The 11th Hour: Aug. 25 - Sept. 1, 2016 by 11th Hour Macon

11thHou

Aug 25 - Sept 7, 2016 • Vol. 15, Issue #343

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HAPPENINGS, LOCALS & REGIONAL INSIGHTS

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The story is just getting started.

A year-long series with a new chapter every issue. Catch up today! Thousands of people have read the first ten chapters of a year long series we are doing on the life of Ed Flowers, also known as Teddy Bear. Ed grew up in Macon, took part in his first bank robbery when he was fourteen years old, a crime for which he never went to jail for. He went on to play baseball at Dudley Hughes High, under coach Goot Stiener where his team won a State Championship in 1964. He practiced with Pete Rose. But Teddy couldn’t stay out of trouble, and ended up in Reidsville Prison right after he graduated, as fucked up as a research monkey, on morphine. Over the next 10 years, his crimes would land him in prison, to which he escaped five times, be put on America’s Most Wanted list, and is believed by some to have robbed over 60 banks. If this is true, that’s more than Jesse James and John Dillinger combined. We are asking that you buy a VIP Membership to 11thHouronline.com to read the rest of Teddy’s story. It’s less than the price of a digital book. $7.99. For that, you’ll get to read the rest of the story, as well as hear audio interviews with Teddy himself, with online digital video coming this fall. The money will help The 11th Hour continue to offer great content, and calendars and reviews to our readers for years to come. So purchase your membership today and continue to read Teddy Bear. Believe us, the story is JUST GETTING STARTED. VISIT 11thHourOnline.com.

Join in on the fun! Every other Tuesday at The Hummingbird Stage & Taproom.

Thursday, Aug 25 Celebrating 100 years of the National Park Service through photography Presented by Ocmulgee National Monument - Join us on August 25th from 5pm to 7pm to celebrate the 100th Birthday of the National Park Service with an exhibit of photography of the National Parks featuring photography of Ocmulgee National Monument. This exhibit will highlight the importance that photography had in the development of the National Park Service and in shaping our perception and understanding of the landscapes across America. Free!

Friday, Aug 26 Music at the Mount with Brent Cobb - A concert series presented by Mount De Sales at Zuver Amphitheatre. General Admission Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the gate: Guests may bring picnics, blankets, and chairs (no tables), first-come, first-served terrace seating; boxed dinners will not be available for purchase at the concert and must be purchased in advance. Gates at 7, opening act Good Country People at 7:30 p.m. Rain: Concerts will be held in McAuley Hall Gym on campus. Singer-songwriter and musician Brent Cobb hails from Ellaville, Georgia. Cobb was recently signed to Low Country Sound/Elektra Records. His writing credits include collaborations with Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert and the Oak Ridge Boys, among others.

Saturday, Aug 27

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MAILING: PO BOX 14251, Macon, GA 31203 TELEPHONE: (478) 508-7096 ADVERTISING: meg@11thhouronline.com EDITORIAL: bradevans11@gmail.com 04 AUGUST 24 - SEPTMEBER 7, 2016

Macon Symphony Orchestra Presents Russian to the Finnish With new Music Director Jerry Steichen leading the orchestra in the Macon Symphony Orchestra’s 40th Anniversary Season, the opening concert will begin with the stirringly beautiful but little-known Balakirev’s Overture on Three Russian Folk Songs, followed by Russian and Finnish masterpieces. Internationally acclaimed soloist Spencer Myer will perform the world’s most beloved piano concerto, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat minor, Op. 23. The concert will culminate with Sibelius’ Magnum Opus, Symphony

No. 2, Op. 43. 7:30 p.m. The Grand Opera House. Tickets $40 Adults / $20 Students / $15 Children 12 and under. 478-301-5300. Downtown Macon Open-Air Market - food, farmers, crafts, artists, makers, beer and more! Be sure to come out to the corner of Third and Plum Street across from the Emerson Ballroom from 9 am to 3 pm!

Sunday, Aug 28 7th Annual Bo Ponder Day at The Douglass Theatre - 7 p.m. Musical celebration including a special tribute to soul brother Gregg Brooks. Special guests include James Duncan, Blackpearl, Big Ro Williams, Mose Stovall, Ms. San, Mike Haugabrook, Latrice Johnson, C.C. Evans & many more. Contact Information: (478) 742-2000 www.douglasstheatre.org. Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at door. Last Sunday @ The Big House Presented by The Allman Brothers Band Museum - Join us as we celebrate live music for free in our back yard! This month will be The Flint River Band. Free community event 2-5 p.m. International Taste of Soul 2016 Presented by Tubman Museum From 3 to 6 p.m. Travel from Africa to Asia, South America and beyond as we take you on a culinary journey. Enjoy soul, comfort foods and all types of international cuisine, featuring dishes by many local chefs. Meet celebrated culinarian, Chef Michael, who will conduct food demonstrations and offer delectable samples. Tickets $30 in advance by calling 478-743-8544; or $35 at the door.

Monday, Aug 29

Sunset Yoga at Coliseum Northside 6:30 p.m. Hometown Yoga + Coliseum Northside Hospital invite YOU to a complimentary outdoor yoga class for all! Same great yoga and music that you can always expect from us in a new location with an awesome community partner. No registration is required and a limited number of mats will be available to borrow!

Tuesday, Aug 30 Drag Queen Bingo at The Bird- One of our favorite events is back with Macon’s own dancing queen, Miss Deonna Sage. Free cover, just come join the fun. Starts at 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept 2 First Friday Open Make Night at Spark Macon - Ever wondered what SparkMacon is all about or wanted to make something new by using state-of-the-art tools and equipment? The space will be filled with members showing off all the amenities of SparkMacon and providing a place for you to create. Bring a project or collaborate with a team. This event is FREE and all are welcome! 6-9 p.m. 557 Cherry Movie Screening “The Big Short” at The Grand Opera House 7:30 p.m. The 2016 movie series at The Grand will premier Sept. 2 with the Oscar-winning film The Big Short. The series includes ten films from cult favorites to classics, many of which are on AFI’s list of 100 greatest American films of all time. General admission to the films is $5, or a series subscription can be purchased for $45. All movies will start at 7:30 p.m. with four films also showing a matinee. To purchase tickets, call our box office at (478) 3015470 or visit TheGrandMacon.com. Opening Reception “Les Trois Artistes” at Macon Arts Gallery features paintings by Cherry Brewer, Travis Hart, Michelle Lisenby and musical entertainment by John Charles Griffin, Randy Wesson, and ensemble. Free entry and light refreshments 5-8 p.m. 486 First Street

Sunday, Sept 4 The Grand Concert Series presents the 5th Dimension - The 5th Dimension has released over a dozen hit albums and 6 Grammy Awards. Their classics include such hits as: “Up, Up, and Away,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “Stoned Soul Picnic,” and “Aquarius/ Let the Sun Shine in.” Enjoy an evening of ‘70s funk and soul with The 5th Dimension. visit TheGrandMacon.

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HAPPENINGS, LOCALS & REGIONAL INSIGHTS

Celebrate Summer of Love With Macon Pops Outdoor Concert Friday, Aug. 26

Fans from across the Southern region will soon enjoy the first concert of the 2016 – 2017 season from Macon Pops. Songs of Summer will take place on campus at Middle Georgia State University on Friday, August 26, behind the Wellness Center. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and will feature summer songs with music from the Beach Boys, The Beatles, Seals & Crofts, Kenny Chesney, Katy Perry and more. “We’ve always wanted to do an outdoor concert and the lawn behind the Wellness Center on the beautiful Middle Georgia State University will serve as the perfect setting for ‘Songs of Summer,’ explains Steve Moretti, the co-founder and president of Macon Pops. “So [fans] should bring their blankets, chairs, picnic baskets and the family to enjoy a fun evening as we open our fourth season.” The upcoming concert will feature Kevin Spencer, who is with the Kristian Bush (from Sugarland) Band and Abbey

Henry, who is a Mercer Senior. More surprises are in store for attendees during the performance. Macon Pops brings a high quality production coupled with popular music performances to a wide audience and works to partner with local organizations and educational institutions in Middle Georgia. The concept of Macon Pops was developed in Macon and has been a huge hit since its inception three years ago. “Music is at the very heart of who we are in Middle Georgia, and we are delighted to partner with the Macon Pops,” says Dr. Christopher Blake, president of Middle Georgia State University. “As educators and stewards of the public trust, we are committed to increasing awareness of and accessibility to the arts in our region. We welcome the Macon Pops onto our beautiful Macon campus and sharing an evening of music with the Middle Georgia community as a whole.”

