Make ‘Em Laugh | Three Southern Makers to Watch | Donna Jean Godchaux: Life After the “Dead” | Body of Art
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July/August
features
60
MAKE ‘EM LAUGH
18
34
LIFE AFTER THE “DEAD”
Our annual round-up of locally-sourced musicians.
A NEW CHAPTER IN THE SHOALS MUSIC BOOK
HOME GROWN SOUND
BY CLAIRE STEWART PHOTOS BY WHITE RABBIT STUDIOS
Revealing portraits of six North Alabama comedians. BY REBECCA ROSS PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD
Donna Jean Godchaux is looking forward to her next great adventure. BY AMY COLLINS PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD
88 22
Single Lock Records and 116 Mobile— heating up the Shoals music scene. Again.
THREE TO WATCH
A trio of “makers” who prove that not all artists create from a blank canvas. BY MICHELLE RUPE
EUBANKS
PHOTOS BY BAILEY CHASTANG,
MICHELLE CONSUEGRA, MICHELLE RUPE EUBANKS, & WHITE RABBIT STUDIOS
BY AMY COLLINS PHOTOS BY JONATHAN
OLIPHANT
102 BODY OF ART
Tattoos—they’re not just for sailors anymore. BY CLAIRE STEWART PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD
North Alabama musician Brittany Smith, photographed by White Rabbit Studios
© Cristian Amoretti
editor’s letter « Allen Tomlinson
Let us entertain you!
Welcome to our second most-read magazine of the year, the annual Entertainment issue. Second only to the Bridal issue in readership, this is our yearly recap of the best and brightest rising musical stars, and this year you are in for a treat. The musicians you will meet cover a broad range of musical genres, from rock and ballads to instrumentals, but all have one thing in common: they help reinforce our belief that there is no place in the world better for fostering talent and getting musicians started on their careers. For those of you who subscribe and receive No’Ala at home, you get a bonus—there’s an audio CD included in your magazine this time, thanks to First Southern Bank, that allows you to listen to these musicians as you read about them in these pages. (If you want a free copy of the CD, there is a limited supply available at any First Southern branch. Get them while supplies last!) There’s so much that goes in to launching a musical career, and the people behind the scenes play as important a role as those in front. We’ll introduce you to Single Lock, a musical production company, and their venue, 116 Mobile, to give you a taste of what it takes to produce a musician’s work. And comics are entertainers, too—check out our quick look at several North Alabama comics who are making a name for themselves by making fun (of themselves, often times) on stage. We’ll show you a different way to look at body art—tattoos—and suggest that this way of decorating yourself has a deeply personal meaning for those who are doing it. We’ll tell you about how well represented we were at Southern Makers, and profile musical legend Donna Jean Godchaux. There’s a lot to entertain you in this issue, and we hope you enjoy it! The summer is flying by, and before long the kids will be getting ready to go back to school. We’re already beginning work on our Fall issue, which is all about personal style, and we have some great surprises in store for you. As you rush to the beach for that last vacation, rush from one Handy event to another, or rush to the stores to get ready for school, remember to buy locally whenever you can. From food to clothing to school supplies and even entertainment, there is simply no reason to go anywhere else to find everything you need. World-class shopping; world-class craftspeople; world-class entertainment. This little corner of the world is just about as good as it gets!
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contents July/August 2014 Volume 7: Issue 4 ••• C. Allen Tomlinson Editor-In-Chief David Sims Creative Director Contributing Writers Amy Collins, Michelle Rupe Eubanks, Sarah Gaede, Maxine Guerry, Rebecca Ross, Claire Stewart, Allen Tomlinson
SILLY STRING THEORY: Clara Belle and the Creeps duke it out.
34
© White Rabbit Studios
everything else
Events for July-August 2014
••• No’Ala is published six times annually by No’Ala Press PO Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630 Phone: 256-766-4222 | Fax: 256-766-4106 Toll-free: 800-779-4222 Web: www.noalapress.com
BOOK REVIEWS BY THE FLORENCE-LAUDERDALE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BY CLAIRE STEWART PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL
110 BACK TALK
“What Song Never Gets Old?” BY CLAIRE STEWART
114 THE VINE
“Portugal’s Green Wine” BY AMY COLLINS
116 FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“Olé, Olé!”
BY SARAH GAEDE
118 HEAR TELL
“Let’s Go Fishin’” BY MAXINE GUERRY
122 PARTING SHOT
22
© Jonathan Oliphant
Features Manager Claire Stewart
Intern Savannah Comer
76 MARKET
Advertising Sales Heidi King, Myra Sawyer
Graphic Designer Rowan Finnegan
30 KUDOS 74 CHECK IT OUT
Advertising Director Heidi King
Business Manager Roy Hall
14 CALENDAR
Contributing Photographers Bailey Chastang, Michelle Consuegra, Michelle Rupe Eubanks, Patrick Hood, Danny Mitchell, Jonathan Oliphant, White Rabbit Studios
Standard postage paid at Florence, AL. A one-year subscription is $19.95 for delivery in the United States. Signed articles reflect only the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their advertisements. © 2008-2014 No’Ala Press, All rights reserved. Send all correspondence to Allen Tomlinson, Editor, at the postal address above, or by e-mail to atomlinson@atsa-usa.com. Letters may be edited for space and style. To advertise, contact us at: 256-766-4222, or sales@noalapress.com. The editor will provide writer’s guidelines upon request. Prospective authors should not submit unsolicited manuscripts; please query the editor first. No’Ala is printed with vegetable-based inks. Please recycle.
BY PATRICK HOOD
Connect with us on Facebook: No’Ala Mag and Twitter: @NoAla_Magazine
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calendar
Friday, July 4 Shoals Spirit of Freedom Celebration 10:00am-10:00pm; Free; McFarland Park; (256) 740-4141 First Fridays 5:00pm; Free; Court St.; (256) 760-4141; firstfridaysflorence.com Fourth of July Walking Parade 10:00am; Free; 600 N. Main St., Sheffield; (256) 383-0783 Friday, July 4 – Saturday, July 5 The Miracle Worker 8:00pm; Admission charged; 300 N. Commons, Tuscumbia; (256) 383-4066; helenkellerbirthplace.com
Thursday, July 17 – Saturday, July 19 Ragtime: The Musical 7:35pm; Admission charged; Ritz Theatre, 111 W. Third St., Sheffield; (256) 383-0533; tvaa.net Thursday, July 17 Hot BBQ, Cool Blues 6:00pm-8:00pm; Admission charged; GAS Design Center, 109 W. 6th St., Tuscumbia; (256) 383-0783 Friday, July 18 – Saturday, July 19 30th Anniversary Classical Antiques Boat Show Times TBD; Free; Joe Wheeler State Park Lodge, 4401 McLean Dr., Rogersville; (256) 247-5461; rogersvillealabama.com Saddle Up for St. Jude Noon-9:00pm; Donations accepted; Gardiner Farm, 1 Underwood Rd., Tuscumbia; (256) 383-0377
Saturday, July 5 First Saturday Rogersville - Snap Crackle and Shop 6:00pm; Free; Downtown Rogersville; (256) 247-9449; rogersvillealabama.com
Friday, July 18 – Sunday, July 27 W.C. Handy Music Festival Artist, venue, and admission information available by calling (256) 383-0783 or online at wchandymusicfestival.org
Cherokee Independence Day Celebration Noon; Free; 3752 Old Lee Highway, Cherokee; (256) 383-0783
Friday, July 18 Eric Erdman Live DVD shoot Time and admission TBD; 116 E. Mobile St.; (256)762-6658; 116mobile.tumblr.com
Monday, July 7 Florence Foodies dines at Sperry’s 6:30pm; $30; 1001 Mitchell Blvd.; (256) 760-9648; florencemainstreet.org Tuesday, July 8 – Friday, July 25 Mostly Blues: 2014 W.C. Handy Music Festival Design Competition Mon-Fri 9:00am-4:00pm; Free; Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, 217 E. Tuscaloosa St.; (256) 760-6379 Tuesday, July 8 – Friday, August 8 Mostly Blues Exhibit Mon-Fri 9:00am-4:00pm; Free; Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, 217 E. Tuscaloosa St.; (256) 760-6379 Friday, July 11 – Saturday, July 12 The Miracle Worker 8:00pm; Admission charged; 300 N. Commons, Tuscumbia; (256) 383-4066; helenkellerbirthplace.com Saturday, July 12 Concert by Jeff Bianchi, Classical Guitarist 2:00pm; Free; Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, Southall-Moore building, 217 E. Tuscaloosa St.; (256) 760-6379 Movie in the Park Sunset; Free; Wilson Park; (877) 290-8880; firstfridaysflorence.com Renaissance Man Triathlon: Packet pick-up and vendor expo Saturday 1:00pm–5:00pm; Free; McFarland Park; shoalstri.com Sheffield Second Saturday 2:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Montgomery Ave., Sheffield; (256) 386-5606; sheffieldal.org/current Sunday, July 13 Renaissance Man Triathlon 7:30am; Free to watch; shoalstri.com
Cypress Moon’s Summer Concert Series: Adam Ezra Group 8:00pm-10:00pm; $20; Cypress Moon Studio, 1000 Alabama Ave., Sheffield; cypressmoonproduction.com Saturday, July 19 Cypress Moon Blues & Brew Festival 3:00pm-11:00pm; $40; Cypress Moon Studio, 1000 Alabama Ave., Sheffield; cypressmoonproduction.com Sunday, July 20 – Friday, August 29 ArtWorks 2014 Exhibition Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm, Sun 1:00pm-3:00pm; $5 adults, $3 students, and free on Sundays; Tennessee Valley Museum of Art, 511 N. Water St., Tuscumbia; (256) 383-0533; tvaa.net Wednesday, July 23 Tennessee River 600 Jet Ski Tour Time and admission TBD; Joe Wheeler State Park Lodge, 4401 McLean Dr., Rogersville; (256) 247-5461; rogersvillealabama.com Thursday, July 24 Handy Festival Street Party 5:00pm-9:00pm; Free; Downtown Tuscumbia; (256) 383-0783; wchandymusicfestival.org Thursday, July 24 – Friday, July 25 Ragtime: The Musical 7:35pm; Admission charged; Ritz Theatre, 111 W. Third St., Sheffield; (256) 383-0533; tvaa.net Friday, July 25 Rolling on the River Festival 6:00pm-9:00pm; Free (food and beverages available for purchase); Joe Wheeler State Park Lodge, 4401 McLean Dr., Rogersville; (256) 247-5461; rogersvillealabama.com Monday, July 28 Songwriting at the Moon 6:00pm-9:00pm; $20; Cypress Moon Studio, 1000 Alabama Ave., Sheffield; (256) 335-6961; cypressmoonproduction.com
Friday, August 1 First Fridays 5:00pm; Free; Court St.; (256) 760-4141; firstfridaysflorence.com Saturday, August 2 First Saturday Rogersville 6:00pm; Free; Downtown Rogersville; rogersvillealabama.com; (256) 247-9449 Saturday, August 9 The American Cancer Society and Coaches vs Cancer presents: Boots and Bling 6:00pm; Admission charged; Marriott Shoals Conference Center, 10 Hightower Pl.; (256) 767-0825; cancer.org Movie in the Park Sunset; Free; Wilson Park; (877) 290-8880; firstfridaysflorence.com Baumhower’s Shrimpfest & BBQ 4:00pm-9:00pm; $3; Joe Wheeler State Park Lodge, 4401 McLean Dr., Rogersville; (256) 247-5461; alapark.com Sheffield Second Saturday 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Montgomery Ave., Sheffield; (256) 386-5606; sheffieldal.org/current Monday, August 11 Florence Foodies Dines at Legends 6:30pm; $30; 105 N Court St., Florence; (256) 760-9648; florencemainstreet.org
Monday, August 18 Florence Foodies dines at Poplar South 6:30pm; $30; 105 S. Poplar St., Florence; (256) 760-9648; florencemainstreet.org Friday, August 22 – Saturday, August 23 Killen Founders Day Fri 6:00pm-10:00pm and Sat 10:00am-10:00pm; Free; Killen Park; (256) 757-1246 Friday, August 22 Lion Night in Downtown Florence 10:00pm; Free; Downtown; (256)760-9648; florencemainstreet.org Saturday, August 23 Cypress Moon’s Summer Concert Series: Performance TBA 8:00pm-10:00pm; $20; Cypress Moon Studio, 1000 Alabama Ave., Sheffield; cypressmoonproduction.com Monday, August 25 Songwriting at the Moon 6:00pm-9:00pm; $20; Cypress Moon Studio, 1000 Alabama Ave., Sheffield; (256) 335-6961; cypressmoonproduction.com Thursday, August 28 – Saturday, August 30 Little Old Ladies in Tennis Shoes 7:35pm; Admission charged; Ritz Theatre, 111 W. Third St., Sheffield; (256) 383-0533; tvaa.net
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16 禄
scene
Greg and Stephanie Harville, and Buddy Little Keri Klaus, Matt Liles, Jerry Saylor, David Sims, and Annie Trapp Annie and Will Trapp Matt Green
Stella Berry, Cindy and Mike Tanner, Ceil and Bob Davis
Mary Elizabeth Sherrod, and April Koonce
Above: Shoals Songwriter Night May 15, 2014 路 116 E. Mobile, Florence
Mary Elizabeth Marr and Morgan Marr
Doc Dailey Photos by Claire Stewart
Below: Donna Jean Godchaux Band with Jeff Mattson Concert/CD Release March 11, 2014 路 Ritz Theatre, Sheffield
Lane and Gail Sutherland, with Pat Huggins Breanne Petitpas, Angi Nutt, Zion Godchaux, Kinsman MacKay, and Delta Godchaux
Joe Chirco
Jimmy Nutt and Peter Kliegman
Donna Jean Godchaux, Will McFarlane, and Jeff Mattson
Steve Price and Lila Stapler
Angi Nutt, Amy Donnelly, and Jeff Mattson
Jeff Mattson, Marie Lewey, Cindy Walker, and Donna Jean Godchaux * Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.
