under $10 $$: $10-$20 $$$: Above $20
BAR FOOD / AMERICAN 20’s Pub Boasting freshly prepared sandwiches, salads and dinner specials in a well-lit tavern-like setting. LD • BAR • $ 3076 Riverside Dr. AP’s Hidden Hideaway Making homecooked meals like your mamma used tomake.Menu also features burgers, sandwiches, wings and more. LD • BAR $ 4274 Broadway. Open Tues-Fri 3pm - 2am. Sat and Sunday at noon.Waiter service and outdoor seating available. (478) 781-5656 Bearfoot Tavern Downtown Macon’s only sports tavern with loads of beers on tap, over 50 craft beers (the largest in middle ga!), great food and flat screen tvs at every booth. LD • BAR • $ 401 Cherry Street. Open Monday through Friday at 4:00 p.m and Saturday and Sunday at noon. Billy’s Clubhouse Come try Billy's new menu with our angus burgers, colossal sandwiches, great salads, appetizers and more. Lunch and dinner specials available as well as our late nite menu. "We upped our standards, Now up yours!" LD • $ • BAR 1580 Forest Hill Road, Macon. Mon-Sat 11a2p, Sun 12:30p - 12a.
Shrimp & Grits at Dovetail
El Sombrero Witha brand new outside dining patio, this is the place to get some fresh, authentic mexican cuisine in downtown Macon. Mariachi bands on Wednesday and Thursday nights. LD • BAR • $ Located off Spring Street in the Baconsfield Shopping Center.
SEAFOOD Jim Shaw’s Casual dining with Macon’s best seafood, tuna tidbits, scallops, wild Georgia shrimp. Seperate bar area with smoking. D • BAR $-$$ 3040 Vineville
PIZZA / ITALIAN
Buffalos Cafe on Zebulon You know this place has great wings, but they also feature a large selection of salads and sandwiches, large screen tvs to watch all your favorite games and a popular trivia night for the whole family. LD • BAR • $ 5990 Zebulon Rd.
Ingleside Village Pizza IVP has the best pizza in town and the best beer selection. Keep it classy with the white pizza and a Stella Artois or, keep it real with a slice of the ultimate and a 24-oz. High Life. LD • BAR $ 2396 Ingleside Avenue, & downtown across from Mercer Univ.
CJ’s Bar & Grill You can’t really call this bar food. Is it fried, yes, but it’s fresh and so, so good! Sloppy nachos, great burgers and chicken wraps. LD • BAR • $ 2910 Riverside Drive, 757-3262
Mellow Mushroom In 1974, three college students in Atlanta opened the first of what has now grown to 100 restaurants. Each one locally-owned and operated, with their own distinct, funkified flavor. Gourmet pizza, original sandwiches and a large drink menu. Family friendly! LD • BAR • $-$$ 5425 Bowman Road, Macon.
Locos Grill & Pub Casual, kid-friendly, family dining.We’re talking great food, sports on the big screens and a full bar. Fantastic weekly specials and live music on the weekends. Delivery and catering also available. LD BAR • $ 2440 Riverside Drive. Nu-Way Weiners Open since 1916, this original store with its neon sign is one of America's oldest hot dog stands and they serve secret recipe chili sauce, famous hot dogs, hamburgers, and other sandwiches. BLD • $ 430 Cotton Avenue, 743.1368 The Rookery There isn’t a place downtown that has been serving us longer.Two time winner of Best Burger in Macon in the Readers Choice Awards. Sandwiches, fresh salads and house specialties. LD BAR $$$ 543 Cherry Street, 746-8658 Texas Cattle Company Macon's original premier steak house and Banquet facility. Featuring Hand Cut, Choice Grain, Fed aged beef, Fresh Seafood, In House ground Steak Burgers, Banquet accomadations for groups of 5-50.TCC will buy your dinner on your birthday, simply bring in a valid ID on your birthday after 4:00 and your meal is on us. Open 7 days a week Lunch and Dinner. Accept all major credit cards. Prices from $5.99-$24.99. LD • BAR $-$$ 5797 Houston Road. Wild Wing Cafe Newly opened franchise at the Shoppes at River Crossing, fantastic wings in over 30 flavors, over 20 brews on tap, great salads and one of the few dining options in North Macon that offers live music on the weekends. LD • BAR $-$$, 477.WILD
MEXICAN
Margaritas Four locations serving Macon......Presidential Pkwy., Zebulon Rd., Bass Rd and Mercer Village....outdoor dining available at Bass and Mercer. 24 draft beers at Mercer Village location. LD • BAR • $
Eating out with kids doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Here are local restaurants offering meal deals for kids. Now you can enjoy an affordable night of fami ly-friendly dining without breaking the bank.