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$5 Million Knight Cities Challenge

Now in its third year, the Challenge will be open for submissions October 10 During this contentious election season one theme has remained constant across party lines: an unshakeable belief in the American power to innovate. We at Knight Foundation also believe that good ideas can come from anywhere, and anyone. It’s why we launched the Knight Cities Challenge two years ago, and it’s why we’re bringing back the challenge for its third iteration this fall. Jonathan Morschl, an architect from Akron, Ohio, entered his big idea into the challenge last October. He saw the closure of an underused section of downtown highway as an opportunity to create a new public space for residents and visitors by planning and building a mountain bike park. The Knight Cities Challenge reviewers agreed, and Morschl, who doesn’t even bike, ended up winning $120,000 to make his idea a reality. Suddenly Akron was abuzz and local leaders were pledging their support. After the idea was featured in Fast Company, Morschl received tweets, calls and e-mails from strangers offering to donate supplies, money, time and expertise. That’s the power of good ideas. They pick up momentum quickly, especially if they have a bit of cash and publicity behind them. Since the first challenge opened in 2014, almost 70 projects have shared in $10 million. We’re looking forward to the next round. This fall we’re opening the next Knight Cities Challenge to offer $5 million in grant funding for your best ideas to make the 26 Knight communities more successful. The challenge will open Monday, Oct. 10, and close Thursday, Nov. 3, at knightcities.org. We will announce the winners in spring 2017. We’re looking for new ideas that can make impact in three areas that are crucial to building more successful cities – attracting and retaining talent, increasing economic opportunity and promoting civic engagement.

Cities need to attract and keep graduates to improve their economic prospects, so we need to build the types of cities where they want to live. We’re interested in ideas that attract and keep talented people while supporting them in contributing to the common good. Cities are becoming increasingly segregated racially and economically. We’re interested in ideas that combat isolation and segregation while opening up pathways to economic opportunity. We’re particularly interested in the role that public spaces can play in knitting communities together. Cities are seeing fewer people attached to or taking an active role in civic life. We’re seeking ideas that reverse this trend to support full participation and a culture of civic engagement. The challenge is an easy way to get an idea in front of Knight Foundation. The initial application asks just three 100word questions about your idea and your team. You don’t need to know all of the details at this stage; we’re looking for promising ideas, not fully baked plans. If you’re selected as a finalist, we’ll ask you for more information. The challenge is designed to be a source of “risk capital.” We’re interested in testing new ideas and exploring what works so that we can spread learning across our network of cities. We’re not looking to provide ongoing support for work that’s underway. You don’t need to be from a Knight city to apply, but your project must take place in a Knight community, one of 26 places where the Knight brothers once owned newspapers. You can learn more during our community events or during virtual office hours. Check the schedule here and make plans to attend or tune in. Start thinking about your big ideas and get ready to submit beginning Monday, Oct. 10, at knightcities.org.

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Rigby’s Entertainment Complex announces ground breaking on their new water park in Bonaire After 3 years of design and planning, the bulldozers will roll into Houston County next month. The 25 acre parcel near the intersection of Highway 96 and Lake Joy Road will be the new home to Rigby’s Water Park and will be located behind the go-cart track. According to Steve Rigby, “The first phase of the park will have a wave pool, 1,250 foot lazy river, kids’ zone and water slides.” Admission into the water park will be twice the cost as Bibb County’s Sandy Beach Water Park, at around $25 per person. But according to design plans Rigby’s will also be about the twice the size of Sandy Beach Water Park. Rigby’s previous studies estimate around 169,000 people will visit the water park each summer. Rigby’s anticipates that it will hire at least 80 people, most of them lifeguards and forecasts the water park’s completion by Mother’s Day 2017. The groundbreaking event will begin at 4 p.m. on Sept. 8.

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HAPPENINGS, LOCALS & REGIONAL INSIGHTS

NATIVE/NEW

Meet Kathy Hoskins Nolan Native Eufalula, AL Occupation Owner, Bright Ideas Group & HipGirlTrips.com

Random Facts about Kath 1. Neil Armstrong walked on the moon on my birthday.

2. I conducted my biggest interview in the 7th grade with Admiral Thomas H. Moore, the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff. 3. I can’t eat a pimento cheese sandwich without bbq Fritos.

4. I recorded an original song that I also wrote at Chuck Leavell’s personal studio. (Sadly, he was out on tour, but Tad Bush of Capricorn Studios was our engineer.)

5. I was bitten by a fire-eating bulldog while playing croquet. 6. I sang the National Anthem at an opening Macon Knights football game.

7. I married my sweetheart last year on September 21st on my boat dock on Lake Sinclair. We danced to Earth Wind & Fire. 8. My first concert was Three Dog Night.

9. My plane caught on fire while traveling home from Ireland. 10. I am a cat person. I channel surfed between the Kitten Games and the Opening Ceremony in Rio.

11. I flew over the Smoky Mountains in a glider (with no engine) and lived!

You may not know Kathy Hoskins by name, but chances are, if you’ve been around middle Georgia for awhile, you’ve seen some aspect of our city filtered through the lens of her unique perspective. As creative director for the advertising agency Bright Ideas Group, she’s done award winning work for NewTown Macon, the Tubman Museum, Macon Arts Alliance, the Peyton Anderson Foundation, Wesleyan College, and many, many more. A native of Eufaula, Alabama, Kathy landed in Macon twenty years ago after working in magazine, newspaper, design, and radio in Alabama, Texas, and Florida. Upon her arrival here, she and a former co-worker “recognized a need for fresh creative and media planning in the market, and we just went for it” – and thus Bright Ideas Group was born. The agency is responsible for many iconic campaigns, among them the Song and Soul of the South campaign which was implemented in Macon for over fifteen years, and Kathy herself Is the recipient of more than 300 creative advertising awards. When asked her favorite aspect of her work, Kathy says, “Finding the BIG idea and presenting it in a simple way” – obviously something she’s become quite an expert in doing. In addition to her advertising work, Kathy is also a freelance travel writer. Travel writers are often offered the opportunity to take press trips, in which destinations offer up insider access and carefully arranged activities and itineraries to writers in exchange for media coverage; after taking several of these trips, Kathy sensed that the opportunity to travel in that way, with all the details taken care of in advance, could be something desirable to the larger public. So, in her driven, creative way, she got to work forming a way to innovatively meet that need. Hip Girl Trips provides all-inclusive, curated travel experiences to interesting destinations. Some are day trips, and some are weekend getaways – a recent day trip took guests on a tour (including tasting) of Richland Rum distillery, and on a guided tour of Pasaquan, the quirky Buena Vista, GA folk art compound founded by Eddie Owens Martin (or St. EOM, as he preferred to be

called). “The coolest part [about Pasaquan] is that they represent almost all religions and cultures through various interpretations,” said Kathy. Weirdest part? “All the Pasaquoyans are painted wearing power suits and are positioned in levitated states. They also have pointed heads where the energy enters the body, and their genitalia is exposed. One guest noted ‘This is the original Pokemon hunt.’ Over 50 artfully designed penises are prominently featured in the installation.” That’s what makes Hip Girl Trips so cool and distinctive – guided by Kathy’s artsy, unconventional aesthetic, these mini-vacations are designed with a deep appreciation of the odd lovely quirks of the South in mind. Their next trip will be a Girls Only Glamping trip to stay in the yurts at High Falls State Park on Sep 16-18; it will feature a chef dinner prepared on-site, a twilight paddleboat excursion, a nature iPhone-tography course taught by Maryann Bates, a private campfire concert, and more. Hip Girl Trips also offers the option for custom excursions – so if you have a group of girlfriends and a few travel ideas, get in touch with Kathy and she can help create your ideal outing. Kathy’s personal passion for the arts is what makes her a standout in her field, and it’s also her favorite thing about living in middle Georgia – easy access to a thriving and diverse local culture. We’re lucky she landed here; her perspective is fresh, irreverent, confident, and original, whether she’s using it to create an arts marketing campaign or curate a funky weekend trip full of authentic, unexpected experiences and lifelong memories.

Hip Girl Trip at Richland Rum Distillery

Hip Girl Trip at an exclusive behind the scenes tour of Pasaquan

BY TRACI BURNS

Check out Hip Girl Trips on the web at www.hipgirltrip. com or find them on Facebook.

The yurts at High Falls 11thHourOnline.com 11

Braai (pronounced - bry) noun 1. a meal cooked over an open fire outdoors. 2. a party at which food is prepared in this fashion. 3. an appliance on which food can be grilled over an open flame outdoors. [origin - Afrikaans] Above: Stebin Horne with wife/muse Roos-Maryn Opperman Horne

The KUDU Safari Braai is now available for pre-order via their Indie GoGo campaign. A crowdfunding site for creative and entrepreneurial ideas; you can commit to purchasing the KUDU to help raise the funds needed to get the first grills built and shipped. 12 AUGUST 24 - SEPTMEBER 7, 2016

Cajun Sea Bass on the KUDU Safari Braai salt block with sauted okra and asparagus wrapped in prosciutto with havarti cheese. Learn more at www.kudugrills.com

Join the Creek 100.9, the Moonhanger Group and the KUDU catering grill for some Mercer pre-game BBQ. Located between the blue lot and the baseball field. 3-7p.m.