Photos by Andy Keenum and Angi Nutt
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“EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED, WHETHER IT WAS GOOD OR BAD, NO MATTER HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT IT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IN THE RIGHT LIGHT, EVERYTHING IS USED FOR GOOD.” —DONNA JEAN GODCHAUX
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LIFE AFTER THE “DEAD” Text by amy collins » Photos by patrick hood
When talking with singer-songwriter Donna Jean Godchaux about her new album and her history with the Grateful Dead, it didn’t take but a few minutes to understand this is a woman with an incredible sense of peace and light about her music career, and life in general. You can hear that light and clarity on her latest album, Back Around, with Jeff Mattson, which was released in February of this year. “Everything that you’ve ever done, no matter what vocation you’re talking about, adds up to what you do now,” she said. Godchaux may be known best for her eight years performing with The Grateful Dead, but she had already established a successful singing career well before meeting Jerry Garcia. She was barely a teenager when Rick Hall opened his Florence Alabama Music Enterprises (FAME) studio over City Drug Store near the Shoals Theater in the 1960s, and not long after, Godchaux found herself balancing a promising vocal career with the responsibilities of a Sheffield High School cheerleader. She was a frequent voice on hit records produced at FAME studio, and by age 22 she’d sung on Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” and Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” and “In the Ghetto,” both on his album From Elvis in Memphis. Godchaux appeared on records by Cher, Neil Diamond, Dionne Warwick and Boz Scaggs. Still, youth and curiosity took hold and she headed for San Francisco. “I just wanted to go to California really badly, and even though I had a career going here, which was really going, I wanted the next adventure in my life. I had no connections in San Francisco. I just had to go to California,” she said. It was there that she met her first husband Keith Godchaux, a jazz pianist. “When we fell in love, I’d never heard him play and he’d never heard me sing.” Together they discovered The Grateful Dead and attended shows, and knew they wanted to be a part of the creative energy the band was producing. “The music was like nothing I’d ever heard,” Godchaux said. “It was a blend of jazz and rock ‘n’ roll and R&B, a blending of so many genres of music, and the way they played it was very jazz oriented in that it was very intuitive. Every night was different. It was always fresh, even if you’d played a song a million times before. That’s what attracted me to the Grateful Dead.” In 1979 the Godchauxs left the band to form their own group, The Heart of Gold Band, which disbanded after Keith Godchaux died in a tragic car accident. Remarried to her now husband, David MacKay, Godchaux has led vocals for several groups over the years, including a reincarnated Heart of Gold Band, Donna Jean and the Tricksters, and the Donna Jean Godchaux Band with Jeff Mattson—her current project, for which MacKay plays bass guitar. Mattson is
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best known for his work with the Dark Star Orchestra, a Grateful Dead cover band that interprets and plays Dead songs in the same manner an orchestra performs renditions from classical composers. Back Around is a compendium of original songs written by Godchaux and Mattson and covers that have been arranged with a deliberate GodchauxMattson touch. Their version of “19th Nervous Breakdown,” for example, is so fresh, it takes several bars before recognizing the Rolling Stone’s No. 2 hit from their 1966 album Got Live If You Want It. Back Around is a blend of Godchaux’s collective musical experience. She said of the album, “It’s San Francisco sound blended with a Muscle Shoals sound because that’s the two arms of who I am musically. I’m not either/or, I’m both.” On the album’s title track, “Back Around,” Godchaux’s upbeat philosophy on life is distilled into a few lyrics. “Livin’ in what could’ve been can set a heart in stone. If I did it again, truth be ever told, I’d wrap you up in silver and shine you up in gold.” She said, “Everything that has happened, whether it was good or bad, no matter how you feel about it, when you look at it in the right light, everything is used for good.” Godchaux’s original “Don’t Ask Me Why” is an unusual song and one of the strongest tracks on the album. “The chord progression and changes are unorthodox,” Godchaux said, “but it came out that way and it works.”
“EVERYTHING THAT YOU’VE EVER DONE, NO MATTER WHAT VOCATION YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT, ADDS UP TO WHAT YOU DO NOW.” —DONNA JEAN GODCHAUX
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Back Around was produced by Godchaux, MacKay, Mattson and Jimmy Nutt of Nutthouse Studio, where the album was recorded. “Jimmy Nutt is an exquisite engineer, and exquisite human being,” Godchaux said. Nutt also plays percussion on the album. Godchaux counts Jimmy and Angie Nutt among her closest friends, and perhaps because of the familiarity, she was able to produce this record exactly the way she wanted. Instead of worrying about deadlines and record companies, she said, “This time we had the grace to do it exactly like we wanted. I’m more proud of this last CD I’ve recorded than anything I’ve ever done. It’s probably my best vocal work.” Many local players appear on the album as well, including Will McFarlane, Gary Nichols, Cindy Walker and Marie Lewey on vocals, and the Muscle Shoals Horns. Back Around was released on Heart of Gold Records in February 2014.
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A New Chapter in the Shoals Music Book SINGLE LOCK RECORDS AND 116 MOBILE— HEATING UP THE SHOALS MUSIC SCENE
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Text by amy collins » Photos by Jonathan Oliphant
A
s Muscle Shoals the movie continues to bring international attention to The Shoals, telling the story of our area’s rich musical past to a broad audience, the next generation of artists and engineers are keeping that music tradition alive by their own methods. A little over a year ago, industry veterans Ben Tanner of Alabama Shakes and John Paul White of The Civil Wars joined with friend and music aficionado Will Trapp to create the indie label Single Lock Records. At the same time, the trio collaborated with designer Billy Reid to open a performance venue, 116 (Mobile), which hosts both local and touring artists. The two ventures operate in tandem, establishing an outlet and a cohesiveness for The Shoal’s burgeoning scene of new talent, and a window to the music world at large. Muscle Shoals native Ben Tanner left town after high school with a solemn vow never to return. It’s a promise many of us make to ourselves, wherever we’re from, but Tanner landed a job at legendary FAME studios after living abroad and figured
“EVERY OTHER DAY I MEET SOMEONE HERE MORE TALENTED THAN ME. I SOMETIMES WONDER IF THAT’S JUST THE WORLD AT LARGE WE LIVE IN—THAT WE’RE SURROUNDED BY VERY TALENTED PEOPLE EVERYWHERE EVERY DAY, AND THAT MOST WILL NEVER HAVE THE CONFIDENCE, MEANS, OR SUPPORT TO FLOURISH.” JOHN PAUL WHITE
Above, left: Donnie Fritts and John Paul White in the studio.
he’d take the opportunity to sharpen his engineering skills. He was surprised to discover more than a resumé building gig. Tanner said, “I found myself in this community of musicians and people. It felt like something was growing, something was building, and it felt cool to be a part of that.” His childhood friend, Will Trapp, echoed the sentiment. Trapp ran into Tanner when the Shakes played Handy Fest at Pegasus records in August of 2011—this was before anyone outside the inside knew the group, and before Tanner joined as keyboardist. “I asked Ben, when are you going to do your own thing?” Trapp’s question started a six-month conversation. Trapp said, “We thought maybe we want to open a studio, and John Paul raised his hand
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and said, ‘that’s what I want to do.’ He and Ben started that, and then we said let’s just try a homegrown label and see where it goes.” White, who was raised in nearby Loretto, Tennessee, and attended the University of North Alabama (UNA) in Florence, said in an email interview, “I’ve left the Shoals hundreds of times—mostly for the purpose of honing my craft—but never really considered pulling up roots and living anywhere else.” As far as starting a label in the Shoals, White said, “I wouldn’t be a part of it if it weren’t based here. Mostly that’s because I’ve consciously made the decision to stay as close to home as possible. It’s also because of the abundance of resources needed to create.” They’ll tell you they are still figuring it out, but it’s clear the marriage of industry connections, recording expertise, and passion for the art is making steady waves. Single Lock is not a traditional record company, but something more in line with a Do-It-Yourself independent endeavor, which many artists seek, and more closely resembles a partnership with signed bands than a controlling party. Two of the first bands to sign on were Belle Adair and The Bear. Songwriter and frontman for Belle Adair, Matt Green, who grew up with Tanner and Trapp, said “We cut our record but weren’t really doing anything with it and needed to find someone to put it out. Then Single Lock started and they helped us organize and add a little cash to help the band do things we wanted to do.” Like hire a publicist, and launch a radio campaign. The album The Brave and the Blue, the band’s first, co-engineered by Green and Tanner, was released in August 2013. Green said of joining Single Lock, “There was definitely a little serendipity involved; everything just sort of came together. I felt like they were going in the direction the band wanted to go.”
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Clockwise from left: Some of the artists signed to the Single Lock Records label include musicians Dylan Leblanc, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, The Pollies, and Matt Green. Facing page: Co-founder Ben Tanner
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“IT’S VERY SIMPLE. WE’VE GOT GREAT BANDS AND GREAT ACTS.” BEN TANNER
Louisa Murray, singer-songwriter for The Bear—a title she shares with her husband, Nathan Pitts—said, “We’ve been working with Ben since the beginning. He was one of the original members of the band and had also recorded our first album. So, he’s had a big impact on a lot of aspects of the band. During the recording of our second album, [Overseas Then Under] he brought up the idea of the label, and it seemed natural to sign on with him.” In March of this year, Single Lock sponsored an artist showcase at the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. SXSW is an annual music, film and interactive event that draws roughly 25,000 industry professionals and musicians, over 3,000 media members and several thousand fans. The Single Lock showcase featured The Bear, Belle Adair, The Pollies, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Dylan Leblanc, Dan Dyer, Steelism and Donnie Fritts—all bands and artists on the label. Donnie Fritts, singer-songwriter, film actor, and inveterate storyteller, is finishing up a collaborative album with Single Lock to be released this fall. Singer-songwriter Dan Dyer and the instrumental band Steelism are not local (they call Austin and Nashville home), but their attendance points to Single Lock’s growth and the increasing attention directed toward the Shoals, with an EP and full length album, respectively, to be released in the coming weeks. “Our artists are not trying to be cool, or be part of any kind of scene, they’re just making art, because they need to make art,” Tanner said. It may be art for art’s sake, though there’s a distinct motivation fueling Single Lock to distribute that art to the listening public and to further cultivate the area’s music history. Trapp added, “This business model allows artists to build equity in their own work, to be able to pay their bills, so they can stay here and not have to move to Athens or Nashville or somewhere else.” White said, “Every other day I meet someone here more talented than me. I sometimes wonder if that’s just the world at large we live in—that we’re surrounded by very talented people everywhere every day, and that most will never have the confidence, means, or support to flourish. Here, there’s an abundance of all of the above. You can walk any street in the Shoals and there will be a high probability of running into a touring musician, a professional songwriter, an artist on the way up. This community generally supports and encourages our endeavors. All of our forefathers here have given a helping hand to my generation, and we have every intention of passing that on.”
GOING LIVE 116 Mobile Street (a.k.a. 116) in downtown Florence opened in August 2013 for the fifth annual Billy Reid Shindig as a venue for live performances by Dan Dyer, JD McPherson and Tift Merritt. Since the inaugural weekend, the Single Lock partners have hosted artists running the gamut from alt-country and Americana to instrumental to electronic and hip hop, each show produced with immaculate sound in an atmosphere that’s part listening room, part dance hall, depending on who’s on stage, and some nights serving as both.
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Musician Spooner Oldham
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THE COTTAGE GARDEN Anticipated success at 116 is multilayered, but foremost, it creates a space where music devotees can go any night there’s a performance and expect— regardless of style—the entertainment to be high quality and the experience notable. “It’s very simple,” Tanner said. “We’ve got great bands and great acts.” Both Tanner and White have toured extensively in their performance careers, playing in great venues, not so great venues, and awful joints. A list of factors can sway a band’s experience: sound, crowd, rider, general hospitality. A dedication to visiting performers, and an attentive, wide-ranging crowd, sets a welcoming precedent, a promise that Florence, which happens to lie between the Nashville, Oxford, Birmingham, and Atlanta tour circuit, is a must-book locale. Single Lock and 116 are already working with UNA, offering student internships for those studying in the entertainment department. Trapp said, “They are our little lieutenants, making posters, running social media, making sure sound check goes right. Our interns are indispensable.” Many of the shows at 116 are emerging artists from across the country, solid musicians who aren’t huge commercial names and fly under the radar of most listeners. The roster of skilled players and singer-songwriters is a virtual list of possibilities. Any one of these acts might be the next I saw them when.