LUNCH SPOTS
Harpin’s Quick & delicious cafeteria-style lunch, serving the most authentic Italian in town, including sandwiches, soup, salads, pasta, pizza. Mon-Thur 11-5, Fri-Sat 11-6pm. L • $ 359 Third Street Market City Café – Superb sandwiches, homemade soups, loaded salads, pizza and pastas. Unique breakfast menu including gourmet coffees and teas. Dinner now being served Fridays and Saturdays featuring seafood and steak specials. Full bar, excellent wine cellar. Full catering services on or off site. Open Tues-Thur, 7am-6pm; Friday and Saturday 7am-9pm. 502 Cherry St., Macon 257-6612 BLD • BAR • $-$$
SPECIALTY Greek Corner Deli Serving delicious lamb gyros, monster greek salads, subs and specialty sandwiches 7 days a week. One of the few restaurants downtown open on Sundays and the only late night eatery on Saturdays 12:30am til 3am! LD • $ 587 Cherry Street, 254.3059. Second location; Greek Corner Pizza also offers calzones, pizzas, greek fries and plenty of ready-made desserts. Forsyth Street. Roasted Cafe & Lounge Serving delicious specialty deli-style sandwiches like the Cali Club,The Greek Heat and Roasted Chicken. Also, delicious salads and grown-up PB&Js.Try their famous Date Shake or specialty coffees. 442 Second St. Dovetail Downtown Macon’s newest restaurant featuring farm to table cuisine and a fully stocked bar of premier bourbons measured by “the finger.” Southern crafted small plates and inspired entrees in a cozy,
lodge-like atmosphere. Located above the Rookery, they do accept reservations. D • BAR • $$-$$$ 543 Cherry Street, 238.4693. Hours: 5:30-10 p.m.TuesdaysThursdays; 5:30-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays The Downtown Grill Slightly upscale dining serving specialties like Andouillecrusted rainbow trout, cranberry and goat cheese stuffed filets and desserts to die for. Also features an extensive wine list and it’s own humidor. Free valet parking. D • BAR • $$-$$$ 562 Mulberry Street, 742.5999 The Tic Toc Room Contemporary setting with a sophisticated menu, great wine selection. D • BAR • $$-$$$ 401Cherry Street, 743.4645 Brasserie Circa This American brasserie, Circa has spirited classic French and European influences. With its European neighborhood restaurant feel, Circa offers extensive preparations of seafood as well as a raw bar, large fresh salads and signature sandwiches. Our specialty grilled items include a filet, New York strip, and more. In keeping with our brasserie theme, our Sunday Brunch is truly unique. Tues-Sat. 11am-10pm, Sunday Brunch 11:00am-3pm. 4420 Forsyth Road Edgar’s Bistro City-chic and a foodie’s dream! Edgar's Bistro presents a dining experience that nourishes the body and soul. Open for lunch Monday through Friday, Edgar’s serves as a hands-on training facility for the culinary students at Helms College’s Polly Long Denton School of Hospitality. Come dine with them on an array of New American selections of tantalizing soups, garden-fresh salads, sandwiches and entrées to please even the most discriminating palate.To take advantage of the freshest seasonal ingredients, Edgar's is pleased to offer a new menu each quarter. To view the current menu, visit www.edgarshospitality.com/Menu. LD • BAR • $$-$$$
EVERYDAY IHOP (Tom Hill Sr. Blvd. 254-7100 or Eisenhower 784-0800 ) – 12 and under eat free; one per adult – 4:00 – 9:00 pm S & S Cafeterias – 10 and under eat for 99¢ – purchase one adult meal and dine in; no limit on number of kid’s meals – all day Sunday Cici’s Pizza – Kids 3 and under eat free from the Cici’s Pizza buffet everyday!