BY TRACI BURNS

Stebin Horne is a man on a mission, and that mission is, in its purest form, helping people slow down and enjoy their lives a bit more. Horne’s savvy lies in connecting people with products that will help them move away from the dronelike adult routine of work-eat-sleep-repeat and into a lifestyle that prioritizes togetherness, fun, fellowship, and even adventure. The Macon native and entrepreneur is already involved in one business, Classic Overland, in which he brings meticulously restored Land Rover Defenders over from South Africa for customers who want the sense of adventure and freedom an automobile like that can bring; his newest invention, the KUDU Safari Braai, a wood-burning grill, griddle, and fire pit with interchangeable accessories, is another South African-inspired venture that’s just won him a Mercer Innovation Center fellowship and could be the start of something big here in Middle Georgia. Horne got the idea for the grill while living in South Africa with his wife, who is from there. “When we’d go to parks or over to people’s homes, I noticed everybody grilled over an open fire,” Horne says. “They had this running joke that, if you didn’t do that, the lions would eat you. If you were over there with a Weber or a Big Green Egg, consider yourself a dead man. They’d raise the grilling level based on how hot the fire was; it was such a neat idea, and I began to see how it related very much to the way people like to grill and barbeque in America. We’re both grill-loving nations.” Indeed, grilling is so important to South Africans that they’ve named September 24 National Braai Day; the day is set aside as one for all citizens, regardless of race, language, or religion, to unite in one aspect of their common heritage – the fires and feasts associated with the braai. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the anointed patron of National Braai Day, stated that braai “is one thing that can unite us, irrespective of all the things that are trying to tear us apart.” This sentiment feels true and necessary for today’s sometimes messy, divided America, too. It seems simple, but the bonding and closeness that come with the shared rituals of mealtime can be incredibly healing and uplifting. “The way we cooked for thousands of years was over a fire,” Horne says. “We’ve lost some things in trying to make cooking more efficient. We’ve lost flavor, and we’ve

lost the communal property of having a fire and having people come over and congregate and fellowship with friends and family around that fire. One thing that’s funny is when you see people at a party with the KUDU, everybody’s always hanging out all around it. ‘Manning’ the grill is a familiar term because it’s usually one guy all by himself flipping burgers while everybody else is hanging out, but with this grill, everybody wants to be involved. They call it the African TV. It makes the whole process nice and interactive, and slows things down a bit.” Mercer Innovation Center obviously believes in the potential power of the KUDU Safari Braai as well; Horne was selected as one of the inaugural class of Mercer Innovation Fellows, which means that his company will receive a prize package that includes $20,000 in funds, office space, paid student interns, access to Mercer facilities, and more. “We were so fortunate to win that award,” Horne says. “It’ll be a really neat project for the university because they have so many resources with the School of Business and the School of Engineering; we can do a lot of cool, creative things together to continue to build and expand upon this model. We look forward to working with Mercer students and faculty to create a truly awesome product.” The grill itself will have a variety of customizable options – it’ll come in two sizes, a home size and one for commercial catering. Rather than make a separate grill for camping and tailgating, Horne opted to retool the full sized grill to make it a little lighter and give it detachable legs so it’s more portable and can be used for both. There will also be multiple attachments available so customers can build the grill that best serves their needs – there’ll be a griddle, a rotisserie, a Dutch oven, a bread maker, even an accessory that’ll turn the grill into a fire pit for post-meal cozy socializing. The company will also sell a unique wood from Africa that’s “extremely dense, with amazing aromas and flavors,” says Horne. “You won’t find that wood anywhere else, and cooking with it is a truly distinctive experience. However, if you’re in a hurry, you can throw on some charcoal and have a steak ready in half an hour. You can cook on this grill with regular or lump charcoal, and we’re going to be selling a propane attachment as well. The options are wide open.” The KUDU has already been spotted around town

here and there; recently, the Moonhanger group hosted a well-received pop-up KUDU event that showcased the catering version of the grill, known as the Kudu Katering Model. “It’s a beast,” said Horne. “There are multiple rotisseries – you could cook for a couple hundred people, you could be doing apps, mains, and desserts all at the same time. Kudu Katering is a cool concept that takes catering to a new level and brings the audience into the process. A lot of times when someone’s cooking at a party, people want to know how stuff is being made, and with the KUDU you can watch all that unfold interactively in front of you on an open fire.” Official launch date for the KUDU is September 1 – which purposefully coincides with the beginning of football season. KUDU will be working with the Moonhanger Group and the Creek to host a tailgate party at every Mercer University home game; they’ll have their grills going outside, and inside the stadium they will be offering a variety of different treats from El Camino, Rookery, and Dovetail that have been cooked on the KUDU. “There’ll be burgers, tacos, a lobster roll,” says Horne. “We want to have some good and different stuff for football fans to enjoy.” Look for the KUDU Safari Braai Indiegogo campaign to roll out in early September with more details and pricing information. The home version of the KUDU will retail for around $750, but “there will definitely be a discount for early adopters who purchase from the Indiegogo campaign,” says Horne. “Our grill is priced competitively within the realm of higher-end grills. We’re roughly half the price of the Big Green Egg. This grill isn’t for everybody, but it definitely is for men and women who love to cook and who love to do interesting things with their cooking. It’s an open canvas, really, and we don’t want anybody who wants an awesome grill to be prohibited from having one because of the price,” - thus the discounts for those who show their support and purchase their KUDUs early. “We’re really trying to start a company here in Macon that could potentially be a significant job creator,” says Horne. “We’re building a lifestyle brand, in a way – we want people to have products that allow them to enjoy time off work outdoors with family and friends, away from the hectic pace of daily life. We know this is something middle Georgia can appreciate, and we’re hoping to see the community get behind us fully.”

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14 AUGUST 24 - SEPTMEBER 7, 2016

M A C O N ’ S N E W E S T C O U N T RY E X P O RT by Sean Pritchard

Two songs that Denning co-wrote, “Pickup Lines” and “Life in the Livin’” appear on Justin Moore’s brand new release, Kinda Don’t Care. Chase Rice’s newest single, “Everybody We Know Does” is one of his, and Jason Aldean’s highly anticipated album, They Don’t Know, due out in September, features “All Out of Beer”, a song that Denning wrote with Jeremy Bussey and Rager.

“It’s not much more than a few stoplights off of 247,” Travis Denning says of Bonaire, fondly laughing about the community he grew up in before moving to Nashville. “I love it so much.” There’s a good chance that if you’ve been to Cherry Blossom Festival, Bragg Jam, the Georgia National Fair, or out for a drink anywhere in Middle Georgia in the last seven years, that you’ve seen Travis playing. From his first “real” show at the age of 16, an awkwardly cool acoustic set in the clubhouse of Landing’s Golf Club, complete with parents, relatives, and high school friends, to headlining The Crazy Bull, there aren’t many places in Middle Georgia that he hasn’t played at this point. “I love Holly and the people at Yesterdaze. I played The Hummingbird on my twenty-first birthday. Some of my first shows were at Buffalo’s and Mellow Mushroom. I think I’ve sung a song or two at most places with a PA around Macon and Warner Robins.” I met with him on a muggy July evening, at his apartment near Percy Priest Lake just outside of Nashville. The living room is packed with road cases and amplifiers, the walls adorned with Georgia Bulldogs memorabilia. “During the fall, if I’m not out on the road or occupied in the studio, I’m going to do everything I can to make sure I see the Dawgs play”, he says. Throughout our conversation, Denning keeps referring back to how much he loves Middle Georgia and the people he’s befriended, how fortunate he feels to come from the community that he does. The stay-true-to-yourroots country origin story is a somewhat exhausting trope (even he admits that) but for Denning and so many of his peers, there’s nothing artificial about the love and acknowledgement given to a few stoplights and the people that make those places worthwhile. Inspiration comes in unlikely places, especially when you’re growing up around strip malls and soybean fields. For him it was in the parking lot of Sears at the Galleria Mall. “I was seven years old. My dad had picked me up from Matt Arthur Elementary- go Knights!- and when we pulled up he told me that a friend at work had loaned him a CD and he wanted me to hear it. He was especially excited because it was something that he hadn’t listened to in years and years and sharing it with me felt right.”