SINGLE LOCK PRESENTS: DONNIE FRITTS Florence native Donnie Fritts has written hit songs, recorded albums, played Hollywood roles, and befriended a list of music and movie legends so long and impressive it’s hard to believe. Then he tells a story, then another, and then one more, each tale involving a name everybody’s heard of and a plot line so engaging it could only be true. When I arrived at Fritts’ home to interview him for this story, he greeted me with a hug and a “Hey kiddo, I can’t find my hearing aid so you’re going to have to sit close and talk loud.” Fortunately, he did most of the talking, mostly about his latest album (co-produced by John Paul White and Ben Tanner of the newly formed indie label, Single Lock Records) and the stellar local talent appearing on the record. Another long, impressive list of musicians and Fritts’ iconic funky style have come together to deliver his greatest album to date. Fritts’s comfortable, approachable manner echoes his modesty on success, and if you ask him, many of those milestones and his roster of well-known friends happened by luck: right place, right time. The release of Muscle Shoals, the documentary, and a live performance premiere at the Shoals Marriott in February of 2013 proved to be the right time and place for Fritts and White to cross paths. “To be perfectly honest with you,” Fritts said, “he [John Paul White] called me when that Muscle Shoals movie came out. He asked me to perform at the premiere and I couldn’t say no to the guy. We became friends through that.” Fritts plays and writes on a Wurlitzer piano (circa 1971) that sits in a window of his dinning room. It’s a modest setup, and it was here that he played for White when the idea of making a record came about. Fritts takes it all in stride. “People don’t make records with 71-year-old guys.” But Donnie Fritts isn’t just any 71-year-old guy, and what began as Donnie plus piano has, with White’s direction, become a medley of remarkable local talent, a collection of performances that further anchors music legends, Fritts and the Shoals itself. “We’ve had a great time making this record,” Fritts said. “Me and him and Ben Tanner, who’s co-producing it and a really good engineer, really smart.” A short list of musicians on the album includes Dylan Leblanc, Daniel Stoddard, David Hood, Spooner Oldham, Kimi Samson, Ben Tanner and John Paul White. Fritts gushed about the up-and-comers appearing on the album. “They all kind of surprised me in their own way because they play like I wouldn’t play. But I didn’t want it to sound like me,” Fritts said. “They approached it in a way I wouldn’t have approached it, which I love and which I wanted to happen.” There are paradigmatic touches, like John Prine, who has played on every one of Fritts’ albums, and Reggie Young, who added his signature to the work. Jason Isbell and his wife are on it. Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes is on it, and so are the horn players from St. Paul and the Broken Bones. It’s a veritable mix of yesterday and tomorrow, a landmark for today. The album will be released this fall and stands to be, without question, a celebrated work of art.
Learn more about the artists signed to Single Lock Records on the label’s website, www.singlelock.com. Follow 116 Mobile for upcoming shows at 116mobile.tumblr.com and on Facebook at 116EMobileSt.
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kudos
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Smokin’ the Competition
If you want to share some good news about a friend, neighbor, or colleague—or even toot your own horn—send your kudos to allen@noalapress.com.
award. This competition awarded Parker a $30,000 grant for her programs here in the Shoals. The Healing Place provides counseling services to children, teens, and families after the death of loved ones.
This March, the Alabama Department of Tourism created the Alabama Barbecue Bracket, in which barbecue vendors from across the state were pitted against one other in separate rounds of competition to decide who makes the best barbecue in Alabama. With more than 21,000 votes cast on their website this year, Florence’s own Smokin’ on the Boulevard claimed the 2014 title as Alabama’s Ultimate Barbecue Champion with their delicious ribs. Smokin’ on the Boulevard beat out more than 200 competitors from across the state. On Thursday, April 24th, Mayor Mickey Haddock and Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Director Debbie Wilson presented Smokin’ on the Boulevard with the championship trophy (see photo, below). According to a press release created by the Alabama Department of Tourism, the local victory “is a testament to the incredible barbecue restaurants Alabama has to offer and sheds light on Florence’s economic and cultural revitalization.”
From left to right: Erica Gholson, Erica Kelly, Emily Winkler, Chelsea Yarber, Rachel Persall, and Sarai Ingle
Crowning Jewels This year, a record six female students from the University of North Alabama competed in this year’s 2014 Miss Alabama Pageant. Miss UNA, Erica Kelly was joined by Miss Alabama veterans Miss Gardendale Magnolia Festival, Erica Gholson, Miss Northeast Alabama, Emily Winkler, and Miss Walker County, Sarai Ingle. Two other students, Miss Rocket City, Rachel Persall, and Miss Birmingham, Chelsea Yarber attended the state competition for the first time this year.
Academic Achievers
From left to right: Lee Sentell, Debbie Wilson, Doug HIll, Jeff Carter, Karen Hill, Mickey Haddock
National Recognition for Shoals Hometown Hero In our last issue, we reported that The Healing Place’s education and support service coordinator, Kay Parker, was a finalist for the National Champions of Care Award competition. As one of 15 finalists, Parker was given a $1,000 grant. After a two-week nationwide voting competition in late March, Kay learned that she won the overall
Annisha Borah was recognized as Florence High School’s Freshman of the Year at the end of the 2013-2014 school year. Borah is a Riverhill alumni and member of FHS’s women’s junior varsity basketball team. Champ Holt, also a Riverhill alumni, earned First Valedictorian of the 2014 graduating class at Florence High School. Congratulations!
Delicious Dining The first annual Florence Restaurant Week was May 9-17, and the turnout for local eateries was outstanding. Throughout the week, diners were encouraged to vote for their favorite local charity through ballots at each participating restaurant. On May 22nd, Safeplace was named the winning charity and was awarded a $5,000 prize from Florence Main Street and McDaniel Window and Door.
Glenwood Home and Garden 2014_Layout 1 4/14/14 9:19 AM Page 1
Quality is Everything. At Glenwood Healthcare, we understand the importance of providing comfort and quality care when it comes to your loved one. Whether you are here for rehab services, assisted living, or long-term care, Quality is everything to us. That is why we were so humbled to receive the American Health Care Association’s Quality Award, one of only 12 facilities in Alabama to be so recognized. If you need rehab services, assisted living, or long-term care, you can count on the caring professionals at Glenwood. Quality isn’t just important to us — it’s everything.
Rehab • Assisted Living • Long-Term Care ___________________________________ 211 Ana Drive, Florence, AL 35630 256-766-8963 • www.glenwoodhc.com
Tune up your body and get ready to show it off! Warm weather is here — is your body ready for swimsuits and revealing clothing? Dr. Russell Jennings at Shoals Plastic Surgery can help. Whether you need a little tune-up, like wrinkle reduction or Botox treatments, or breast enhancements, liposuction and tummy tucks, Dr. Jennings will help you get ready to show off your body this season. Come see why women and men alike are visiting Shoals Plastic Surgery before they visit the beach. You can enjoy swimsuit season, too!
shoalsplasticsurgery.com
203 West Avalon Avenue, Suite 300 Muscle Shoals, AL 35661 Phone: 256-386-1450 sps@chgroup.com July/August 2014 | noalapress.com | 31
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scene
Jennifer Libera, Ginny Cohenour, Audrey Cohenour Newton, Will Newton, and Frances Cohenour
Kristi and Chris James
John Ritter Sandy and Tracey Holcombe
Shannon Hurd, Leslie Pigg, Lisa Segura, Kerry and Fred Del Pizzo
Bobby and Anna Champagne
Above: Coaches for Cancer Boots and Bling Tip-Off Party
April 26, 2014 · Longhorn R Arena, Tuscumbia
Gina and Bob Bailey Rosie and Christopher Cole
Photos courtesy of The American Cancer Society
Below: Persnicketies Children’s Boutique Consignment Sale Presale Night March 13, 2014 · Tuscumbia
Suzanne Glass and Allison Roberts Michelle Winkle and Jessica Satkamp
Sheena Bryant Tera Wages
Courtney Thompson
Emily Walker and Whitney Brink
* Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.
Ashley Winkle and Allison Legg Allyson Hanson and Ana Pannell Photos by Simply Blessed Studios
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HOME GROWN SOUND Text by claire stewart » Photos by White Rabbit Studios
CLARA BELLE AND THE CREEPS RACHEL WAMMACK AARON BLADES BAND PHIL WEAVER INGRID MARIE WHILE THE SHIP SINKS MARY KATHERINE MURPHY DANIEL ELIAS & EXOTIC DANGERS BRITTANY SMITH
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“As far as the future goes, I am hoping for world domination. Don’t worry, it will be a peaceful reign, though, full of dancing—but we still stop at nothing until we have accomplished this feat.” —joey Barrier
Brian Borden, James Sego, Gracie Barrier, Joey Barrier, Jon Lucius, and Jacob Leonard (not pictured)
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clara belle and the creeps
If you’re out and about one weekend and hear Clara Belle and the Creeps playing a show down the street, you’ll be very intrigued by what you hear. First, you’ll notice the steady drum beats from Brian Borden, then the low vibrato from James Sego’s bass, and then a few smooth wails from the saxophone of Jacob Leonard. Next would be some toe-tapping accordion action from Jon Lucius and a steady guitar line from Joey Barrier. And then you’ll hear the adorable, unaffected twang of a well-trained performer coupled with the sass of a lady with a lot of life experience. As you turned the corner to see the group, there would be 12-year-old Gracie Barrier smiling from ear to ear, singing her heart out into a 3.5 foot tall microphone. Joey Barrier has played guitar and provided vocals for many local bands, many of which also included members of the Creeps. But little did Joey know, during all those band practices, that one of his children was listening closely and honing her own vocal chops. Jon says the group was created pretty organically after they realized Gracie’s talent. “[She] has had a phenomenal voice—and ear—her whole life and occasionally sang with us in previous groups,” he says. “She was raised watching shows and band practices and really turned out to be a natural. As her voice matured, and other bands died off, it just made sense for this group to form.” The five gentlemen and one little lady have inherited an interesting sound which is not often found in this area. With a 60s pop feel, the group channels the vibes of The Crystals, The Shangri-Las, and The Ramones, all of whom the Creeps twelve-yearold front woman knows well. Gracie and Joey usually do most of the songwriting for the Creeps. He admits, “Her stuff—the stuff she comes up with all on her own—are always the best songs.” Gracie says their songwriting process usually involves sitting on the couch, playing with Barbie dolls, and making up song lyrics. “Mostly about beating up boys,” she jokes. Whether they are singing about first kisses or getting your heart broken, all the members agree that playing in Clara Belle and the Creeps is a fun experience. While Jacob says he is perfectly content playing shows and having fun with the group for a long time to come, Jon says he would love to get to the point where they could support themselves with the band. “But that is a lot of pressure to put on a seventh grader,” he admits. No matter where the group goes next, they promise to always perform boot-stomping, lively shows for their fans. So far, Clara Belle and the Creeps have been rocking and rolling throughout the Valley, having fun wherever they are. As for what’s in store for this group, Joey has pretty modest plans. “As far as the future goes, I am hoping for world domination. Don’t worry, it will be a peaceful reign, though, full of dancing—but we still stop at nothing until we have accomplished this feat.”
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“I see what melodies my ear favors. I try to express in words how the music makes me feel, and I go from there.” —rachel wammack
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rachel wammack
In 2012, Rachel Wammack was a restaurant server and student by day and an aspiring musician by night. After working shifts at the 360 Grille in Florence, Rachel would go home and write songs and tinker around on the piano. “I write music by sitting down at the piano and playing around until I find something I like,” she explains. “I see what melodies my ear favors. I try to express in words how the music makes me feel, and I go from there.” One day she asked her manager if she could possibly play at the restaurant on the weekends. After a short audition, she became a regular. Though she was mostly performing covers of well-known songs from artists like Adele and the Civil Wars, she would occasionally throw in a few of her own originals. Small venues like this are where Rachel developed the confidence she has now to perform. “Performing is where my heart is,” she admits. “I want to make the audience have as good of a time as I am. Sometimes I get goofy, but I was told as a young girl, ‘Be yourself, Rachel.’ So I am. And it is goofy.” After singing backup vocals on some of her friends’ albums, Rachel decided she wanted to write and record her own music. In May of 2013, she recorded her first album, Pass It On. “It includes nine original songs that represent me and my life,” she says. Being a young college student, many of the songs on her freshman album reflect this current time of her life. Her lyrics refer to childhood days gone by, as well as songs like “Ramen Noodles,” and “He’s a Liar” that could only come from a college student. Her silly, carefree attitude, with a pinch of teen angst, may make her more comparable to Taylor Swift in the eyes of some of her audience, but her musical inspirations are varied and wide ranging, including Mumford & Sons, Notorious B.I.G, and Phantogram. In late 2013, Rachel learned that she had been chosen to be Singing River Record’s featured artist for the semester. UNA’s student-run music label adopts one local musician per semester and works to provide the artist a good deal of promotion and studio time, as well as giving participating students a chance to try out their skills in recording, producing, and publicizing an artist. Rachel says this experience was a huge help and the support of the program was overwhelming. Be on the lookout for Rachel’s next album, which includes her featured song, “Ooh Sweet Baby Baby.” “The first album—I think it was me trying to find my sound. Well, now I have found my sound, and it’s not just one sound; it is a couple, actually,” she said. “So I am excited to release the crazy beast of a sound that has been sweetly blossoming.”