MONDAYS Sticky Fingers - Recieve one free kids meal with the purchase of one adult meal $7.99 or higher. Valid Monday through Wednesday only. Bearfoot Tavern Kids meals half-price from 4-7pm Monday - Friday at Bearfoot Tavern. Barberitos- Kids eat free after 3pm with the purchase of an adult entree. Dine in only. One per adult, twelve and under
TUESDAYS Sticky Fingers - Recieve one free kids meal with the purchase of one adult meal $7.99 or higher. Valid Monday through Wednesday only. Bearfoot Tavern Kids meals half-price from 4-7pm Monday - Friday at Bearfoot Tavern.
ETHNIC CUISINE
Moe’s Southwest Grill - One kid 12 and under eats free with the purchase of any adult entree.
Lemongrass... a thai bistro A modern take on traditional Thai cuisine with Asian Fusion twists...one of Macon’s best bars with a great wine selection, craft brews and signature handmade cocktails! Extensive vegan and gluten-free options! Daily Happy Hour with sushi specials! $-$$ • BAR • L-D
Locos Grill & Pub- Kids eat free on Tuesdays at Locos Grill & Pub. Purchase of an adult entree is required.
Ginger Stir-Fry Located downtown, it’s Macon’s only build your own stir fry bar with over 500 combinations. Cool experience for the kids, not your average dining experience.You want it spicy, sweet, both? You be the judge, but don’t worry, there are recipe cards as well for the beginner. LD • BAR • $-$$ 496 Second Street. Ninja Japanese Steakhouse Newly opened in downtown Macon, enjoy their unique and delicious sushi options prepared by owner and 20-year chef, along side freshly prepared Japanese offerings. Open for lunch and dinner. Full bar available. Located in Mulberry Street Lane, across from Tokyo Alley. LD • BAR • $-$$
WEDNESDAYS Georgia Bob’s (257-6710) – 10 and under eat free; one per adult – and after 5pm Saturday Bearfoot Tavern Kids meals half-price from 4-7pm Monday - Friday at Bearfoot Tavern.
THURSDAYS Barberitos- Kids eat free after 3pm with the purchase of an adult entree. Dine in only. One per adult, twelve and under Bearfoot Tavern Kids meals half-price from 4-7pm Monday - Friday at Bearfoot Tavern. 11thHourOnline.com
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SCENE BEST BETTS THIS WEEK
DICKEY BETTS Allman Brothers Band Founding Member to Perform at Capitol Theatre May 3rd
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L I S T E N U P. Take a listen to publisher Brad Evans’ encounter with Betts in Macon on GPB’s “Weird Macon” series online. www.GPB.org
The Cox Capitol Theatre and the Moonhanger Group are excited to announce an upcoming performance by Allman Brothers Band founding member Dickey Betts on Saturday, May 3rd. Tickets are available at CoxCapitolTheatre.com or by calling 877.987.6487. If you don't know who Dickey Betts is then someone should send him to your house to beat you. The man responsible for some of the Allman Brothers biggest hits like "Ramblin Man" and "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" is playing in Macon for the first time since he left the Allman Brothers Band in 2002. Well, officially at least. There was that one weekend that Dickey came to town and tore up places like The Jazzplex and Polly's Mirage with whatever guitar he could grab. Trust us, he's still got it. For the performance at the Cox Capitol Theatre, Betts will be accompanied by his band, Great Southern. The band was originally formed by Betts in 1976. He revived the name, Dickey Betts & Great Southern in 2002. Since then Betts has enjoyed touring and playing such high profile shows as a performance alongside Tim McGraw at the 2005 Grammy Awards in a salute to southern rock. Let's show Dickey how much Macon loves him and sell this show out! Dickey Betts & Great Southern look forward to performing in Macon again where they can reconnect with their extended family of fans. Tickets are available at CoxCapitolTheatre.com or by calling 877.987.6487.