The album was AC/DC Live and upon hearing “Hells Bells”, he “shot straight up in the seat.” “I remember my jaw dropping at that song and at ‘Back in Black’. At any age, but especially seven, there’s nothing in the world like it.” Before AC/DC, who would push him to a classic rock epiphany, it was mostly radio and whatever friends were listening to. “I really enjoyed Blink-182 as a young kid. They were childish is a really cool way, but AC/DC eclipsed those feelings in a massive way.” From there, he moved on to Led Zeppelin and Guns N’ Roses, and “any band with a strong lead guitar.” “The fact that people would go to these shows just to see a guitar player blew my mind. It had me sold on the idea that I could do that. I saw Guns N’ Roses a few weeks ago here in Nashville and they’ve still got it, Slash especially. Axel has seen better days, but he still hits those notes.” The copy of AC/DC Live they listened to was borrowed, but the album affected him so strongly that his father went and bought him a copy of his own. “I remember talking to Travis about how important is was for a song to grab a listener and never let go and I knew that he got it,” his father says of the experience. “From there, we moved on to the Allman Brothers.” Travis’ father David and mother, Marsha, work as contractors at the Base in Warner Robins, where they’ve been for the better part of the last three decades, aside from a short stint in Utah. The family moved when Travis was 10, so he embraced music even more as a way to make the most of it. He started taking lessons, and excelled at them, and eventually told his parents that he wanted a Les Paul, a honey-burst in particular. Recognizing his talents, but wanting him to earn the guitar, his parents told him they would help him purchase the guitar if he would learn “Stairway to Heaven” all the way through. Just three months after making their agreement, Travis’ teacher told his parents they should get ready to purchase the guitar, because he was close to mastering it. Ten years later, he still plays that guitar every night that he’s on stage and often uses it to work through early forms of songs before taking them into writing sessions. Many years before moving to Utah, the Dennings had befriended Chris Hicks, a Maconite who fronted the band Loose Change for many years before going on to play with Marshall Tucker Band. For Travis, the relationship

brought an unexpected opportunity. “Marshall Tucker Band was on tour with Charlie Daniels and my parents had talked to Chris, who was out on the road with them, and worked out for my Dad and me to go to the show. They were playing the USANA Amphitheater. I remember it very, very well,” says Denning, grinning as he recounts the story. “I brought my guitar along, thinking I would strum a few chords with Chris after the show, maybe show it off to the band, and when we got there, Chris says, ‘Hell no, you’re getting on stage and playing ‘Can’t You See’ with the band!’ So that was that. A few minutes later, I’m on stage in front of thousands of people with Marshall Tucker Band playing one of their most iconic songs. Thankfully it’s the same three chords over and over.” After the show, Denning overheard his father tell Chris, “We need to get on the phone to talk about that thing that I mentioned to you.” On the ride home, when he asked his father what that meant, his father explained that Chris had been in the business for a long time and could teach him a thing or two, assuming he wanted to take that route. “That was really cool,” Denning says. “To have my dad express his support of what I was doing in such a straightforward way gave me a lot of confidence.” Having such a strong support network is not lost on him. Throughout our conversation, he emphasized again and again how critical his family members have been in helping him work towards his goals. “My dad may have come around a bit faster than my mom, if only because he wanted to see me be a rock star, but my mom is hands down my biggest fan and supporter. I’ve worked very hard for what I have, I won’t deny that, but they’ve been there every step of the way.” The Dennings moved back to Georgia in 2008, David and Marsha returning to Robins, and Travis and his younger sister, Angela, attending Warner Robins High School. The next few years brought a whirlwind of hitor-miss shows at open mics, fairs, talent shows, and the occasional bar gig, earning a bit of money and the attention of some of the older players around Middle Georgia. Being one of only a few left handed guitarists in the area might have helped, but people were definitely paying attention to his playing. 11thHourOnline.com 15

In high school, Denning started listening to John Mayer and Matchbox 20, more “song oriented” artists, as he refers to them. “I just remember I started paying as much, if not more, attention to what people were saying as to what they were playing. And with John Mayer, you kind of got the best of both.” This new idea of “the power of the song” stuck with him and he started focusing on writing original material. It didn’t stop with singer-songwriters though. “I love all music. I’ll listen to anything at least once. I’m lucky for that, I guess, because I loved learning about the blues, about hip-hop, about Southern rock, but in high school I really started to appreciate the words of the songs in a way that I never had.” After one “very solid” semester at Georgia State, Denning returned home for Christmas with a new plan. “Funny thing is, you have to actually go to class to make good grades and you would have thought I had that figured out already. Still, when I threw my cap up at graduation in high school, I knew I wanted to make music my priority. I could have done a few people a lot of good by saving those six months, but here I am,” he said about the whole experience. “I remember sitting around the dinner table and telling my parents that I wanted to move to Nashville and pursue music full time, and just like they have in the past, they offered their support, under the right conditions.” His parents expressed their support of this new undertaking under the agreement that he would have to formulate a plan and he would have to raise the money to make it possible. As for his younger sister, she wasn’t phased by seeing her brother leave college to move to Nashville and chase a career in music. “Angela has always been smarter than me, we both know it. I’m just happy she’s proud of what I’ve done,” he said, and expressed the same of her. For the next two years, Denning occupied himself with playing as many shows as possible, upwards of 250, and writing and recording. It was during this time that he befriended fellow Georgians Cole Taylor and Jordan Rager, who would eventually become some of his closest allies, as well as co-writers. On December 1st, 2013, Denning held his 21st birthday party at The Hummingbird Stage & Taproom, playing to a packed house. By January 15th, he was living in Nashville. Step one of “making it” was complete, but he still had plenty of ground to cover. “Leaving home was difficult and I didn’t want to feel, or for it to appear, like I was turning my back on a place or group of people, but I knew that being in Nashville was a huge part of me trying to make the most out of this opportunity,” he comments. When I pressed him further about any critical thoughts he has about Middle Georgia’s music scene or what it was like to grow up there, he’s quick to give a sincere response. “There’s very little that was negative to me about the Middle Georgia experience. I’m sure if I dug deep enough, I could find something, but I’ve always thought there was cool stuff going on there.” During the year prior to moving, he frequented 16 AUGUST 24 - SEPTMEBER 7, 2016

Nashville, initially to help Taylor and his then-fiancé move, but later to crash on their sofa and explore the city. Despite being committed to the move and the career choice, he was keen on learning how to land on his feet once he arrived. Through Taylor and Rager, who he currently lives with, he was introduced to producers, managers, publishers, and people from every corner of the industry, both good and bad. “Thankfully,” he says, “Good people tend to hang out with good people, so I haven’t had too many bad experiences since being here, especially with music.” The “year of weekends” in Nashville paid off within his first year. Denning’s goal of working and saving for the two years prior was specifically so that he could dedicate all his time to writing, performing, and learning the industry, and by November of 2014, he had signed a publishing deal with RED Creative Group, a company created by Ellijay-native Jeremy Stover. Stover, a writer and producer most notably known for his work with Justin Moore, Jake Owen, and Cole Swindell, took an instant liking to Denning’s writing style and helped him build on the lessons he’s learned over the past year.

possible to do both. He’s not keen on being pigeonholed as merely being able to approach one part of the industry and wants to prove that he has as much to offer onstage as he does in the studio. When asked further about this, he says, “At the end of the day though, of course I’d like to be up in front of a microphone, singing to a crowd, but I’m just happy being able to do something I love for work.” “Pickup Lines” was the first song that he heard the final product for, and he describes it as “exhilarating” and “emotional”. “We were in the studio and I think I asked Stover to play it back six or seven times. Justin’s such a powerhouse of a singer, but to think about the life of that song and what it had been through, and what I’d been through to get to this point was humbling. And it made me want it even more.” These four songs are truly just the beginning. Since I initially met with him in July, he’s had a handful of productive writing sessions, he’s announced a show with Frank Foster at The Georgia Theatre, (“one of the most