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“We love to be versatile. We love when everyone can participate with our roller coaster of emotions when we play.” —aaron blades
Matt Blackburn, Jay Garrett, Aaron Blades, Lorenzo Burke, and Tyler Ross
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aaron blades band
If you are a Shoals native, you may remember a little Mexican restaurant and bar called LaFonda Mexicana on Florence Boulevard. Though the building has now been torn down, the establishment was known for its mason jar margaritas, party atmosphere, and rocking music from talented local musicians. It was a hot spot for the college crowd after game days and was a great place to let off some steam and dance the night away. Some may have called it a dive bar; some may have called it their favorite place on earth. No matter your feelings about LaFonda, you can’t say it wasn’t memorable. But for the Aaron Blades Band, it was the start of something great—and the beginning of their future in the music industry. Aaron Blades, singer, songwriter, and guitarist, was playing at LaFonda two years ago when he met bass player Tyler Ross. After discovering their shared tastes in musical style, Aaron and Tyler decided they needed to bring in a couple more musicians and start a group. Aaron knew drummer Lorenzo Burke, and Tyler brought in guitarist and singer Matt Blackburn. While tinkering around with styles and jamming out together on the weekends at LaFonda, the four gentlemen realized they had a good thing going. But it wasn’t until Aaron was playing in Birmingham and met trombone player Jay Garrett and scooped him up that the Aaron Blades Band took the form we know today. In their time together, the group has developed a relaxed, soulful sound that directly reflects their biggest musical influences, artists, and genres who range from the funk and soul of Stevie Wonder and James Brown to the smooth pop, singer/ songwriter style of Maroon 5 and Ed Sheeran. But the group admits they are still learning and growing, and since the release of their first album, Cloud 13, their sound has already changed a lot. “Driving with the windows down in the summer not thinking about anything type of music,” is how Tyler describes their freshman album, Cloud 13. “Our next album, Operation Overload, will feel like more of a soulful funk record with hints of jazz and rock. It is definitely something you could get down to.” No matter what their music changes and morphs into, this group just wants people to stick along for the ride. “We love to be versatile. We love when everyone can participate with our roller coaster of emotions when we play,” says Aaron. The group has had a lot of experience performing. They have headlined at the Oak Mountain Amphitheater already, as well as playing on live TV a couple of times. But according to the band, that is when they do their best work. “After Aaron writes a song, the band bounces all sorts of ideas off one another for hooks, steps, tempos, etc.,” says Tyler. “We then play the songs multiple times live at shows to create our best version. This band definitely thrives and is the most creative in ‘on-the-fly’ settings.”
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“I hate the pretense associated with classical music,” he admits. “Classical music doesn’t have to be tedious, and it shouldn’t just be played in concert halls!” —Phil WEaver
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phil weaver
Phil Weaver’s first job was working on a shrimp boat in the Pensacola Bay. “I would much rather pick guitar than shrimp,” he jokes. “It is much more rewarding and it smells better!” After moving from Pensacola to Sand Mountain, Alabama, Phil Weaver picked up a guitar for the first time at Sneed State Junior College. “Much to my parents’ chagrin, that became my passion, and what I decided to work on when I graduated,” he says. After earning a degree in classical performance, Phil went on to receive great recognition for his talent. As well as becoming the first guitarist to earn an individual artist’s fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, he is one of the few classical musicians on the Music Achievers roster at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Phil has played in symphony and concert halls around the country, and he has also performed solo concerts in London and Sawbridgeworth, England, and other locations in Europe. But, if Phil is being honest with you, symphony halls are not where his passion for classical music thrives. “I hate the pretense associated with classical music,” he admits. “Classical music doesn’t have to be tedious, and it shouldn’t just be played in concert halls! Okay, I will admit that some parts of it can be tedious, but a lot of the music is very accessible and can appeal to a large range of people.” Day to day, Phil lives that philosophy. He performs in traditional venues, but Phil also plays music for fire swallowers at burlesque shows, performs alongside blues star Microwave Dave, and has taught college music classes for the past 30 years at UAH, demonstrating how fun classical music can really be for the next generation of musicians. “Classical music can be minked and ivory towered,” he says. “I want people to see that it isn’t so intimidating.” In a scary turn of events in 2012, during a hiking trip in April, Phil took a bad fall, breaking his right elbow in six places and fracturing his wrist. Doctors were skeptical he would ever have full mobility in his arm again. Fortunately, after nine months of therapy and a little bit of hardware in his elbow and wrist, he is back to playing the way he always has. In a show of redemption, Phil recently made a music video for one of his songs in which he walked up a mountain with his guitar, to symbolically recognize he had overcome this setback. “I just felt like it was a celebration of my recovery process,” he says. His first post-recovery performance was for a City Lights and Stars concert at Burritt on the Mountain. The concert series, of which Weaver is a founder and artistic director, showcases jazz, classical, and world music talent to the Huntsville community in a very casual setting—encouraging concert-goers to bring picnic baskets of food, lawn chairs and blankets. The success of events like this reaffirm Phil’s dream of future generations supporting the arts—and in particular, classical music. As he tells his students, “You don’t have to be serious in classical music, just be serious about your passion for it. The rest of it will become fun.”
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“Music is around me at all times. I feel like a synthesizer—sampling parts from my environment and timing the pace of my walk in time.” —ingrid marie
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ingrid marie
Ingrid Marie Felts’s life has always been centered around music. From a very young age, she remembers her father singing German hymns and whistling Sinatra tunes throughout the house, and her mother playing classical piano to get her to fall asleep at night. From cello lessons when she was seven, to playing the flute when she reached grade school, to singing in All-State a cappella choir performances, it seems that music has always been pulsing through her veins. So much so that composing and writing music just seems innate now for her. “Music is around me at all times. I feel like a synthesizer—sampling parts from my environment and timing the pace of my walk in time,” she said. Though today Ingrid seems as upbeat and optimistic as a fresh newcomer on the music scene, she is a seasoned musical veteran with an extensive and varied songbook. Her first ‘gigs’ as a vocalist were in New York, where she provided her own piano accompaniment. After being told to play something more upbeat, she decided to open herself up to more music and more genres. And she did just that— during her early years she joined a blues cover band called “Blues & Diamonds” in West Virginia, “Token Blond,” an alternative rock group in Colorado, and a wedding band in Washington D.C. called “James Jellasic.” “All of this really made me appreciate the traveling aspect of being a musician,” she says. “I would take my guitar along with me, meet people, and write down their life stories.” Today, she has settled down—as much as possible—in north Alabama and is producing her own solo music. She also sings with a local jazz sextet, the Watters Felts Project, with local greats Ken Watters, Keith Taylor, Abe Becker, Marcus Pope, and Darrell Tibbs. This project seems to be a breath of fresh air to Ingrid— “The first time I heard Darrell warming up his wind chimes and percussion instruments, I felt a breeze of promise,” she admits. Throughout her travels and bands, she has been able to learn nuances and techniques of many types of music that she has incorporated into her own solo work. “There is a definite pull toward the dance/soul vibe for me, which carries out in my more bluesy tunes,” she says. “Instrumentation on my album is key, because you can present a quiet, keys-driven ballad with a driving bass line or a toy piano and have a different ride.” All of this genre experimentation seems to have lent itself well to the richness and tone in Ingrid’s voice, as well. While she can belt out soul and R&B classics with the best of them, she can also deliver sweet, soft, velvety ballads like the one on our compilation CD, “Hand Me Down.” “I love the song ‘Hand Me Down,’” she says. “The song, to me, is about loving each other, and wearing each other in, until we’re threadbare—about falling for the simple things and giving life, and love, a second look.”
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“All I really care about is the healthy relationships I’ve been able to build with my bandmates and other people due to their interest in our music. That is what makes it worth it.” —jeff pruet
Tyler Young, Brian Corrigan, Jeff Pruet, Kimi Samson, Clinton Harris, and Robin Gillespie
while the ship sinks
North Alabama is filled with musical talent—so much so, it seems, that singers and songwriters are almost commonplace in our part of the state. Even so, it is a bit unexpected to find young people playing in bands composed entirely of instrumentalists without a lead singer in sight. In late 2012, ukulele player Jeff Pruet met mandolin and guitar aficionado Clinton Harris while attending the after-party of a local musician’s concert. The two started chatting about the need for a strong, well-rounded instrumental group in the area—and how much they would want to be in that group—and quickly the search began to fill out the rest of the band. Tyler Young, a talented accordion and guitar player in the area was soon added to the roster, as well as bassist Brian Corrigan and percussion player Robin Gillespie. The gentlemen got together and tested out their sound as an instrumental group to see how they would work together. They liked what they heard. After practicing for a few months, the group adopted their last member, viola player Kimi Samson, in the summer of 2013. With the final addition of Kimi, the group established its sound and While The Ship Sinks was born. Though Brian says he hears many people classify the group’s music as ‘newgrass’ (a modern, contemporary take on bluegrass), many of the members say they feel their music is unclassifiable, at least in terms of genre. “Personally, I think our music sounds like the soundtrack for a movie about a Parisian café starring Steve Martin on a bicycle,” Jeff jokes. Whatever term you use to describe While the Ship Sinks’s sound—newgrass, or “French Café/Spaghetti Western/ Surf Polka” as they do on their artist page—it is undeniable they are a talented group. As for inspiration, the group cites artists like Jonathan Richman and Leonard Cohen, as well as motifs found in the rhythms of old world Latin music. Instead of sounding like the music blasting through every radio station, While the Ship Sinks likes to take older, more mature musical touches and reinterpret them in a modern way. While getting them all together in one place at one time can be a challenge, once they are together they can play for hours. Their latest shows have kept them playing alongside local artists like Red Mouth and Belle Adair, and they are currently gearing up for this summer’s Secret Stages in Birmingham. The band is currently saving money to put out their first full album, so make sure to keep a look out for this group while they play across north Alabama this summer. The music is great, but the thing that makes this group stick out is their camaraderie and their commitment to their craft. Jeff says, “All I really care about is the healthy relationships I’ve been able to build with my bandmates and other people due to their interest in our music. That is what makes it worth it.”
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“I have always been a dreamer and a thinker and somewhat of an outcast, dancing to my own rhythm. It is just a necessity in my life to have a form of expression.” —mary katherine murphy
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mary katherine murphy
Mary Katherine Murphy’s musical history sounds like the lyrics to an old folk song. She began preforming and singing when she was seven years old, putting on at least one or two shows a year for her family. Her grandfather, an entertainer with a radio show in Birmingham, was her role model. He was later signed to Columbia Records and toured the country, performing for huge crowds. Later in life, he decided to go into the ministry—as did his son, Mary Katherine’s father. Church is where she first fell in love with music and performing. She began playing bass, then moved on to singing during church services, and eventually picked up a guitar and started writing music. After playing in a duo for a year, she decided to go out on her own and become a solo act. Her down-home, church-centered roots brought her to her current musical style. Her first EP, Who Are You, tells stories of love, nature, and big city dreams, through flowery, Americana ballads reminiscent of Allison Krauss or Gilliam Welch. Many of the songs on this album tell a story, and for Mary Katherine, writing those stories is what connects her to her audience. “I love the need humans have for stories as a way to connect and empathize with one another,” she says. “I think that need is one of our deepest uniting features to staying alive.” Mary Katherine was accompanied by many local favorites on the album like Billy Smart, Jon Davis, David Hood, and Spooner Oldham. Although she is already recording her sophomore album, Mary Katherine feels that she is still figuring out her comfort zone with her recorded music. “My last EP had kind of a bluesy folk style, but I feel that I am still developing my sound,” she says. “My next project will be a lot more intimate and acoustic, like my live performances. This first project was a way for me to jump in head first—it is important to me to learn by trial and error. That has usually been my path, as painful as it has sometimes been. But I have always learned something from it.” As well as expanding her musical ventures, Mary Katherine has also acted in movies and short films, including a couple of projects that are still in pre-production. Her experience as an actress inspired Mary Katherine to try her hand at screenwriting. She is currently planning to write a screenplay about her experiences following Widespread Panic across the country. But instead of distracting her from her first love, screenwriting has actually deepened her appreciation for the craft of songwriting. “I love music because it is something I can do with my hands that doesn’t rely on others to help me create it, like a movie or stage play would,” she said. Though her music career started from honest beginnings and she has made a few twists and turns to get here, Mary Katherine has a big vision for her future. “I have always been a dreamer and a thinker and somewhat of an outcast, dancing to my own rhythm. It is just a necessity in my life to have a form of expression,” she said.