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that night. The fund raiser was for a high school spring break trip to Panama City. It paid for most of the trip. That one is a whole other story. There were nights where we set up in the middle of the woods – once near the river in Bibb at Party Palace and once down a dirt road in Jones – cranked up a generator and the music started… also shut down by local law enforcement. Sundays were River days. We’d meet up after lunch and float from Party Palace or just above River North at Billy’s Rock and take out at what is now the Water Works Park and when we could, hit the Waffle House at Pierce Ave. These are the reasons I pray so hard for my kids! Like I said, I wasn’t always a pastor. Its also why most of my friends from High School and College either laughed or just stared in disbelief when they heard I had become a pastor. My life radically changed at 25 when I met the Jesus I had heard about for all of those years growing up. What did your parents do? My dad worked a few jobs when I was younger but from 5th grade until, he was the parts manager at Paul Walsh Nissan. What did you do before you started New City Church? What a trek that was! I worked at Harrisons Body Shop off and on with school and life from 16-22. I went to work at GEICO for almost 6 years. Then 3 years selling farm land and timberland with Georgia Farm Bureau Real Estate. I was 30, married, 2 kids when I went back to school for theological and pastoral training… where I said, “I’ll never be a pastor – a teacher, maybe, but not a pastor.” During and after school I served as the Lead Pastor of 2 churches and was an Associate Pastor at Mabel White here in Macon.
NATIVE/NEW
Spreading the Love Keith Watson of New City Church
Tell me about growing up in Macon? What did you do in your spare time? I was born in Macon. When I was in 2nd grade my dad transferred to Birmingham, Alabama. I have a lot of great memories of being a kid in Birmingham in the mid 70’s. We moved back to Macon when I started the 5th grade at Walter P. Jones in Shurlington. I lived 5 doors down from the school. My memories of growing up in that neighborhood are amazing. There were lots of kids in the neighborhood and lots to do. We had a big patch of woods behind our house where we built forts, had BB gun battles, played hide and seek splashed in the small creek. There was a community swimming pool that most of us were members of so summers were spent riding bikes down to the pool and hanging out all day. There were plenty of days that we headed through the woods, past the pool and right to Walnut Creek. We had as much fun there as we did at the pool – Swimming, finding a deep hole here or there, jumping off of the rocks. I remember making a raft with some friends out of spare wood and maybe some barrels, waiting for a big rain and then trying to float Walnut Creek – not so successful, but a great adventure. I also remember walking the Creek over to the bridge on Jeffersonville Road and jumping from the bridge into the water. I grew up playing baseball at the park just past Shurlington Baptist Church on Shurling drive and football at Central City Park. Shurlington Baptist Church was where we went to church. I was in the youth group and my parents were very committed there. The first Pastor I have real memories of is Ron Wallace who was my pastor there for a while. He played football for Florida State – that’s probably why I remember him most. He was the first pastor I knew who was a man and a pastor. I don’t mean that negatively toward anyone I just mean that he was strong and fierce and loved Jesus too. I started First Presbyterian Day School in the 8th grade and finished High School there. I played football at FPD and one year of college football – loved the game. I had a not so nice reputation on the field. A few may have even said I was a dirty player. I don’t know about that. My High School days were probably like most peoples. Looking for places to hang out with friends, making places to hang out with friends, and doing many of the things that parents fear their kids might do. The stories I could tell! It is at this point that I remind people that I was not always a Pastor and that Jesus loves the worst of sinners! The things we did and got away with then – good grief. There was the weekend we rented the Long Building at Central City for a fundraiser. We had Southern Rude Dixie as the band that night – man they were good. And if I remember correctly there was actually a police shut down and a few arrests