“A guy from Bonaire writes a song for a guy from Macon, who just happens to be one of the biggest acts in country music. How cool is that?”, he laughs. “I read in Taste of Country that one of Jason’s wife’s favorite songs on his new record is ‘All Out of Beer’. So, that’s what really matters, you know. Maybe she can convince him to make it a single for us.” “I signed the deal on the Monday of CMA Awards Week, perhaps the busiest time of the year in Nashville. The whole week was crazy, just co-writes and parties. Stover told me, ‘Enjoy it, because next week, we’re working’ and that’s just what we did.” Two years of hard work later and Denning is standing on his feet more firmly than ever before. He’s written with Nashville veterans like Craig Wiseman, Jeffrey Steele, Jessi Alexander, and Ben Hayslip. He’s opened for chart-toppers Justin Moore, Sam Hunt, Cole Swindell, and Shenandoah, who he describes as “the greatest damn country band of all time”. But perhaps what he sees as his greatest accomplishments of his very young music career are the four songs he’s written that were picked up by other artists. Two songs that he co-wrote, “Pickup Lines” and “Life in the Livin’” appear on Justin Moore’s brand new release, Kinda Don’t Care. Chase Rice’s newest single, “Everybody We Know Does” is one of his, and Jason Aldean’s highly anticipated album, They Don’t Know, due on in September, features “All Out of Beer”, a song that Denning wrote with Jeremy Bussey and Rager. “A guy from Bonaire writes a song for a guy from Macon, who just happens to be one of the biggest acts in country music. How cool is that?”, he laughs. “I read in Taste of Country that one of Jason’s wife’s favorite songs on his new record is ‘All Out of Beer’. So, that’s what really matters, you know. Maybe she can convince him to make it a single for us.” Denning doesn’t think he’ll have to choose between writing and performing, because he recognizes it’s very

amazing venues, in one of the most amazing towns in America”) and there’s work on the horizon that should only continue his record year. Like so many of the young acts in Nashville, Denning has a long way to go before he gets to where he wants to be, but he has a pretty good idea of what he’s going to do to get there. He’s surrounded by a professional team that continues to help him get to doors he has no trouble opening and he operates with a concentrated fluidity. He understands that there aren’t many rules to writing a great song and being a successful artist, despite being in one of the most organized segments of the music industry. “All Travis has ever wanted to do is make a living in the music industry, and he’s doing that,” his mother said about the momentum he’s gained the last few years and where she expects him to go. “But I always remind him that people are going to remember him for being a good man, not just a good musician.” Momma knows best. “One of my closest friends in this business told me the best quality you can possess is to have ignorance of your success. Keep your head down, strive to work hard and constantly move forward. That has resonated with me since I first heard it, and I think I’m a better person for ever hearing it,” Denning says. “I’ve enjoyed watching this crazy journey twist and turn into what it is, and what it keeps becoming, but what I’ve loved the most is being able to say this is my job, this is my life, and to feel like I’m really contributing to something I love on a daily basis. But it don’t hurt to crack open a beer and look back every now and then…hell, sounds a bit like a song.”

11thHourOnline.com 17

HOMEMADE DOUGH, FRESH TOPPINGS!

TUES-SAT LUNCH & DINNER SUN DINNER

LARGE CRAFT BEER SELECTION!

Dine In or Call Ahead for Carry-Out

750-8488 - 2395 Ingleside Ave This isn’t a dream...

Now Serving Dinner Friday & Saturday Evenings! Come see us!

It’s Downtown Grill.

562 Mulberry St. Lane Downtown Macon Weekdays 5-9:30pm Sat 5-10:30pm

Perfect Pairings

LIVE MUSIC FIRST FRIDAY!

DINNER

FRIDAY & SATURDAY

1/2 off select bottles WE DELIVER! of wine on Wednesdays

Hours

Mon-Fri 11-3, Fri 5-9, Sat 11:30-9

New Menu Items! JAMBALAYA HUSHPUPPIES - BUFFALO SHRIMP

CRAWFISH BOUDIN - JEZEBEL SAUSAGE

SALMON BURGER - SOFT SHELL CRAB 470 THIRD STREET • (478) 292.2085

18 AUGUST 24 - SEPTMEBER 7, 2016

THE BEER GARDEN MUSIC AT 8PM Friday, Aug 26: Dirty Doves Saturday, Aug 27: Lewis & JP Saturday, Sept 3: Joey Stuckey Friday, Sept 9: Steve Holcombe Duo Friday, Sept 16: Brian Clarke Saturday, Sept 17: Ben Olsen Trio

BRUNCH

Saturday & Sunday 11-3 Housemade Specialties, Full Bar Open 7 days a week at 11am

(478) 305-7703 468 Second Street

11thHourOnline.com 19

YOUR BRAVES HEADQUARTERS.

Everyday 4-7pm $1.75 Beers & $6 Domestic Pitchers

Tuesdays

Kids eat free w/ adult meal purchase 2440 RIVERSIDE DR, MACON 478-745-8980 - WE DELIVER! New menu online: Locosgrill.com

20 AUGUST 24 - SEPTMEBER 7, 2016

the

Dish

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

BBQ

American / Bar Food

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 The new Bearfoot Tavern is a gastropub featuring an English pub-style atmosphere, 50 beers on tap and bar food at its finest with all soups and breads made in-house. Large beer garden with outdoor stage! LD • BAR • $ 468 Second Street. Open 7 days a week at 11 a.m. Special brunch menu Saturday & Sunday. 478-305-7703 The Brick’s Made from-scratch pizzas, calzones, and stuffed sticks; unique pastas; fresh salads; and wings tossed in one of a dozen house-made sauces next to a full-service bar and a wide variety of draft and bottled beers. A community gathering place featuring outdoor seating and live music with built-in sound and light systems. 1305 Hardeman Ave. at the Lofts at College Hill. Kitchen 11-10 Monday-Saturday, 12-9 Sundays. Full bar open until midnight. For a full menu visit thebrick93.com.

Fincher’s - You haven’t had delicious southern barbecue until you’ve had us. For over 75 years, we’ve been teasing taste buds with our pit-cooked pork, sandwiches, and more. Voted “Best BBQ” by readers of the 11th Hour for six years in a row, their BBQ even made a trip to the moon on the 1969 space mission. Four locations in Macon and Warner Robins. Family owned and operated!

Pizza / Italian Ingleside Village Pizza IVP is probably the one place in Macon you HAVE to go if you are new here. According to the readers of the 11th Hour, and the Macon Telegraph, it’s the best Pizza in Macon. Homemade dough, loaded with toppings, it just doesn’t get any better. And the atmosphere is as cool as they come. Friendly, and lively, and filled with all kinds of great people, IVP is a one of a kind Macon experience. They also have one of the most extensive beer lists in Macon. LD • BAR $ 2396 Ingleside. Sauced at Mercer Village Serving pizza, calzones, sammies and fresh salads, Sauced makes all their dough, specialty sauce and breads in-house. Delivery available within the College Hill Corridor. (478) 743-4113. Just Tap’d - Yes, they specialize in over 75 craft beers on tap, but the downtown venue has also added some tasty artisan, pub-style food. Featuring Neapolitan pizza, authentic bavarian brats, fresh made pretzels and more! Indoor and outddoor seating. 488 First Street. Mon-Thur 2-10, Friday & Sat 12-11:30, and Sunday 1-8. Main Street Pizza - Much more than a pizza place; the downtown restaurant also offers an outdoor patio with live music that has made Main Street a popular place to mingle. Serving pizzas, wings, calzones and salads. Open for lunch and dinner. 344 Second Street, 744-9880.

Lunch Spots Harpin’s A mid-town lunch favorite, serving chicken salad, pimento cheese, deli sandwiches and fresh salads and daily soup specials. Call ahead for take-out or try their new Take ‘n Go cooler. 3378 Brookdale Ave. (478) 742-5252 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.

Grow is Macon’s only farm to table lunch restaurant, specializing in local meats and produce. Healthy food with Southern flair. Open Mon-Sat 11-3pm. Check out the facebook page for this week’s menu. Reservations accepted. 743-4663

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

Kudzu Seafood Co. Newly opened on Third Street by veteran caterer Lee Clack, Kudzu features seafood and breads flown in direct from the Big Easy. With New Orleans flair, their menu features po’boys, jambalaya, cajun fish tacos, fresh salads and

COX

Breakfast 6-10am Lunch 11am-2pm

CAFE

TUESDAY

Fried Chicken Meatloaf Beef Tips Chicken Livers

Lemon-Pepper Chicken Fried Chicken Pork Chops (add 50¢) Roast Beef

Rutabagas Green Beans Mash Potatoes Okra & Tomatoes Squash Casserole Fried Okra, Rice

Creamed Corn Turnip Greens Mashed Potatoes Black-Eyed Peas Rice, Broccoli Cabbage

Specialty The Backburner Under new ownership with a new chef, this longtime Macon favorite has a refreshed menu featuring gourmet entrees including duck, sea bass, New York strip, lamb, oysters and more. Elegant dining experience on Ingeside. LD • $$-$$$ (478) 746-3336 The Downtown Grill Slightly upscale dining serving specialties like Andouille- crusted 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 Dovetail 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. LD • BAR • $$-$$$ 543 Cherry Street, 238.4693. Hours: Serving lunch Tues-Sat 11am-2pm. Dinner Tuesdays-Thursdays; 5:3011 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays 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 thru Friday, Edgar’s serves as a handson 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 soups, garden-fresh salads, sandwiches and entrees. To view the quarterly menu visit Edgarshospitality.com/menu. 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. Open at 6 a.m. Monday - Friday and 11am on Sat. Now serving dinner Wed-Sat! 442 Second Street, downtown. The Tic Toc Room Contemporary setting with a sophisticated menu, great wine selection. D • BAR • $$-$$$ 408 MLK JR BLVD, 743.4645 Texas Cattle Company Macon’s original premier steak house and banquet facility. Featuring hand-cut, choice-grain, aged beef, fresh seafood, in-house ground steak burgers and banquet accamadations for groups of 5-50. Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner. Prices from $5.99 - $24.99. LD • BAR • $-$$. 5797 Houston Road.