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“I like turning gut feelings, daydreams, and routines into anthems. There is a difference between creation and imitation that I strive to define, to find the balance between nostalgia and permutation.” —Daniel Crisler
Maggie Crisler, Brady Gomillion, Daniel Crisler, and Jon Mosley
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DanieL Elias & Exotic dangers
A few years ago, Daniel Crisler bought his wife Maggie a 1960’s Farfisa, a compact organ with multi-timbral synthesizers. In return, she gave him an Eastwood 12-string guitar. “We didn’t really know it at the time, but that was when our sound for the Exotic Dangers was born,” says Daniel. Daniel Crisler has been a regular in the north Alabama music circuit for years. But if you don’t recognize his name, it doesn’t necessarily mean you aren’t familiar with his work. For several years, Daniel has been performing as a solo act under the name, “Elias Patriot.” In addition to his solo acoustic work, Daniel has demonstrated his versatility as a member of the retro garage/rock band Cicada Screamers. “I love both of those groups and the music we put out, but I still had some solid material that didn’t fit in with either of those acts, as well as a sound in my head that I hadn’t attempted yet,” he says. Once he and Maggie started playing around with the Farfisa, some shakers, and his new guitar, the sound in his head began to materialize, and it was much easier to see what was next for him. He then called up long-time friend and talented bassist Brady Gomillion, as well as his Cicada Screamers bandmate and drummer, Jon Mosely. “I feel like they were just waiting by the phone for the call to get together and start this group,” he says. And so, Daniel Elias and Exotic Dangers has been producing toe-tapping, sixties-feel, songwriter rock for the past two years, channeling the early works of The Byrds, The Who, and Elvis Costello. Though the group’s musical inspirations have much more of a retro feel, their lyrics take on contemporary, real-life experiences. “I like to freeze a seemingly uneventful or average moment in time, dissect it, and explain what is really going on,” Daniel says about DE&ED’s songwriting process. “I like turning gut feelings, daydreams, and routines into anthems. There is a difference between creation and imitation that I strive to define, to find the balance between nostalgia and permutation.” The group has mostly been performing at local venues and has dropped a couple of singles along the way, including “Make the Most For You,” the song on the No’Ala compilation album. But in the next year, the group hopes to work on a full album, created by local engineers, videographers, and designers in the Shoals area. “Mainly, our goal with Daniel Elias and Exotic Dangers is to create honest and true material that is worth getting stuck in your head,” he says. Even though the group would be more than happy for you to check them out on Facebook or listen to them on SoundCloud, Daniel says that is not where they shine. “Come to a live performance,” he insists. “Recordings are good, but we are all about our live show. You have to experience the music for yourself and physically become part of what is happening in our community and music scene.”
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“It’s so hard to predict what might happen or how my career might move forward. But what I know for sure is that I’m going to keep making honest music, full of integrity, that I pray will inspire, encourage, and empower those who choose to listen.” —Brittany Smith
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Brittany Smith
“I consider myself more of a lyricist than a songwriter, since I don’t play an instrument,” said Brittany Smith. “Well, besides the tambourine. And I guess you can’t write a song with just a tambourine. I will have to try to work on that, though!” Brittany may joke about her talent, but just listen to her music and you will understand what a serious vocal powerhouse she really is. Brittany got started in 2009, when Decatur, Alabama, producer and engineer David Vest invited her to sing on some demo vocals for a client. Her comfort level in the recording studio and her passion for singing impressed him, so the two worked together to release her first solo EP later that year. Though she is now signed with Marc Berman of Los Angeles-based Heartthrob Management, she still lives in Alabama and continues to play in and around north Alabama. Brittany’s proximity to the 2011 tornados that hit Alabama moved her to write a song about the tragedies. But instead of writing a song about devastation and loss, Brittany was inspired by what happened after the storms, as communities banded together to help one another. It only took Brittany ten minutes to write what would become her most popular single, “We Will Rise.” “One of the biggest and most treasured moments in my music career was the making and release of the music video for ‘We Will Rise’. The video was truly a team effort—my parents helped come up with the concept, one of my brothers and my husband acted in it, and my other brother helped film and edit the entire video. On top of all that, all of the extras in the video are family and friends…the whole process was so powerful to me because of that,” said Brittany. If you search through Brittany’s early recordings, you will find more strong pop power anthems like “We Will Rise,” but with age, Brittany says she is moving forward with a more mature sound. “Pop is what I grew up on, and it is natural to me,” she says. “However, my new songs are going to be a lot more rock-influenced: think Heart’s sound, modernized and revamped. It feels a bit as if I’m starting fresh, in a sense, with the new direction I am headed in.” Her song “My Day” on the No’Ala compilation CD reflects the rock-inspired approach she has adopted. Although she does not plan to release a full album any time soon, she is hoping to release new material in the form of multiple singles before the year is up. She doesn’t know what is in store with her new style of music, but she is definitely optimistic. “It’s so hard to predict what might happen or how my career might move forward,” she says. “But what I know for sure is that I’m going to keep making honest music, full of integrity, that I pray will inspire, encourage, and empower those who choose to listen.”
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Meghan Muse and Kirk Russell David Hood, Mike Dillon, and N.C. Thurman Dan Herley Steve Trash and Kelvin Holly
David Hood Mark Irwin and Josh Kear
Richard Parker and Jackie Posie
Bev Cheney and Jimmie Johnson
Above: Earth Day Events (Betty Martin Memorial Earth Month Kick-Off, Shoals Earth Day Fest, Songwriters in the Round)
March 30, April 5, April 13, 2014 路 GAS Studios, TuscumbiA; Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield; Odette, Florence
Katie Kirkpatrick Abramson and Carly Kear Bill Williams,Kelvin Holly, and David Hood
Scott Mabrey Steve Trash and April Rogers
Nancy Muse, Alicia Elliott Fisher, and Meghan Muse
Steve Trash
* Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.
Robert Rausch and Norma Glascock Josh Kear, Chris Tompkins, and Donnie Fritts Photos courtesy of Nancy Muse
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Text by rebecca ross Âť Photos by patrick hood
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Scott Eason’s foray into standup comedy sounds like, well, a joke. In 2009, the lifelong comedy fan decided to enter an open mic contest at Chips and Salsa Sports Bar. A natural raconteur, he thought he was ready for the stage. He was wrong. “I didn’t even introduce myself, just launched into it,” Eason recalled. “I had an eight-minute joke about bestiality. It did not go as planned.” But it didn’t put him off. Or out on his ear. Lesson learned—along with some new material—Eason would eventually win the popular contest and become a familiar face on the Huntsville comedy scene. “Standup is instant gratification, whether the crowd loves it, hates it, or is completely indifferent,” he said. “It’s addictive.” Luckily, the laughs just keep coming. In the last couple of years, the local standup circuit has grown from a handful of events to a calendar-cramming, knee-slapping comedy showcase. Weekend or weeknight, where there’s a stage and a microphone, there’s a joke being told. North Alabama bars, eateries and other venues are hosting open mic nights, dedicated comedy hours, and monthly shows featuring regional and even national comics that draw 250 to 300 attendees. “If you haven’t stumbled upon a show yet, you will,” Duell Aldridge assured. The 29-year-old comedian believes that the North Alabama comedy scene is indeed a treasure, but no longer a hidden one. “It’s been growing by word-of-mouth, from fans and other comedians who have performed here,” he said. “We’re building audiences as we go.” But don’t go looking for Southern stereotypes (unless that’s what tickles your funny bone).
These punchlines are as varied as the comics who zing them. There are story tellers, absurdists, prop comics, musical humorists, and yes, a few good ol’ boys. Eason, creator of Enter the Comedy Dragon, a monthly comedy show at the Sports Page Lounge & Deli, said the comedic diversity represents the region itself. “Here in our area, you have everyone from engineers to average Joes,” he explained. “So you want your shows to appeal to a wide range of tastes: raunchy to clean, intellectual to base.” It’s up to each comedian to focus their act and find their target audience. Aldridge, a restaurant host in Florence, started doing standup with his best friend, Brian Johnson, in 2012. Pop culture provides the bulk of his comedic inspiration. “I’ve been talking about Batman a lot, because super heroes are big in the media right now, and comics definitely influenced my childhood,” he mused. “I poke fun at the things I love or find completely absurd.” Sometimes the jokes are provoked by a regular paycheck. Sam Ashby hosts a twice-monthly comedy show, Clockwork Comedy, at the Chips and Salsa Sports Bar in Huntsville. When the self-deprecating comic’s not delivering laughs, he’s delivering pizzas. “I get a lot of material from my job and just drawing from my own experiences,” he said, adding, “But I try not to scare people away with anything too dark or offensive.” Not so for Guy Frizzell, another area jokester. If causing inappropriate giggles were a super power, he’d definitely claim it. The Huntsville mailman, 34, loves to make audiences snicker at the things they know they shouldn’t. “A lady came up to me one time and said, ‘Oh, you were so funny! I wanted to laugh but I was afraid to,’” he recalled, chuckling. “I told her, ‘No, I need you to laugh! It’s okay to laugh!’” Frizzell, who describes his humor as silly and insensitive, even enjoys tangling with the occasional heckler. “This is my favorite thing,” he admitted wryly. “If you can put a heckler down, everyone’s on your side. I probably do best when I heckle someone right back.”
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Yet another Huntsville comedian, Matthew C. Tate, also works blue. But not blue collar. His decidedly adult comedy allows him to say things he couldn’t get away with in his dayto-day life. “What you really want to say at home or at work, you can say on stage,” the host of Alright Bayou Comedy at Tim’s Cajun Kitchen teased. “It’s a catharsis, in a way.”
Why in the world would anyone want to stand in front of a crowd of perfect strangers and bare their soul, hoping for a laugh? We asked Duell Aldridge a few questions about his craft.
Performing standup, and performing it well, has become a personal challenge for Tate.
How did you get interested in stand-up? I actually started when I was six years old. My father produced an annual Fourth of July event called “JulyFest” in Vina, Alabama. There were musicians and performers all day, and he booked me for about five minutes of random nonsense. After that, I went on The Morning Show with Buddy and Kay Bain, on the Tupelo television station, to do jokes, and I loved it. I got interested in community theater and then majored in theater in college. But I got interested in stand-up because my good friend Brian Johnson was doing stand-up in Birmingham, and I would sell jokes to him. “Hey, here’s a joke—for five dollars you can have it to keep for all eternity!”
“I have a big fear of heights, but I got really good at climbing,” he revealed. “It’s the same way with comedy. It’s terrifying the first time you get up in front of a crowd, but you keep at it.” Because behind every good comic, he said, is a string of bad shows. Tate, who, like many of his fellow standup comics, started with local open mic nights, recalled a four-week flop in 2012. “Every time I went on stage, I bombed,” he said. “I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. It was terrible.” A visiting out-of-town comic suggested that it was Tate’s onstage demeanor, and not material, that was the problem. “I had to learn to demand respect from the audience,” Tate explained. “That bit of advice really turned me around. No comedian grows unless they fail a few times.” Sound advice for those considering the spotlight, or even a critical seat in the crowd. But whether you bomb or beat the odds, there’s no place like home when it comes to the North Alabama comedy scene. “The audiences have been great and the other comics are really supportive,” Ashby said. “It’s like a fraternity.” Some of his fraternal funny men can’t help but marvel at the changes a few years have wrought. Jonathan Craig is a Huntsville producer/promoter and host of Comedy Mayhem, a monthly show at Miller’s Tavern. He’s been performing his deadpan brand of adult standup since 2010, when the scene was much smaller. “There were only about six of us performing regularly,” Craig, who works in sales, said. “But we were all in it together. We believed that this area needed a comedy scene.” And now, it has one. And it’s on its way to becoming a pretty darn good one. “That’s what people need to know about us,” Craig said. “We’re here and we’re growing. It can only get better.”
Is it scary? I’ve never had stage fright issues, at least no severe stage fright issues, since I was a child. But when I don’t know my material, I sort of get wigged out. If the audience is not having a good time, you know it. Have you ever been heckled? I’ve been lucky—I’ve never been heckled. I did have a guy interrupt my show one time to ask a question, but he was so drunk, no one in the audience understood what he was asking. I just let him talk for a while and then told him I didn’t understand the question and moved on. What’s the funniest thing that has happened to you? It actually wasn’t doing stand-up. I was in a play one time, called Don’t Drink the Water, and I wasn’t the lead, but I had a major role. There was a section where I had to stand in front of the bad guy character and pretend I was pointing a gun at him, and all of a sudden my pants started to sag. Later in the play, I was supposed to go pantless, but this was way too early! I had to do all of the things I was supposed to do with both of my hands and just pray that my pants wouldn’t drop to the floor. What’s your advice to anyone who wants to do stand-up? Write it down! Performing like this is not the same thing as sitting around a table with your friends and throwing out one-liners and modifying what you say based on the reaction you get. It’s stunning to me how many amateurs come to open mic night and don’t have anything prepared—they are just trying to talk off the cuff. Doing stand-up is like performing a part; it’s like a self-written, self-directed play, and you’re playing a character. It’s not the place for an entire ad-lib presentation.