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Tell me what makes New City Different? I’ll give you a few things that our New City people have shared with me: * Jesus is the heartbeat of New City. We understand that God’s love, grace, and mercy are best seen in His life, death, and resurrection. We see Him as our redeemer and restorer. So we talk about Him a lot. * Just last night a new couple to New City shared that they loved that people are much less likely to hide behind a mask at New City. People are real. What you see is what you get, even when that is not so beautiful. I am not good at games or politics so we don’t do a lot of either here. * New City is FOR our city – we love Macon. We want to be an active part of seeing positive, tangible change in Macon. So we invest our time, talents, and resources to help see that happen. We are or have been a part of seeing music and art grow and thrive in downtown Macon. We have worked with the Mayors Office, Police Department and others to start a downtown neighborhood watch. We rehabbed the Thorpe’s building as the home of The 567 to invest in our city. Our people are encouraged regularly to shop and eat downtown. * We are Diverse – the most diverse church I have ever served in or attended – especially downtown Macon. We have young and old, rich and poor, black and white, and everything in between. Last summer we merged with Macon Community Baptist Church, an African American congregation. Their lead pastor joined our staff as our second preaching pastor. He and one other elder joined our elder leadership team and members of their praise team have joined our musicians. And what made you start it? The short subjective answer is God. I believe this is what God wanted. But he used a lot of circumstances to get me here. I was frustrated with many of my experiences in traditional, institutional church. I found myself working ridiculous hours doing church stuff for church people – I had no friends outside of the church, I served almost no one outside of the church, and I was watching fewer and fewer people attend church – the numbers of unchurched continued to increase and more and more people were disassociating with church and Christianity… while I did church stuff for church people. Don’t get me wrong – there were great people doing great things where I was – I was just trying to do something that I wasn’t made to do. Downtown seemed like it needed some love. So here we are. What’s really crazy to think about sometimes is that New City has grown in 6 years from 1 location to 3, Downtown Macon, North Macon, and Milledgeville reaching over 600 people a week. Our 4th church plant, Sojourn Church in Warner Robins. is starting to push close to 200 people a week! That’s crazy. This has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. And I would do again tomorrow. What do you think the most important development downtown has been? That is a tough one because it is not one thing but so many little things… they have led to the larger things. It would be easiest to say that the Dannenberg project coming about is the most important – but would that have happened without The Warehouse lofts or Broadway Lofts? I said when Cherry Street Cycles opened that if they succeed, we have seen the turning point downtown – they have. Cesar’s work has been huge, the Capitol Theater served as our first home. The old 567 in our small storefront helped stir the music and art scene. Market City - The new Rookery… man, so many parts that have all been necessary to get us here today. I don’t think it is fair to exclude any of them and others as well… I hope that New City’s presence can be added to that list. What do you enjoy most about being downtown? I enjoy the life that exists here – the noise of cars and laughter and conversation so easily heard through my office windows, the diversity and the unity that exists in the midst of all of the madness. Its beautiful. And you will never get it in North Macon or in Warner Robins.
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FRI 4/25
SAT 5/3
B Keith Williams 20’s Pub, Riverside Drive
Boothill AP’s Hidden Hideaway
Mama T AP’s Hidden Hideaway
Tba Billy’s Clubhouse
Chris Stapelton The Crazy Bull