Ethnic Cuisine Ghengis Grill A new build-your-own stir-fry restaurant just off Bass Road. There’s only one person in charge at Genghis Grill: You. Seize control and build your own bowl from over 80 delicious, fresh ingredients, then sit back and watch as our Grill Masters cook up your creation in a blaze of perfection. Also featuring a full bar with signature cocktails. LD • BAR • Open 11am - 10 p.m. Monday thru Sunday.

Full Service Catering Available

LUNCH PLATES

Vegetable Plate (4) & Bread $5.05 1 Meat w/2 Vegetables & Bread $6.95 1 Meat w/3 Vegetables & Bread $7.50

Phone: (478) 745-7171 694 Lower Poplar Street

MONDAY

their own blue cheese slaw. LD Monday - Saturday 11am - 3 pm, Dinner Friday & Saturday • $ • 470 Third Street.

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Fried Chicken Salmon Patty (add 50¢) Hamburger Steak Beef Liver

Baked Ham Roast Turkey Pork Chops (add 50¢) Spaghetti

Catfish ($8.95) Whiting, Fried Chicken Chicken & Dumplings Hamburger Steak

Green Beans Collared Greens Broccoli Casserole Potatoes & Carrots Sweet Potatoes Dressing, Rice

Mac & Cheese Potato Salad English Peas Cabbage, Lima Beans Cole Slaw Squash, French Fries

Stewed Squash Mac & Cheese Butter Peas Cabbage, Rice Boiled Okra Mashed Potatoes

TAKE-OUT AVAILABLE

To-Go Boxes 20¢ each

Just 5 Minutes from Downtown! From MLK Jr. Blvd take a left onto Poplar Street. Poplar becomes Lower Poplar Street. Turn right onto 10th Street, stay straight to go onto Lower Poplar St.

11thHourOnline.com 21

MACON. WHERE THE SOUTH ROCKS. SUN AUG 28 $25+

WED SEPT 14 $14+

SUN SEPT 19 $15+

TONY JOE WHITE

A trip to Nashville in 1966 was marked by one lucky break after another, and his fruitful recording career began at the fabled country-soul crucible of Monument Records. Gems like "Polk Salad Annie" and "Rainy Night in Georgia" were just the beginning, as he proceeded to write, record, and perform regularly through the present day, finding great success both at home and abroad. Through the years, his songs have been recorded by everyone from Tina Turner to Elvis Presley to Dusty Springfield. Despite his illustrious past, White feels no pressure to top himself. "There's not a push nowhere," he concludes. "Maybe I'll stop playing shows and making records when the songs quit coming to me. But they still come to me. You see, I don't work for a song—but once I get a hold of it I don't let go. I just keep writing, and when I do, I want to go out and play it for somebody. It's the songwriting that keeps me going."

THE FLOOZIES

WITH CHET PORTER, DAILY BREAD

Fueled by the swing of Basie, the birth of Charlie Parker's bebop, and the wild frontier of electronica. Born in funk and bred in the digital age, live electronic duo The Floozies have burst onto the scene at a time when the industry needed them the most. Brothers Matt and Mark Hill share the stage just as easily as they share a musical brain. Without a setlist, and without a word between them, Matt's guitar is in lockstep with the thud of Mark's kick. Endless looping and production builds the raw scenery upon which palm muted chugs, searing solos, and wobbling bass paint their dazzling array of colors.

THUR SEPT 15 $20+

AARON CARTER

Aaron Carter became an international pop sensation at the age of 10 and went on to release several hit singles and multiplatinum albums as well as appear in film, television and on Broadway. Carter recently finished a successful North American tour performing songs he made famous during the past 15 years. He is currently recording a new album and preparing for his next tour. Carter, now 26, began his career at the age of 7 singing lead for the band Dead End. Two years later in 1997 he made his first solo appearance when he opened for brother Nick Carter's band the Backstreet Boys in Berlin, Germany.

WHEELER WALKER JR.

If, as Kinky Friedman once said, “an artist is a man who’s ahead of his time and behind on his rent,” then consider Wheeler Walker, Jr. the Michelangelo of country music. Wheeler got his first breaks early. Famed country A&R man Ronnie Phillips heard him playing at the Bluebird Café and signed him to Capitol Nashville. Unfortunately Wheeler could never quite get along with “the man”. Wheeler doesn’t like being told what to do. Never has. That’s what his heroes Waylon, Willie, Johnny and Hank taught him. After refusing to censor his songs, Capitol dropped him. Country music’s most talented artist, and not even a damn single to show for it. Until now... Wheeler’s debut album is already being called “the filthiest country album in history”. But to merely label it as that would be a crime. It’s one of the finest country albums ever put to wax (or files, or whatever). Eleven songs of the most ass-kicking, moving and heartfelt real country you’ll ever hear.

COMING UP...

8/24 - Justin Cutway & Aaron Irons

9/27: David Cook

9/9 - Rumours - A Fleetwood Mac Tribute

9/29: Caleb Caudle

9/22 - Moon Taxi with The Hip Abduction

9/30: Esperanza Spalding

382 Second Street | 478-257-6391

COXCAPITOLTHEATRE.COM Let Moonhanger Catering make your next event unforgettable. Contact Katelin Yates at 718-1444 or at katelin@moonhangergroup.com 22 AUGUST 24 - SEPTMEBER 7, 2016

op Ed

Why do you have to bring Race into it? Karen Gibson / aka Law Momma

I was discussing the Ryan Lochte ugliness the other day and mentioned how different the media’s discussion would be if he were a 32 year old black man. My friend did the half eye roll and smiled at me. “Why do you always have to bring race into it?” He asked with a smile, but his words hit me dead center and I thought about them for a long while after RYAN LOCHTE, OLYMIC GOLD MEDALIST we parted ways. Why DID I bring race into it, I thought to myself. Was it necesare excuses: “he was drunk,” “He’s just a kid,” sary? Was I “stirring the pot”? Was I causing “He has his whole life ahead of him, don’t a scene where no scene need be? In the actual ruin it.” We’ve seen what the media puts out conversation I think I just dropped it, someabout White men who rape women. We’ve thing I rarely do, but his question continued seen what tales they spin, with swim times to haunt me until I woke up one morning and academic successes. And we’ve seen with the answer clear as day before me. what happens in the alternative, when the I am not bringing race into everything; accuser is a person of color... the stories talk Race is always a part of things. Every time. about how they were “probably resisting It’s only when we are discussing those arrest” or “should have kept their mouths among us with light skin that we ever ask shut.” We’ve read about past run-ins with the if race has to be a part of the conversation. law, things that have little to no bearing to It’s only when the media talks about a rapist the day they were shot, unarmed, with their in terms of his swim times, or a 32 year old hands above their head. vandal as a “kid”. No, we don’t need to bring So to my friend who asked me so race into the discussion when it’s already innocently why I have to bring Race into there, staring at us in black and white from everything, I humbly ask you this in the front page of the newspaper or the response: Do you think perhaps that the headline on the evening news. We don’t reason you don’t see that Race is already need to raise Race when the all caps rant on an issue in every single moment of a Black Facebook calls one group of vandals “thugs” person’s day is because you’re not looking? and another “kids having fun.” No... we don’t Or do you think it’s because you can’t see it need to pretend that has anything to do with through the heavy white blinders genetically Race, do we? placed on your eyes at birth? After all, we took out the Whites Only Race is always an issue, especially here. signs. What more could anyone ask of us? But should it be? Should Race be an issue Doesn’t that set us all as equals now? in what we say, how we read, who we flock When I read the comments from the to? Who knows. “Should” is a difficult word news media characterizing Ryan Lochte and to swallow or embrace. But IS Race an issue his fellow swimmers as “kids out to have in all those things? Yes. Believe that it is. a good time” or arguing that maybe there Especially in the South. And if you don’t, wasn’t even any damage to begin with bespend a day looking around at how you talk, cause they toured the gas station several days what jokes you tell, what words you use to later and the bathroom looked fine, I have describe those around you. Who do you to wonder which news station would have call “lazy” and who do you say is simply put the same effort into finding out what “underperforming;” who do you describe as actual damage was caused if these were not “ghetto” and who gets the moniker “trashy”? celebrated White Olympic athletes, but four Look around at the advertisements you Black men (or Hispanic, or Native American, see, the people you dine with, the people for that matter) in town to watch the Games. you look away from, eyes downcast. Look I have to wonder if the benefit of the doubt around for who and what is not represented would be placed on the shoulders of the in your day. Then maybe, after you’ve spent accused or the shoulders of the accuser. some time thinking about these things and No, I don’t really wonder. None of how they shape and mold the people outside us should. Because when the accused or of yourself, then we can talk about why Race accuser is Black, we’ve seen the outcome, is a part of everything. haven’t we. When the accused is white, there

Karen Gibson, aka “Law Momma”, is a Macon transplant by way of North Carolina. She’s a die-hard Tar Heel fan, an often sleep-deprived wife and mother, a workers’ compensation attorney, and a lover of all things literary… except books on tape. Unless they’re read by Alan Rickman. 11thHourOnline.com 23

I N T E RV I E W b y B R A D E VA N S

Playing Aug. 26 at the Music at the Mount Concert Series.