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More than 34 years ago, Riverhill School was founded to give its students an educational experience that promoted each child’s individual potential. Today, we still provide academic excellence and experiences that create a lifelong love of learning. Want to know more? Come and visit! You’ll find we make the difference of a lifetime. We’re registering now for our Pre-K2 through sixth grade classes. Call 256-764-8200 or visit www.riverhillschool.org for more information.
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Haley, Scarlet, and Ben Cabler Collins and Dan Goodson Kenneth and Mary Caroline Rose Cliff and Kate Billingsley
Mary Claire and Lynn Ridgeway Elsie, Evelyn, and Shawn Short
Ruthie and Jonathan McKinney
Photos courtesy of Riverhill School
Above: Riverhill School Daddy/Daughter Dance April 24, 2014 路 Riverhill School, St. Florian
Amber Kelley, Megan Stein and Kathy McFall
Below: Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting, Studio M May 2, 2014 路 Florence
Brittany Hart, Megan Hayes, Ashley Haselton, Megan Stein, Stacy Nelms, Miriam West, Kristen Mance and Emily Borden Jessica Rothstein and Cullen Stewart
Melissa Bush and Cliff Coldiron
Chris Howard
Jimmy and Madison Hayes
Megan Stein and Kristen Borden
*72Names | noalapress.com for photos are | July/August provided by the 2014organization or business featured.
Megan Stein and Suzanne Ray
Merle and Megan Stein, Jason Greene and Katie Eubanks Photos by Alabella Studios
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check it out » Florence-Lauderdale Public Library drug busts. There are epic battles with addiction. There is legendary feuding of “Glimmer Twins” Jagger and Richards, which nearly sank the band during the 1980s. But the emphasis is on camaraderie rather than conflict. “The Rolling Stones could have imploded many times, especially with everybody being such different personalities,” Ron Wood explains. “But one reason the band has never completely fallen apart is that we don’t spend enormous amounts of time sitting around asking too many questions.” Lucky for us fans. (Brian Corrigan) Ballad by Blexbolex Children’s Fiction Call Number: E BLE (Easy Book Bins in Youth Services)
According to the Rolling Stones by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Ronnie Wood Adult Nonfiction Call Number: 781.636 ACC (In Adult Nonfiction Section) Fans expecting a darker, seedier counterpart to The Beatles Anthology may be surprised by According to the Rolling Stones, a colorfully illustrated group autobiography in which the Fab Four’s edgier 1960s rivals look back on half a century as “The World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band.” The Stones’ story features a revolving cast of characters, to whom mainstays Jagger, Richards, Watts, and Wood pay affectionate tribute. Founding guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones, who drowned in 1968, is lauded for his “color” work on the group’s early studio recordings, while Mick Taylor, who replaced Jones until his own departure in 1975, wins praise for his evocative leads on Sticky Fingers and other classic albums. Even bassist Bill Wyman, who published his own tell-all book after retiring from the group in 1993, is remembered fondly (if not especially often). There is darkness in the Stones story, to be sure, and According to… does not gloss over it. There are deaths. There are
Ballad, by the French artist/author Blexbolex, mixes high art with children’s literature. It is a fantastical adventure that reflects the trials and tribulations a young person must face when making the transition from the simplicity of childhood to the complex and often contradictory world inhabited by adults. Each page of Ballad consists of a brightly colored silk screen painting with one or two words providing a description of the scene. Simply drawn figures combine with lush, often hallucinatory backgrounds to an enchanting, hypnotic effect. The story starts off mildly: a walk home from school along a road through a forest. It’s not long before a witch, a dragon, a friendly elf, a reluctant hero and a beautiful princess show up. Magical chaos ensues. The whole world is turned upside-down (literally) by a witch’s hex. The princess is kidnapped, and it’s up to a misunderstood stranger to save her. Spurred on by love, he embarks on an allegorical journey through a confusing and dangerous landscape populated by dragons, demons, and even volcanos. Somehow he ends up in Egypt amongst the pyramids before it’s all said and done. Ballad is minimalism at its best. It expresses complex themes using simple language and childlike imagery and leaves itself open to interpretation by the reader. While ostensibly a kid’s book, Ballad will be better appreciated by adults equipped with the life experience and understanding that will enable them to peel back the layers of this fascinating work or art. (Nathan Nunnelly) Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich Adult Nonfiction Call Number: 305.42 ULR (In Adult Nonfiction Section) You may have seen the words “Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History” plastered on bumper stickers, t-shirts,
and other paraphernalia. It has been used to describe rebellious women in history who broke through barriers and defied the rules regardless of what it cost them. Laurel Ulrich’s Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History addresses the issue of how history is made and how otherwise obscure women have made history just by doing what they do best. The book makes it clear that all women can make history, whether by achieving notoriety and fame or by simply writing in a diary about daily routines. Ulrich begins the book with a brief introduction of three women: Christine de Pizan, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Virginia Woolf. In the course of the book, Ulrich expands upon their ideas and demonstrates how all women, regardless of rank or culture, can make history. This inspiring and witty text sheds light on the growing field of women’s history and how the stories of many women from centuries past are still unknown. We make history every day, but it is our job to leave some sort of record of our lives today in order to become the history of tomorrow. (Kristen Tippett Briggs) The Accident by Chris Pavone Adult Fiction Call Number: F PAV (In New Arrivals Section) The Accident, the second novel by Chris Pavone, is described by readers as fast paced, brilliant, smart, breathless, and stunning. The story is framed inside the New York publishing business, which Pavone spent more than 20 years in. This novel won’t disappoint if you are looking for a smart thriller set in today’s world. The book covers 24 hours in the lives of literary agent Isabel Reed, CIA station chief Hayden Gray, and book editor Jeffrey Fielder. Isabel receives an anonymous manuscript, which is an explosive biography of an international media mogul. If published and if true, this book would rock the world, beginning with Capitol Hill and spanning the globe. Who wrote it? Why was it delivered to Isabel? Is it true? Who else knows about it? And what would they do to keep it from being published? Isabel fears the worst when she finds her assistant dead the morning after she reads the book. Through the morning, afternoon, and night of one day, you will find out who lives, who dies, and why. And to complicate the issue, the manuscript has been copied and is in the hands of several unsuspecting and very ambitious staffers. The story bounces from New York, to LA, to Copenhagen. This book is a great summer escape. (Nancy Sanford)
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A Bourbon and Boweties Bangles ($35-$40) B Sidelines Collection Necklace ($60) C Susan Shaw Earrings ($20) » Side Lines » (256) 767-0925 D Lilly Pulitzer Shorts ($68) E Kate Spade Tumbler ($17) » Printers and Stationers, Inc. » (256) 764-8061 F Dylan Cuffed Pocket Tee ($71) G Diba True Wedges ($64) » Audie Mescal » (256) 314-6684 H Muchette Sequin Handbag ($48) » The Village Shoppe » (256) 383-1133 I White & Gold Ladies Watch ($19.99) » Jar & Co. » (256) 768-1004
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Prince Peter Baseball Tee ($62) » Leo Martin » (256) 381-1006 B Solid Cologne 3 Pack ($45) » Bawston & Tucker » BawstonandTucker.com Coastal Cotton Grey Pants ($75) » Alabama Outdoors » (256) 764-1809 D Reef Coastal Cruisers ($57.95) » Austin’s Shoes » (256) 386-8720 Maui Jim Silver Maverick Sunglasses ($299) » Tomsik Eyecare » (256) 767-5000
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scene
Vern Yip and a door prize winner Whitney Farris (right)
Sue Kelso
Vern Yip Brandeis Short
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, David Christopher’s, and Burrows Woodworks
Mary Jane Fowler
Sheena Fellie and Kayla Morrow
Above: Riverhill School Home & Garden Expo May 3, 2014 · Florence
Photos courtesy of Riverhill School
Below: 2014 Derby Day
May 3, 2014 · The University of North Alabama
Aaron and Lori Irons Tracy Prater, Stephanie Coleman, Mary Abroms, Susan Goode, and Lauren Abroms
Andrea and Jason Shaffer Patsy and Gary Humble Scott Montgomery, Trisha Montgomery, Martha Morrow, Johnny Mack Morrow, Linda Hall and Rick Hall (sitting)
Erick Blackstock
* Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.
Maray Daniels, Barb Hendricks, and Shirley Neese
Dick Jordan, David Brubaker, Verna Larrowy, Michelle Arterton, Jay Brubaker, Steven Watts and Libby Jordan Photos by Amy Bishop and Hannah Archer
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Three TO watch Three who prove that not every artist creates from a blank canvas Text by Michelle Rupe Eubanks Âť Photos by michelle Consuegra, bailey chastang, michelle rupe eubanks, and white rabbit studios
Š Michelle Consuegra
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Constance sepulveda & Marisa Keris
IF Southern Makers teaches us anything, it’s that Alabama is alive with artisans and crafters. These individuals gathered in May in Montgomery to celebrate their creativity and share it with each other as well as those lucky enough to get tickets to the sell-out event. A few standouts emerged from the group of more than four dozen who participated, and they each consider north Alabama their home.
The Leather makers Marisa Keris and Constance Sepulveda have adopted the Shoals as half of their home base for their business, ScoutX2. Marisa and I spoke about the business, why they chose leather as their canvas and how it fits into the burgeoning creative scene in the Shoals and the state.
ScoutX2
ME: Tell me about your creative process, start to finish. Your product is so simple yet so beautiful. I’m sure there are those who can’t quite grasp the artistry of it without knowing the detail involved. MK: There are many small tasks that go into making our goods. Most of our process is labor intensive, especially for the leather pieces which are all hand-sewn and have rivets hammered on. Our Peacemaker Wallet, for example, is traced as a pattern onto cow hide, hand cut, shaped, a pattern is wood-burned one triangle at a time, holes are punched, hardware is attached, stitching holes are punched, then it’s hand-stitched and conditioned. We produce them in small batches for efficiency, and the sewing can take a long time, but I love the meditative practice of it and smell of the leather. For new products, our ideas start with a sketch, then a threedimensional sample from material. I find it much easier to come up with design solutions by working with the actual material and working with my hands. In fashion, a tradi© Michelle Consuegra
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“I hope our products empower women to feel confident about our personal style and inspired them to learn a craft and start a small business of their own.” —MARISA KERIS
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three to watch
Lucy Rogers Farmer Lucy’s Inspired “My goal is, and always has been, to create something that I love and that people love.” —LUCY ROGERS FARMER
© Michelle Consuegra
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tional method is to create a sample of your product from an economical canvas or muslin as not to waste expensive material. But working with leather during this step allows me to produce results I would have never figured out on paper. I am still able to reuse that material if the sample doesn’t turn out; I cut it up for the details, creating straps and smaller goods. I have a huge basket of misshapen leather odds and ends and never throw away a piece smaller than which I can turn into a ½-inch washer to back our rivets and button closures. Typically, samples turn out pretty good, though, and become one-of-a-kind items for happy customers. It’s also a way to experiment with design, which keeps the process fun and interesting. ME: You chose leather as your primary canvas. Tell me why that’s your medium and you see it allowing you and ScoutX2 to grow and evolve. MK: My business partner, Constance Sepulveda, who is the Brooklyn, NY-based half of ScoutX2, and I have always appreciated vintage leather goods. We have our favorite purses that belonged to our moms and leather belts and wallets collected from traveling, Chile for Connie and Italy for me. Leather is luxurious but tough, and, with a few simple rules, such as hydration, you really can’t mess it up. If you don’t have a lot to invest, and buy a leather bag early on, it will most likely last you a lifetime. The vegetable-tanned leather we choose to use is all USA-grown and tanned using natural bark and vegetable matter, which foregoes the usual chemical processes and dyes used in chrome-tanned leather goods. We appreciate the quality of well-made goods that last decades and can range from flea-market finds to designer goods to hand me downs. Constance and I design and make functional items that we ourselves use daily, that can sustain a workday and transition to a night out. We call our ideal customer “urban cowgirl.’ This is a woman who may work in a city, large or small, but has a deep country spirit, who travels on the weekends, or even just gardens after work. I hope our products empower women to feel confident about our personal style and inspires them to learn a craft and start a small business of their own. Constance and I hope to continue to build our customer base and push toward more consistent manufacturing that could eventually incorporate other local craftswomen and education through training or workshops. ME: The South and Alabama, especially, is experiencing something of a revival when it comes to artists and makers. Tell me how you and ScoutX2 fit into this revival and why you and Constance chose to build your base here as well as in NYC.