Dickey Betts Cox Capitol Theatre
Far From Over Billy’s Clubhouse
Jacob Powell The Crazy Bull
Boot Hill Band Hummingbird
tba The Hummingbird
WarTown Wild Wing Cafe
Matt Pippin Ban d Wild Wing Cafe
SAT 4/26
SUN 5/4
The Wall AP’s Hidden Hideaway
John Stanley Jam Session Backporch Lounge 4-7:30pm
Lance Daniel Ban d Billy’s Clubhouse
MON 5/5
Fre e l ance Ru c kus CJ’s Sports Bar
Cinco de Mayo Party Loco’s Grill & Pub
Nick Sturms The Crazy Bull
3rd Annual Cinco Party w/ Stereo Monster Billy’s Clubhouse
Jimmy Hall’s Bday Bash ft. Lil Al’s Soul Funk Revival & Diane Durrett Cox Capitol Theatre
Cinco de Mayo w/ DJ BS
Scott Brantley Wild Wing Cafe
DRINK SPECIALS/ SPECIAL EVENTS MONDAYS
SAT 5/10 Mama T AP’s Hidden Hideaway Re h ab Crazy Bull The Winter Sounds w/ Triathalon The Hummingbird Trea Landon Wild Wing Cafe
SUN 5/11 Big Mike & Booty Papas APs Hidden Hideaway, 3-8pm John Stanley Jam Session Backporch Lounge 4-7:30pm
THURS 5/15 Man on Earth The Hummingbird B Keith Williams Locos Deli & Pub
Happy hour til 9pm, jam & rehearse 7-10pm, 20’s Pub
THURSDAYS
$1 Wells, D a rty Tourney 7-9pm Billy’s Clubhouse
Ladies Night: 25¢ drinks and open Poker Billys Clubhouse
Everyday 4-7pm: $1.50 beers and $6 domestic, Locos
College Night - $5 Jager bombs, DJ The Crazy Bull
$1 Wells all night, The Bird
Ladie night featuring 1/2 price bottles of wine - Dovetail
$3.25 22oz Bud & Bud Lt Drafts • $13 Bud & Bud Lt Buckets • $2 House Vodkas Wild Wing Cafe
2-4-1 Jagerbombs, $3.50 craft beer Mellow Mushroom
TUESDAYS
Taco Rita Nite- $2 tacos, $3 margaritas, $6 Mega-ritas, $4 Irish Bombs Wild Wing
Service Industry Night at The Rookery. $1 PBRs, $2 Wells, Half Price Drafts. For all - Half Price draft beers 10pm - 12am TUES/WED/THUR:All you can eat wings and chicken fingers $9.99, CJ’s Sports Bar Build your own martini night at Dovetail
The Hummingbird
CBDB Band The Hummingbird
THURS 5/8
FRI 5/16
Radio Cult Wild Wing Cafe
Josh Thompson The Crazy Bull
B Keith Williams 20’s Pub, Riverside Drive
THUR 5/1
Matrimony w/ Dalmatian The Hummingbird
Fresh Heat AP’s Hidden Hideaway
2 for Tues- buy 8 wings and get 8 free! $2 domestic drafts 4p-CL Wild Wing
Lance Daniel Wild Wing Cafe
Rob Walker & Eddie Stone Wild Wing Cafe
Jared Ashley The Crazy Bull
3-4-1 Wells, Pool League Billy’s Clubhouse
Matt Pippin Duo Billy’s Clubhouse
WEDNESDAYS
Rolling Nowhere The Hummingbird
FRI 5/2 John Stanley Band 20’s Pub, Riverside Drive Jason Hobbs AP’s Hidden Hideaway Delta Riot w/ CJ Fields Billy’s Clubhouse Ross Copley The Crazy Bull Stereotype The Hummingbird Loose Skrew s Wild Wing Cafe
B Keith Williams Locos Deli & Pub
FRI 5/9 B Keith Williams 20’s Pub, Riverside Drive The Skeeterz AP’s Hidden Hideaway Copious Jones Billy’s Clubhouse Mother’s Finest Cox Capitol Theatre A m anda Daughtry Crazy Bull Big Daddy & Co. The Hummingbird
$8 Bottomless Mugs at The Hummingbird
25% off all appetizers, Happy Hour 3-6 and 9-Cl Macon Mellow
Matt Rogers Wild Wing Cafe
Annual Chili Pepper Contest
Ladies - 2 for 1 Everything, Gentlemen:Tie-One-On 2 for 1 when wearing a tie! Free pool and d a rts BJs Downtown
3-4-1 Drinks every Tuesday The Hummingbird Everyday 4-7pm: $1.50 beers and $6 domestic, Locos
The Regulars Band Hummingbird
(4pm-Close) $2 domestic Pints, $4 Bombs and $4 Baby Guiness Shots Wild Wing
Big Daddy & Co. Wild Wing Cafe
1/2 price whiskey flights every Wednesday at Dovetail
SAT 5/17
$1 wells, $2 domestics all night for the ladies The Crazy Bull
Session Road Billy’s Clubhouse
Half Price draft beers 10pm 12am at The Rookery
Boothill Wild Wing Cafe
Ladies Night 7pm-CL: $2 House W i n e, $5 Martinis Macon Mellow
Everyday 4-7pm: $1.50 beers and $6 domestic, Locos
FRIDAYS $4 select premium liquor Mellow Mushroom Buy 1/Get 1 wells 8-until, Giveaways! AP’s Hideaway
SATURDAYS College students get 15% entire bill! Spirit Day at Locos $10 Beer Buckets, 20’s Pub Game Day Specials: 2 for 1 bombs and $1 domesic drafts Billy’s Clubhouse
SUNDAYS $10 beer buckets, 20’s Pub 12-3pm:1/2 price Bloody Mary, Mimosa, Mint Julep, Sangria or Mojito Mellow Mushroom $3.25 22oz Bud & Bud Lt Drafts, $13 Bud & Bud Lt Buckets $3 Bloody Marys Wild Wing S e rvice Industry - $2 Wells & Domestics BJ’s Downtown 12:30-5: Bloody Mary Buffet Locos
Everyday 4-7pm: $1.50 beers and $6 domestic, Locos 2-4-1 Drinks every Wednesday The Hummingbird
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APRIL 25 - MAY 9, 2014
SCENE COME HEAR.