For tickets visit mountdesales.net $15 in advance / $20 at the gate

If the love of music can follow a bloodline then you could say that writer & recording artist Brent Cobb was born to be a musician. In fact, so many members of Brent’s extended family have musical ability that he can’t really name them all. Music was not only in his blood, it was played and heard in his home as a child and in the homes of most of his relatives throughout his youth. As this 24-year-old native of Americus, Georgia, would say, “It goes way deep.” Deep as it was, there was no way that he could know growing up that these same familial ties would lead him on a crazy journey that would take him from small town Georgia to the mean streets of LA and back home again, eventually landing him in Nashville, writing songs and collaborating with some of the biggest names in country music today. Listen. Solving Problems is my favorite song in the world right now. Just had to say that. Thank you so much man. You are from Richland, correct? Well I was born in Americus, raised in Ellaville, but my stomping grounds were in Richland. I’m from Vienna, right around the corner. Aww, yeah. When’s the last time you hit the Big Pig Jig? Man, it’s been a while. I went back a few years ago I guess. And it wasn’t quite as fun since I’m legal, cut my teeth getting in trouble at the Pig Jig though. Holds a special place in my heart. Oh Man, me too. Haven’t been back in too long. Always talk about going back though. Tell me about writing the song “Solving Problems”. It made me feel good in kind of a John Hartford kind of way. Aww, yeah. Man Gentle on my mind, is my favorite country song in the world. I think NPR nailed it said we copped that melody. And while a lot of songs that have that progression. I just like that kind of laid back country music. The way we wrote it was how it came out. The most literal song I’ve ever written, we wrote it in real time, about what we were doing at that moment. On the porch. Me and my first best buddy in Nashville. It was on a Sunday. You know how it is, being from Vienna. There really is a way to solve the problems of the world on a porch. Your voice sounds like an older man. I was surprised at how young you were. That’s a compliment... What’s crazy is that I’ve had this voice since I was about 13 years old. I’ve had this voice for a long time, I’m just now learning how to use it though. Taken me about 20 years I guess to figure it out. Coming from the type of place where we grew up, it’s not exactly a hotbed of creativity. How was it growing up, being a writer? Well I was lucky to have a family that was into music. That encouraged that kind of 24 AUGUST 24 - SEPTMEBER 7, 2016

behavior. That’s a great problem to have. But I know what you mean. People look at you and say “Writer? Well good luck with all that.” But then when you move off and do it for as long as I have, they all come back around I guess. You’ve been writing songs for a while now. You’ve written for Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Eli Young Band, Kellie Pickler, David Nail, and Frankie Ballard... I feel like this album was a bit different than some of those songs. When you walk around Nashville today, is there a change coming in country music? If so, can you see it? Maybe. It’s so hard to tell man. Nashville is such a completely different town already. Was when I first came here in ‘08. It just constantly evolves. You don’t really notice it, you just kind of notice it. All of a sudden it’s just changed. You talked about music being in your family. Tell me about Uncle Dave. (Brent’s cousin, Dave Cobb produced folks like Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson). We didn’t know each other at all growing up. His daddy was the first Cobb that left Richland and never come back. When he left he was gone. Never knew Dave existed. When I was 16, I had a great aunt that passed away and I had to be a pall bearer. Word got around that this guy in our family was a producer from L.A. We were skeptical at first, but I talked to him and found out that he had just produced that first Shooter Jennings’ album Put the O Back IN Country. That was all I’ had been listening too. I was blown away. One of my favorite albums of all time. I had a little demo in my truck, and I gave it to him. He told me later he was reluctant to listen to it but his wife talked him into it. He liked it and two days later him and Shooter were on the phone and they flew me out to do an album. We put that out in ‘06. We found out quick there was something to it being “In the blood”. He produces like I write. Real spontaneous and natural. The funny thing was that when I first came to Nashville with that album nobody wanted to hear it. Now I get to say “I tried to tell ya’ll!” Well you certainly told us with this new album. So glad you guys got back together for it. “Shine On Rainy Day” will be released Oct. 7. Looking forward to your gig in Macon Friday, the 26th. Me to man. Look forward to seeing you!

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11thHourOnline.com 25

L I V E & L O C A L by A N D R E A M A R LOW E

Women with Purpose is September 2 from 6pm-12am at Fresh Produce Records. $5 cover and all proceeds go to benefit Safe House of Central Georgia.

After a discussion with a good friend and reminiscing about female musicians that used to play in the Macon music scene, Savana Cameron had an idea: a showcase dedicated to women artists. “There are a lot of wonderful, strong female musicians in Macon, but we felt like a lot of them [have] taken a backseat to the music scene,” Cameron said. Being a musician herself, Cameron saw the need to bring women to the forefront by promoting their talents and giving women in Macon a place to be heard. “I started reaching out to musicians that I had met at school or just playing shows. And just reaching out to see who would be interested. Everyone that I talked to was really excited about it and immediately jumped on board.

And then I wanted to start incorporating some education to it. I really wanted to have a mission statement,” Cameron said when asked how she started the event. With musicians and artists in tow and a little help from Fresh Produce to provide the space for the show, Women with Purpose has grown bigger than Cameron expected including a dance team from Wesleyan College, a local animal rescue, and a guest lecturer. While the showcase will provide talents from local musicians and artists such as Louise Warren, oh, dorian, Brooke Scott, Brittany Purser, and Atria (Cameron’s solo project) all proceeds will benefit the Safe House of Central Georgia. Cameron had a chance to tour and meet with some of the families at the organization. “The Safe House provides shelter for women and children that have been in violent situations, whether it be domestic abuse or so forth,” Cameron said. “And it just offers women a safe place so they can recover and get back on their feet. They can stay there for as long as they want and then it helps them find places to live. Helps them with jobs and things like that.” A lecture will be held by Middle Georgia State University’s Dr. Sheree Keith that will focus on gender roles, domestic violence, and resources and outlets for women who have been victims of domestic abuse. Cameron

explained, “Education’s a big part of this. I’m hoping that for women that have felt like they don’t have anyone to talk to or felt that they don’t have any outlets and they can just share outlets with them and help them go in the right direction.” Along with the lecture, there will also be a female police officer providing information on domestic abuse and the Safe House of Central Georgia will have a booth as well. When asked why it’s significant to showcase female musicians and artists in Macon, Cameron said, “I think that it’s just important for their sides, their gifts, and stories to be heard. And for us to lift each other up. I think women can put each other down and be more competitive with one another. But I think that it’s important to promote sisterhood.” However, Cameron hopes that Women with Purpose will take away some of those negative aspects and bring about a wave of change in the female artistic community: “With the showcase I’ve meet so many strong, GRANT’S wonderful women that are full of ideas and passion and energy and they just want to make a difference. I wouldn’t have met them if I wouldn’t have put this showcase together. I’ve just been surrounded by so many awesome ladies and I think that it’s just important for the community to see that they have that support.”

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Ladies Night! In 2008 Templeton was hand picked by Conway Twitty’s daughters to portray Conway in the touring musical tribute to their father. They first heard about Glen through Joni Twitty’s husband, John Wesley Ryles. Ryles, a noted studio background vocalist, had worked with Glen on demo projects. “With more than 20,000 hopefuls auditioning for the part, Joni Twitty finally found a powerful voice capable of conveying many of the same qualities Conway had.” “One of he biggest thrills of my life was performing the inaugural show of the musical,” explains Templeton. We were still waiting for my wardrobe to be finished for the tour and I actually got to wear some of Conway’s old suits. I wore these custom wigs they made for me out in LA. I was singing his songs and hearing people react to them the way they must have reacted to him. In a way, it was like getting a chance to literally walk in the shoes of one of my musical heroes.” Glen has shared the stage with a number of other country music artists as well. In his early Nashville days, he worked the clubs down on lower Broadway. At the world famous Tootsie’s, it wasn’t uncommon for an “A List” star to hop up on stage to do a few songs with Glen and the band. After earning a reputation as one of the best singer-songwriters to play the shotgun bars and honkytonks in Nashville, Glen was recruited by Mike Murphy, owner of Cowboy’s Dancehall clubs in Texas. He toured the circuit playing to several thousand people each weekend for his own shows and was the opening act for a number of top names in country music. From producers, studio musicians and music industry vets to country radio and its listeners, Templeton has set out to impress and inspire. No bells, no whistles--just straight down the pipe--Glen is genuine in his performance; his studio recordings translate as undeniably and absolute as his live stage show.