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three to watch
© Michelle Eubanks
Clockwise from left: Lucy’s Inspired offers unique, elegant jewelry pieces made from found objects; ScoutX2 display included both new leather pieces and a few one-of-a-kind items like this tote (above), created from a vintage money bag; Piper & Leaf Artisan Tea Co. is committed to brewing and blending its teas with local ingredients whenever possible. © Bailey Chastang © Michelle Eubanks
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Embracing a craft, passing on a tradition, no matter how large or small the pursuit, I think is wonderful. Constance and I have been inspired by each others’ cultural experiences as she was raised in Chile, and we have both traveled quite a bit. Like other artisans out there, our take on the ‘craft’ are meshing with the maker revival and producing original results. There may be overlap in the style and branding of the trendier takes on the ‘maker’ movement currently, but it isn’t necessarily a negative thing. It’s inspiring to see so many people passionate about starting companies and really going after their dreams. I also personally appreciate the reach away from technology and back to hands-on craft, so that those skills can be saved and passed down. ME: Finally, Marisa, tell me about being involved in Southern Makers. It really is a testament to your craft and skill, so tell me what it was like and if you found your creativity to be inspired by those around you?
MK: Well, neither of us is originally from the South but hail from New York and New Jersey, and we met at the Rhode Island School of Design, where we both attended college. We have always been artists and are thrilled to be part of a thriving community of makers in both the South and North. We choose to work long distance with each other via New York and Alabama and actually began the business after I moved down South, and Constance moved to Brooklyn from Long Island. It is a challenge, but we make it work, both manage and make and pick up the loose ends for the other to keep moving forward. We want our business based where we live, and, in this case, it’s in two locations. We feel we can reach both our communities this way to share with a broader audience. The business grew out of a love of making and a need to share our ideas, no matter how far away we live. Our styles are a good match, and I guess you can say Scout By Two’s look is the result—minimal and well-constructed with a touch of folk. As a resident of Alabama for the past five years, I am happy to see growth of companies reviving traditional trades and practices in everything from fashion to coffee, and I’m proud to be part of it. I see the same resurgences in Brooklyn’s style and fee connected in a way through Constance, our NY network, and technology like Instagram. I think the South is inspiring them! The last time I visited New York City, I definitely saw an appreciation of vintage Southern style, barbecue, and moonshine. I also like that I can share a bit of my Alabama with Constance and let her in on all the fun going on here! Florence has some incredibly inspiring and talented individuals who we have been lucky to collaborate with.
MK: I attended Southern Makers in 2013 as a visitor and loved the sense of community they were creating with the festival. I wanted to be involved and, at the same time, was just starting the business. I think it inspired me to reach toward the goal of participating the next year, which we did! Scout By Two feels like it has grown to become a part of the community that is Southern Makers. It’s an honor to be part of such a curated bunch of talented makers and inspiring to be next to business that are much more established than ours. The fair had a very comfortable feel, and I found that visitors to the festival were truly appreciate of the work vendors were presenting. I heard many comments commending the festival and the makers, and it was moving to be brought together with the attending group. Not every craft fair, or any I have been to, had quite that level of love. I hope the festival will continue to grow and evolved as well as Scout By Two and that visitors will recognize us in future years.
THE Jewelry makers Lucy Rogers Farmer attended the University of North Ala bama, where she majored in fashion merchandising. And, surprisingly, her medium isn’t clothing but salvaged items that she fashions into remarkable, one-of-a-kind necklaces and cuffs for her brand, Lucy’s Inspired. Her commitment to craft is undeniable. ME: Tell me about your creative process, Lucy. Your designs are imaginative and fun, and they’re obvious conversation starters. LF: In 2013, I’d been making jewelry for myself and a few others. It started with a certain keyhole I found at Southern
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three to watch items that I might be able to use. I do like to find what I use locally because I love the story behind it. Arlington School, which is the oldest high school in Birmingham, was recently demolished, and I love the idea of being able to say that a piece on the necklace came from a door in Arlington. It makes the piece that much more romantic, and it’s more of a reason to but it. I always say, ‘Why make a statement when you can tell a story?’
© Bailey Chastang
Accents (in downtown Cullman where Farmer worked at the time), and it was gorgeous. I didn’t really know how to use it, but I put it on a chain, and I wore it around my neck. I wore it every day, and it became a conversation piece. Customers wanted to know where I got it, and, when I told them I made it, they wanted me to make one for them, too. At Southern Makers, in 2013, it occurred to me that this was something I needed to be part of and involved in. At the Southern Accents booth, I had a table with some of my pieces for sale, and actual people were buying them, not just close friends and family. After that, I did a show in Atlanta, and I sold even more pieces. This was outside validation from people I respected, and it made me feel as though I could really do this. ME: Where can people find your pieces now? LF: It’s in several stores throughout Alabama as well as in the DejaVu store in Seaside, Fla. It’s also at the Audie Mescal Boutique in Tuscumbia. ME: Where do you find the unique items from which you create your pieces? LF: Fashion has always been something I’ve loved, but I never thought jewelry would be the vehicle for realizing that dream. I grew up antiquing with my mom, so it’s always been a part of my life, and I still get a lot of my stuff from Southern Accents. When I can’t get them there, I do know someone in Atlanta who helps me get the supplies I need, and there are a couple of other places in Birmingham. I’ve even had a few builders and contractors call or text me when they have
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I was at a place in Atlanta, an architectural store similar to Southern Accents but much more expensive and mostly European, where I found a bucket of old pieces that hadn’t been polished up and ready for sale. I asked about the prices, and I got a few looks, but, after showing him the pictures of how I planned to use the items, he pulled down a jar from a top shelf and showed me all kinds of buttons that were from jackets worn by train conductors or the Army. It was really fun. When someone buys that item, they now own a piece of the story. ME: Tell me how you get these items ready for sale and the process that goes into it. How do you know, for instance, when it’s finished and then what you’d like to name it? LF: We have to clean the items, and we have to make sure they’re in very good shape. I get lots of questions about how heavy an item is and other things about it. The escutcheons, which are door plates, aren’t heavy, but they can still be large and make a statement. The jewelry is going to stand out, and while it might not finish an outfit, it will create an outfit. Personally, I’ve gotten to the point where I choose the necklace first and then the outfit. As far as naming a piece, I’ll just look at a piece, and, whatever name comes to mind, I’ll give it. It might look like something a friend would wear, but I don’t want there to be too many of any one item. I would love to have all components of each piece be reclaimed, and all are more old than new. The leather strap on the prism necklaces are new, but the one-ofa-kind pieces, I always search out a reclaimed chain. Those are often the hardest to find. ME: How do you see Lucy’s Inspired evolving? How do you see it growing and changing? Do you ever wonder, for instance, if these items you rely on for your creations will simply be nonexistent? LF: I think about evolution all the time. I think about how long this will last, and I would love for it to last forever. From 2012 to today, I see the difference. Being able to find certain things, keyholes, for instance, are becoming harder for me to find. And I know there won’t be as many because they
Connor Knapp PIPEr & leaf artisan tea co. “We know we’d like to be in as many parts of Alabama as possible, and, with each place, we’re working to create that connection with the community. We never want to be so big that we lose that connection.” —CONNOR KNAPP © White Rabbit Studios
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The Tea Makers Conner Knapp is well-educated, and, just recently, he resigned from his full-time job to blend and brew teas as part of the Piper & Leaf Artisan Tea Co., based in Huntsville. It was a big step, and, with the help of his family, who are part of the company, it’s been the most fulfilling part of his life thus far. Is he worried about outgrowing these roots? Not at all. ME: I had the chance to sample your product at Southern Makers earlier this year. Where can folks find you today?
© Michelle Eubanks
stopped making them as separate pieces. Most of my pieces come from the 1950s and earlier, but the ones I like the most generally come from the late 1800s. There are still thousands and thousands of escutcheons out there with white chippy paint on them, but they’re not easy to find. Now, I’ve shifted to bobeche (pronounced bo-ba-shay), which are the little cups that held candles on antique chandeliers. Some are etched glass, and the brass ones look like flowers, so they’re perfect for what I’m doing. I’m really lucky because I have one employee, and she shares my style. She helps me, and she gets it. I had to find that in someone who would have the same kind of passion for creating what we create. We also share the same passion for the stories behind our pieces and how we can save them from being lost to the world. When we save it, we have a rare and wonderful opportunity to put it back into the world and continue to be used. I’m at a crossroads about growth. Since Southern Makers, I’ve been to a public relations workshop for makers about getting into certain national magazines in time for the holidays. Others tell me I should get into the Atlanta market because of its size. It scares me because I don’t want to be a full-time professional. I want to continue to be part of my kids’ lives, and it’s why I believe Lucy’s Inspired has evolved the way it has. I’ve taken it slowly because I have family and more important things to take care of. I plan on building slowly, but I’m proud of having sold my pieces throughout the county. My goal is, and always has been, to create something that I love and that people love.
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CK: We’re at Lowe Mill in Huntsville, and it’s our working studio. It’s also where we brew and blend the tea and where people can come watch us work. We’d like to get a new location because we’ve already outgrown this space here. ME: Did I read on your website that you have other locations? CK: We are planning to open a tea bar at Court Street Market (in downtown Florence), later this year, and we’re considering one for Birmingham, but it’s not likely to happen this year. ME: How did you get your start? CK: We’ve been around now for about 13 months, and it started as a family project. I moved back to Huntsville and wanted to do something with my family and that would connect with the community. Initially, we started at the Green Street Market (in Huntsville) selling compost. We took tea sort of as an afterthought, but, what happened, was that the tea sold out, and we were bringing the compost back. We were selling it in Mason jars, and the idea was that people would come back to the farmers’ market to get their jars refilled and get more compost. The focus has always been on community and relationships rather than on ourselves. We’re still doing that with tea; it’s where we started and where we plan to stay. We’re still in the back row at the Green Street Market, and there are still a lot of people just discovering us. ME: Tell me about your product. CK: Our most popular is probably the premade brewed tea. It comes in the Mason jar, which is big. While we push the loose-leaf tea, people like the premade because it’s so convenient. But it really depends on the market, the location, and the time of the market. Morning markets where more farmers and grocery shoppers gather is usually more of a loose-leaf crowd. If it’s more of a city market, we focus on the premade brewed tea. ME: You have a good selection of flavors in the loose-leaf
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The Best of Both Worlds
and premade brewed teas. How do you arrive at the variety, and are you in charge of the blends? CK: My brother-in-law, Caleb Christopher, determines the blends, and a lot of it comes from experimentation and the season. We also have eight distributors, one of which is in Georgia. We source most of our tea from India and China, but we also have a source in South Carolina. We’re committed to having something local in every tea we blend, and that may be mint or apple or strawberry. This drives the seasonality. We have a batch of apples now to go into a batch, and we’ll cut them down, put them in a dehydrator, store them and then put in the different blends. A strawberry/apple variety is really popular. Coloring is tricky. I had a revelation at a tea conference in Atlanta, where I learned that most, if not all teas, have flavor or coloring added. We didn’t want anything artificial, so we might use beets if we want a blend to brew redder. Most of ours comes from beets, but depending on the beet variety, the color will vary for every batch we make. ME: How do you see growth playing into your ability to stay connected to the community? CK: We’re not even sure. The original vision was that Piper & Leaf be a family project that would connect us to the community and where folks could become reliant on us for employment. We never expected it to take off quite like this, and, honestly, we’re still developing our vision for the future. We know we’d like to be in as many parts of Alabama as possible, and, with each place, we’re working to create that connection with the community. We never want to be so big that we lose that connection. Now, for instance, we have 30 employees and another 100 who come in and paint our jars for us and who feel some connection to us. Me and my three siblings all have college degrees, and we’ve joked about growth and selling out, but we want something that reflects our values.
Southern Makers a celebration of state’s creative best Walking in to the Southern Makers venue in Montgomery—a train depot just hovering between past-its-prime and kitchy cool—it’s impossible to miss the energy and excitement among those participating as makers and those who are, well, participating. The makers, who during the rest of the year are artisans and crafters and experts in a variety of fields, are the best in Alabama. Over here are the good folks from the Back Forty Brewing Co., which is based in Gadsden, while just to their right and back a few feet are Cal and Christy Breed, of Orbix Hot Glass. Cal, you likely already know, is a Florence native, and his business of beautiful blown glass is based in the way back of Fort Payne. Speaking of the Shoals, the northwest corner of the state is well represented at Southern Makers. Natalie Chanin, of Alabama Chanin, anchors the event along with Billy Reid. They’re booths are right alongside Audwin McGee, an artist of all things metal who calls Tuscumbia home. It’s an experience to see and visit with the artists. It also builds a sense of pride in all things Alabama. You might not have known, for instance, that Zkano Socks, which supplies the bulk of men’s and women’s socks to Billy Reid, is based in little old Fort Payne. Each sock is crafted with care, is super soft to the touch, and beautifully and lovingly designed by Gina Locklear.
ME: Would you say ‘no’ to a large national chain that came in and offered to buy Piper & Leaf for a large amount of money? How do you see Piper & Leaf pushing against that tide of mass production and maintaining not only your craft but your place in the creative community?