THURSDAY, 5/8 JOSH THOMPSON @ CRAZY BULL Country songwriter Josh Thompson kicked off his career in 2009, when he released his first single, "Beer on the Table," and co-authored a song for Jason Michael Carroll’s Top Ten album Growing Up Is Getting Old. A native of western Wisconsin, Thompson began pouring concrete alongside his father at the age of 12, and a sense of blue-collar pride soon found its way into his music. He moved to Nashville in 2005, assembled a band, and received a boost when Columbia Records signed him to the label’s country division. "Beer on the Table" became a Top 40 country single in 2009, marking Thompson's first taste of chart success. In 2012, Thompson signed with Show Dog/Universal and he spent the next year working on a new album. "Cold Beer with Your Name on It" made it to 32 in late 2013, and the full-length Turn It Upappeared in April 2014. He’s a rising country star, see him now! Show starts at 6pm. Ages 18+. $10 general admission.
FRIDAY 4/25 WARTOWN @ WILD WING WARTOWN is Steve Holcomb and Mike Yurgalavage, two long-time friends who have played music in one form or another for nearly 25 years. Formerly perf o rming simply as "Steve and Mike", they have pushed themselves to grow and expand their shows, striving to increase their audiences and playing in new venues. Their sound can best be described as 'Powered Acoustic' and they strive to be a little different in their approach to music, especially the acoustic genre.
CHRIS STAPELTON @ CRAZY BULL The raw power of Chris Stapleton's voice grabs you the moment he starts to sing. The award winning singer/songwriter has been described by some of today's most credible artists, including Adele, Sheryl Crow, Luke Bryan and Vince Gill, as the best voice in Nashville, and that whiskey-soaked sound with its punch-you-in-the-gut soul, is the standout focus of his first studio album for Mercury Records. He has scored four #1 country hits with songs penned for George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Darius Rucker and Josh Turner, and has racked up over 170 album cuts for artists including Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson.
SATURDAY 4/26 LANCE DANIEL BAND @ BILLY’S CLUSHOUSE Lance has always had a love for music, but at the age of 15 when he began l e a rning to play guitar, music became his passion. When he heard Keith Urban playing Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me, Lance knew exactly what he wanted to strive for. Although Keith Urban and Brad Paisley are just some of his influences on
his music, probably some of the biggest influences come from out west. ALSO PLAYING WILD WING ON 5/1.
JIMMY HALL’S BDAY BASH FT. LIL AL’S SOUL FUNK REVIVAL @ THE CAPITOL Celebrate Jimmy Hall's 65th birthday with a killer concert featuring Jimmy Hall & Friends w/special guests Diane Durrett and Lil Al's Soul Funk Revival at 8 pm at the Cox Capitol Theatre. Lil Al’s Soul Funk Revival at 8 p.m./ Jimmy Hall and Friends at 9 p.m. $20 in advance, $25 day of show. VIP Circle tables, cocktail seats, and box seats are $35.
RADIO CULT @ WILD WING Since 2005, Radio Cult has performed over 800 shows including conventions, casinos, weddings, fraternity parties, corporate events and festivals as well as in bars, concert halls and other music venues from their hometown of Atlanta, GA all the way to Los Angeles, CA and London, UK. The members of Radio Cult LOVE to play in a band and it shows.
as Stan Killingsworth, toured with the Bobby Whitlock Band soon after Bobby relocated to Macon after working with Eric Clapton, and Stevie Winwood. Bobby went on to work with Delaney and Bonny as well as George Harrison. Come listen to this seasoned musician.