Friday 8/26 Reckless Soul 20’S PUB Grafton Tanner BEARFOOT TAVERN Session Road BILLY’S CLUBHOUSE Legendary Shack Shakers THE HUMMINGBIRD The Legendary Shack Shakers’ hell-for-leather roadshow has earned quite a name for itself with its unique brand of Southern Gothic that is all-at-once irreverent, revisionist, dangerous, and fun. Led by their charismatic, railthin frontman and blues-harpist JD Wilkes, the Shack Shakers are a four-man wrecking crew from the South whose explosive interpretations of the blues, punk, rock and country have made fans, critics and legions of potential converts into true believers.

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Donna Hopkins Band THE HUMMINGBIRD Born and raised on an Alabama farm, Donna witnessed hardship first hand, channeling it into the soulful music that she creates and performs. Donna is a consummate seasoned performer and has opened for or shared the stage with such luminaries as Col. Bruce Hampton, Derek Trucks, Francine Reed, Joe Bonamassa, Emily Saliers (The Indigo Girls), Stevie Wonder, and Robert Cray (to name just a few). As much at home in an intimate listening venue as she is on a giant festival stage, Donna Hopkins performs both solo and accompanied by the perfectly seasoned group of musicians who make up the Donna Hopkins Band, and is always a crowd pleaser.

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Big Daddy & Co WILD WING CAFE Brent Cobb Music on the Mount A country music singer-songwriter from Ellaville, Georgia. He currently writes for Carnival Music and released his self-titled EP “Brent Cobb” in 2012. His songs have been recorded by Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Eli Young Band, Kellie Pickler, David Nail, and Frankie Ballard. The Creek 100.9 predicts this guy is the next big export from Georgia!

Saturday 8/27 The Skeeterz AP’S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY

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Analog Existence, Mopeland and Driven TowardsGood Chaos. Night Alive, The Band Piano, Sunday 8/28 Big Mike & the Booty Papas AP’S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY 3-6PM ON THE DECK! Tony Joe White w/ Clarence Bucaro COX CAPITOL THEATRE A trip to Nashville in 1966 was marked by one lucky break after another, and his fruitful recording career began at the fabled country-soul crucible of Monument Records. Gems like “Polk Salad Annie” and “Rainy Night in Georgia” were just the beginning, as he proceeded to write, record, and perform regularly through the present day, finding great success both at home and abroad. Through the years, his songs have been recorded by everyone from Tina Turner to Elvis Presley to Dusty Springfield. Despite his illustrious past, White feels no pressure to top himself. “There’s not a push nowhere,” he concludes. “Maybe I’ll stop playing shows and making records when the songs quit coming to me. But they still come to me.” Opening the show is Clarence Bucaro. Over six albums the prolific, honey-voiced Brooklyn, NY singer-songwriter Clarence Bucaro has crafted an impressive canon of uplifting Americana, garnering comparisons to Jackson Browne and Van Morrison.

Thursday 9/1 Hindsight THE HUMMINGBIRD Chris Taylor WILD WING CAFE

Friday 9/2 Chainsmokin’ Hillbillies 20’S PUB Session Road BILLY’S CLUBHOUSE

and Sleep Dance THE HUMMINGBIRD October of 2015 the Macon-based band Good Night Alive released their first music video for the song “Killing You Slow,” giving a nod to the cheesy, slasher films of the 80’s with images as haunting as the lyrics. Good Night Alive’s sound, as put by Chris Nylund of Field Note Stenographers, is “slap full of big choruses, heavy guitar hooks, and dynamics that draw you close with a soft and sweet melody only to drop a sonic DDT that would make Jake “the Snake” jump for joy.” Trey Teem & Drew Parker WILD WING CAFE

Saturday 9/3 15th Annual Luau Bash ft. Tres Hombre AP’S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY Don’t miss this outdoor bash at Macon’s favorite bars just off the beaten path. If you’ve yet to visit AP’s, this is the weekend to literally take the plunge (there’s a swimming pool on site). Water slide, pole dancing, Wet-T shirt contests, jello shots, fantastic home cookin’ and more! No cover. Joey Stuckey BEARFOOT TAVERN Joey Stuckey is an award-winning blind guitarist, songwriter, singer, composer, producer, radio and television personality, music columnist, educator and sound engineer. He is also the official music ambassador for his home town of Macon Georgia. The Skeeterz BILLY’S CLUBHOUSE Broadcast 90 THE HUMMINGBIRD Broadcast 90, a Warner Robins based band pays homage to the last golden era of guitar driven rock - the 1990’s.

Jaime Dukes THE CRAZY BULL Wes & Ronnie WILD WING CAFE

Sunday 9/4 15th Annual Luau Bash ft. Big Mike on the deck 3-8 pm; The Skeeterz inside from 8p-1a! AP’S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY

Thursday 9/8 Scott Little WILD WING CAFE

Friday 9/9 Uncle Earl 20’S PUB Steve Holcombe Duo BEARFOOT TAVERN Yesterdaze Rock BILLY’S CLUBHOUSE Rumours: Fleetwood Mac Tribute COX CAPITOL THEATRE Rumours is the Southeast’s premier Fleetwood Mac tribute band. Based in Atlanta, GA, Rumours captures the energy of Fleetwood Mac at the height of their career by blending perfect harmonies, precise instrumentation, and a visually engaging stage show. The six members of Rumours are professional musicians with experience across the spectrum of genre – folk, blues, country, rock, and everything in between. Rumours’ diverse background, coupled with a professional approach to the craft, has propelled them to their status as a highly regarded tribute band. TICKETS $15. Mighty w/ Mel Washington, Us & The Ship THE HUMMINGBIRD Nathan Morgan WILD WING CAFE

HAPPENINGS, LOCALS & REGIONAL INSIGHTS

RAISING THE BAR Featuring

Fine wine, craft beer, locally-sourced cocktails, live music, great food, creative people and much more

NIKKI HAMMOCK

Bearfoot Tavern

ANTHONY ENNIS

On-air Personality, The Creek 100.9; Owner, Left-Hand Production Company

It’s nice to be part of people’s good experiences while they’re enjoying company, food & drink, and the atmosphere. Every shift I’m given the opportunity to make somebody’s day better. I can’t imagine a better industry for myself.

1. Must Eat Probably The Rookery or Downtown Grill. Stankonia Burger at the Rook, or any of DT Grill’s fish specials. I love them all. 2. Must Do Walk around. Take a Rock Candy Tour. Explore on your own. Learn our history. Walk the Indian Mounds. The stories that inhabit this place are incredible. 3. A Night Out on the Town... I’m old school. (Not as old as Brad and Rob and Wes) But I still like Happy Hour at the Bird. 4. What do you like about your job... Honestly, I’m able to reach out to the community in a good way. Spread the word about the growth of our town. Plus the people I work with. We really are like a family.

What do you love about Beafoot?

Bearfoot is casual atmosphere where we really focus on guest experience. It’s nice to be able to serve great food, beer, wine and cocktails at dinner and then transition to a lively downtown bar scene on weekend nights. We also serve brunch on the weekends so I get my bloody-mary making fix. It keeps things interesting.

Do’s & Don’ts at The Bar?

For your first drink, have your I.D. ready. I am a serial-I.D.er. If I’m already making a round of 7 cocktails for a group at the bar, wait till I’m done. I try to make eye-contact and acknowledge waiting guests so that they know I see them. I’ll even pass them a drink menu. This keeps people from snapping their fingers or spouting out a list drink orders before my brain is ready to process them. I try to get one group of people at a time to maximize efficiency.

Favorite meal at Bearfoot and beyond?

My absolute favorite thing to eat at Bearfoot is the PBT Grilled Cheese. It’s pimento cheese, bacon, and a tomato slices pressed between naan bread. In close second is the Godsey Burger. I’m convinced it’s the best burger in the state of Georgia. My favorite place to eat in Macon is The Tic Toc Room. I’m a bit biased because my husband is the Executive Chef. My go-to meal there is the ribeye with a wedge salad. Talk about a satisfying meal!

What do you do in your free time?

Other than work or beverage-related hobbies, I enjoy family time, playing acoustic guitar, going out to eat, and treasure hunting at vintage and second-hand stores. 11thHourOnline.com 33

34 AUGUST 24 - SEPTMEBER 7, 2016

11thHourOnline.com 35

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