STEREOTYPE @ THE HUMMINGBIRD Multiracial, high energy, p a rty rocking group from the Augusta, GA area... They specialize in the top 40's & hip hop of the 90's... But we also jam out to just about everything else.
SATURDAY, 5/3 DICKEY BETTS @ CAPITOL THEATRE Dickey Betts, a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, has one of the most distinctive voices in music today. Known as one of the most influential guitar players of all time, Betts has mastered a seamless style of lyrical melody and rhythm -- marrying country, jazz, blues, and rock into one unparalleled sound.
THURSDAY, 5/1
SATURDAY, 5/10
ROLLING NOWHERE @ THE HUMMINGBIRD
REHAB @ CRAZY BULL Around
Born in the North Georgia hills and defying current genre classification, Rolling Nowhere has been described as a Psychedelic Junkyard Roots band with a sound that evolves with every show. Their sound combines Classic Country, Old Timey Folk, Blues Roots and Psychedelic Rock n Roll. The band has down home 3p a rt harmonies, a mutual love of songwriting, and a wide array of instrumentation including; the washboard percussion experiment, upright bass, telecaster guitar, drums, dobro, banjo, mandolin.
FRIDAY 5/2
JOHN STANLEY BAND @ 20’S PUB John Stanley Killingsworth, known
a decade ago, Georgia boy Danny Alexander (AKA Danny Boone) and a few others formed the group Rehab. Anchored by their influence of all things hip-hop, from Run DMC and NWA, to a Tribe Called Quest and more, they set out on their own musical journey that would garner them millions of hardcore fans, selling over 550,000 albums and over 2 million singles and averaging over 200 shows a year. Rehab has toured with names like Kid Rock, Uncle Kracker, Linkin Park, just to name a few and 2012 is gearing up to be their busiest years to date. Their current album, Gullible's Travels, is their first release on their new record label AVJ Records. 11thHourOnline.com
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DANCE PARTY / DJ
Macon’s newest dance club, Element open Wed-Sat! DJ Legal Deal every Saturday night, CJ’s Sports Bar Live music and live DJ on the 1s and 2s at Midtown Key Club every Thursday Saturday night! DJ Dance Party eve ry Thursday night, Backporch Lounge
KARAOKE
Tuesdays at 9pm,Wed/Thursdays 8pm, Saturdays 8p, 20’s Pub Every Friday and Sunday 9pm - until at AP’s Hidden Hideaway Monday nights 8pm at Billy’s Wednesday nights from 10pm - 1am at Sticky Fingers Enjoy $2 dom. pints and house shots, $1 jello shots and Happy Hour prices all night! Saturday nights at Roasted Cafe & Lounge with the Captain! Thursdays 8pm, Sundays 8:30pm The Backporch Lounge
BAR BINGO
Every Tuesday night, come play with friends, great prizes! 7-9pm 20’s Pub
TRIVIA
Team Trivia Thursdays, CJ’s Sports Bar Trivia every Thursday 7pm (compete for $200 cash!) Sticky Fingers Every Wednesday at 7:30 with Jason Hawk at M argaritas Mercer Vi l l age location All-Star Trivia eve ry Monday 7-9pm, 20’s Pub Wednesdays at Roasted Cafe Tuesday Night Trivia (8pm) with Outspoken Entertainment., Wild Wing Cafe Mellow Trivia, every Tuesday at 8:30, Mellow Mushroom Trivia with Tyler at Loco’s every Wednesday, 8:30pm! Every Wednesday at The Rookery, compete for $5,000 grand prize! 8pm Every Wednesday at The Bird, 7pm.
POKER
Nightly Poker 9p, BJ Billiards Sunday 7p, Billy’s Clubhouse Monday nights at Sticky Fingers! 7pm No buy in! Cash prizes. Texas Hold ‘Em Tues & Wed 7:30pm, CJ’s Sports Bar Tues,Wed & Thurs 7pm - until at AP’s Hidden Hideaway
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APRIL 25 - MAY 9, 2014
4921 Riverside Dr, Macon, (478) 254-5802