Even more than a showcase of the best the state has to offer in tangible goods, Southern Makers also features workshops on sustainable urban farming, beekeeping, and even the time-worn skill of letter press.
CK: We were approached within the first three months of opening our doors by three national companies. We turned them all down because we knew we couldn’t handle the volume. We’ve also turned away investors because we wanted to have control and make sure what we were doing was a reflection of our values. It’s just something we’re committed to and feel strongly about, and our friends, many of whom we’ve hired, reflect those core values.
With just eight hours to enjoy it all, the time passes quickly and a sense of urgency prevails that those who visit Southern Makers should, no, must, stop at each and every booth to chat, touch, discover some new gem of Alabama. If not, the chance to get all of these folks back together won’t come again until next year.
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PHOTOS BY
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PATRICK HOOD
BENNETT “IN TOTAL, I HAVE OVER 23 HOURS’ WORTH OF TATTOO WORK ON MY ARM. ULYSS BLAIR IS THE ARTIST AND HE IS VERY TALENTED. I CAME TO HIM WITH ROUGH IDEAS I HAD FOR THE SLEEVE, LIKE A SKULL, A DRAGON, A SNAKE, AND AN EYE, AND HE DID ALL THE DESIGN WORK AND MADE IT WHAT IT IS TODAY.”
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BODY OF ART
KATE “MY TATTOO IS ACTUALLY A COVER-UP. I COVERED A PART OF MY PAST WITH THE THING THAT SAVED ME—MY MUSIC. MY FRIEND BRIAN FROST DREW IT OUT FOR ME AND THEN RICH AT WEST COAST CUSTOMS DID THE WORK SO FAR. I HOPE TO ADD ON TO IT EVEN MORE IN THE FUTURE.”
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made in Florence, Alabama
www.shopbohem.com
4031 Parkway Drive, Suite D Florence, AL 35630 A special ‘Thank You’ to Libby Watts, the Rosenbaum Home, & City of Florence
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BRITTANY “MIKE VALLENTINE IS A VERY TALENTED LOCAL ARTIST WHO DESIGNED AND GAVE ME THIS TATTOO. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED ALICE IN WONDERLAND SO HAVING A TATTOO OF IT JUST SEEMED NATURAL TO ME. I LOVE THE FANTASY OF IT AND EVERYTHING IT REPRESENTS.”
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PIPER “JAYNA TANNER OF HANDMADE TATTOOS IN MUSCLE SHOALS WAS MY TATTOO ARTIST. PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME IF I AM GOING TO GET THESE FILLED IN. I NEVER WANT TO. I LOVE THE OUTLINE OF THE ROSES. I THINK FILLING IT IN WOULD RUIN IT.”
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BODY OF ART
ALLY “A FEW YEARS AGO I TRACED OUT THE IMAGE OF TWO TREES WRAPPING INTO ONE ANOTHER AND I DECIDED I WANTED IT AS A TATTOO. WHEN I MET TATTOO ARTIST, SHANNON SCHOBERT WITH THE DRAWING, SHE TOOK IT AND IMPROVED UPON IT AND MADE IT REALLY BEAUTIFUL. AFTER A SEVEN HOUR TATTOO SESSION, THIS IS WHAT I GOT. TO ME, IT EXPRESSES HOW I SEE LIFE. I BELIEVE IN LIVING SIMPLY AND LIVING NATURALLY, CONNECTED WITH THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND US.”
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APR Noala HG 2011_Layout 1 10/18/11 8:51 AM Page 1
News, classical music and more 88.7 FM Muscle Shoals • 100.7 FM Huntsville www.apr.org July/August 2014 | noalapress.com | 109
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back talk » Claire Stewart
“What song never gets old?” “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” by Wham! (KAREN GULLETT)
“Mustang Sally” by Wilson Pickett (JUDY YOUNG)
“Hotel California” by The Eagles (MELISSA BAILEY)
“When a Man Loves a Woman” by Percy Sledge (MIKE ATCHLEY)
“Double Dutch Bus” by Frankie Smith (ASHLEY BECKHAM)
“Stairway to Heaven” (Heart’s version) (BRIAN SCHWEIGHARDT)
“Billie Jean”
by Michael Jackson
(EDDIE ELSEY)
“You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon (KIM LUMPKIN)
“Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen (JILL BOBO)
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (BRAD THOMPSON)
“Come Away with Me” by Norah Jones (MARIANTHE SNYDER)
“Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton (BEVERLY HARDEMAN)
“Boogie Shoes” by KC and the Sunshine Band (ALLISON HALL)
“I’ll Take You There” by The Staple Singers (JULIA SANFORD)
“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd (CATHY KELLUM)
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder (EMILY RHODES)
“Brown Eyed Girl”
by Van Morrison
(MARY ISBELL)
“At Last”
by Etta James
(STEVEN DAVIS)
“Still the One” by Orleans (LUELLEN REDDING, JAN GOODE)
“My Girl”
by The Temptations
(IAN SANFORD)
“Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd (BRADY KING)
“PYT” by Michael Jackson (KENDA RUSEVLYAN)
“Down on the Corner” by Creedance Clearwater Revival (JENNY HILL)
“Into the Mystic” by Van Morrison
“Angels Among Us” by Alabama (SANDY BUNCH)
(JEANNE GRIFFITH)
“We Got the Beat” by The Go Go’s (KATHY EATON)
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THANK YOU! Recently recognized as “Vern’s Choice” for Whitewall Design Challenge at the Riverhill School Home & Garden Expo and Best of Virginia by Virginia Living Magazine.
PILLARANDPEACOCK.COM
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the vine » Amy Collins
PORTUGAL’S GREEN WINE It’s hot, too hot to drink anything without ice, which for me means trading in the wine bottle for gin or vodka over abundant ice. Though there are some vinous exceptions one can pour over ice without shame. Technically, you can do anything you like with wine and still get through the Pearly Gates. But there are a few whites that can be delicious and refreshing with a few cubes. My favorite is inexpensive Vinho Verde from north west Portugal. Vinho Verde translates to ‘green wine’, so named for its intention to be drunk young, though the region itself is quite verdant. The wine typically has high acidity, light alcohol, citrus notes and a subtle spritz. There are two basic categories of Vinho Verde, the first is made from the Alvarinho grape (they call it Albariño in Spain) with slightly more alcohol, more body and intensity, and of better quality. These wines have improved over the years as consumer demand has driven grape growers and producers to lower yields, concentrating the fruit sugars and in turn increasing the nuance of a finished wine. They also tend to be more expensive and are not recommended over ice. There are other Vinho Verdes made from native varieties, like Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura and Azal made with quality grapes into wines that stand quite beautifully on their own. A recent favorite is the Conde Villar Vinho Verde made from the Loureiro grape. It has a touch of effervescence and a pleasing blend of tropical fruit and citrus notes. The producer’s website recommends the following: “Excellent pairing with sea food, bird meat and also salads. This wine is also indicated as a summer day aperitif.” The mention of ‘bird meat’ makes me love the wine all the more. Traditional grape growing in the region took place on pergolas nearly 13 feet above the ground, saving space for additional crops between vine rows while also providing air circulation for the fruit in this particularly damp part of the world. Vinho Verde gets up to 78 inches of rain annually (compared to Northwest Alabama’s 53 inches). The area is heavily agricultural, with 90 out of every 100 farmers being grape growers as well. According to The Oxford Companion to Wine, “Ninety percent of holdings are less than 5 hectares in extent and the majority are little bigger than a suburban backyard.” This requires grape growers to sell fruit to local co-ops, though many also make their own wine. I like the image of my neighbors all growing wine grapes alongside their tomatoes and summer squash, then swapping mason jars of homemade vino on the porch swing for comparison. Of course industrialization has
driven more dollar-minded producers to plant vineyards on large swaths of land with lower trained vines that allow for mechanical harvesting. Many Vinho Verdes will have some residual sugar, though not always a perceived sweetness. Wines with high acidity benefit from a balancing touch of sweet, presenting the wine as dry without being astringent. And some will have a distinct off-dry finish. The Lagosta non-vintage Vinho Verde has a low nine percent alcohol with a few grams of residual sugar. It’s a wee bit sweet on the finish. It also has more sparkle than most Vinho Verdes I’ve tasted that are available in north Alabama. The wine is a blend of four grapes, Arinto, Azal, Loureiro and Trajadura, and is a perfect over-ice quaff for under $10 a bottle. Try out one or all of these Vinho Verdes for your pool side, creek edge, lake living, beachfront hot days this summer. All wines are available for purchase in Alabama.
Conde Villar Vinho Verde 2012 Bright and lemony with tropical fruit and floral notes with 10.5% alc. $12.99 Gateway Vinho Verde 2012 Grapefruit and green apple notes with a distinct fizz and an off-dry leading toward sweet finish. 9.5% alc. $10.99 Lagosta Vinho Verde NV Green apple, pear, flowers, fizzy and off-dry. 9% alc. $9.99 Octave Vinho Verde 2012 Lemon, lime, spritz, dry, easy. 9.5% alc. $8.99
Follow Amy at www.pigandvine.com for more stories and wine suggestions.
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food for thought » Sarah Gaede
OLÉ, OLÉ! Most of Provence, in the South of France, is characterized by hot, dry summers, mild winters, little snow, and abundant sunshine. Sound like somewhere we all know and love? The climate and geography of Provence influence the traditional cuisine, just as our climate and geography influence our own native dishes. Provençal cooking features olives and olive oil, summer vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers, white beans, green beans, lots of garlic, and herbs such as basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and lavender. The local peaches, apricots, strawberries, cherries, and melons are heavenly. Here in our South, we might substitute bacon grease for olive oil, use butter beans or lady peas instead of fresh cannellini beans, and throw in some okra, but all the other ingredients that make up the warm-weather food of Provence are available to us here. One of my very favorite summer dishes, ratatouille, is the signature dish of Provence. Ratatouille is a vegetable stew of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, garlic, and herbs. It’s pronounced Rat-a-too-ey, but in my family, we call it Ratooey-olé. Of course there’s a story behind this. When my daughter Martha was 16, she worked at the Express Café in Savannah, Georgia, where the owners were good about hiring the children of their friends. One day, Martha came home from work laughing hysterically. The special for the day had been ratatouille. A customer marched up to the counter and demanded some of that ratooey-olé. It was all Martha could do not to say, “Oh, are you feeling Mexican today?” She’s my daughter, for sure. I knew she had inherited my snarky personality when, at the age of seven, she turned to the man sitting behind us at “Hello Dolly”, who had snored through the entire performance, and asked sweetly, “Did you enjoy your little snooze?” Ratatouille is one of those throwwhatever-you-have-in-the-pot recipes. You really don’t need to measure. I like to cut my vegetables in 1-inch chunks, but you can cut them smaller if you like. You can use all zucchini or all yellow squash. If you don’t like olive oil, try grape seed or canola oil. You can add mushrooms, cut green beans, or pitted kalamata olives if you have some lying around. Diced red potatoes would be good as well.
Or go all out and toss in some okra just for fun. Add each vegetable according to its cooking time. Use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. I always use fresh chopped basil, oregano, and thyme, but some finely chopped rosemary and lavender would be good too. I usually serve mine with a dry Provençal rosé, but a young slightly chilled beaujolais would go down nicely as well. You can eat ratatouille hot or cold; as a main dish or a side with grilled meat or fish; on couscous, rice, field peas, cornbread or pasta. I’m thinking a dollop of Belle Chèvre on top would only enhance the final product. If you really have your mouth set for Mexican ratooey-olé, you could add a teaspoon or two of cumin and some chili powder with the onions, flavor with fresh oregano and cilantro, top with some grated Mexican cheese, and serve with beans and rice. How bad could it be? You can try it and let me know.
Ratatouille • • • • • • • • • • •
1 medium eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch cubes 4 tablespoons good olive oil, divided 1 large sweet onion, cut in 1/2-inch dice 4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped fine Pinch of crushed red pepper 2 bell peppers, any color, cut in 1-inch squares 2 medium summer squash, cut in half lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick 2 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick 3 ripe medium tomatoes, peeled and seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons or more chopped fresh herbs— basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, lavender
Toss the eggplant cubes with about a teaspoon of kosher salt. Set the cubes in a colander to drain for about 20 minutes. Rinse well in cold water and pat dry on paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Toss the eggplant in the oil until golden. Remove eggplant and set aside. Add 2 more tablespoons oil and onions. Cook onions for about 7 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, a bit more salt, and black pepper. Cook for a few minutes, then stir in bell peppers. Cook for a more minutes, and stir in summer squash. Cook for a few more minutes and stir in tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes, then stir in browned eggplant and herbs and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until all the vegetables are soft. Taste for seasoning and serve hot or at room temperature.
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July/August 2014 | noalapress.com | 117
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hear tell » Maxine Guerry
LET’S GO FISHIN’
T
he birds haven’t even started chirping their “good mornings” yet and my brother Edward is out in the backyard where he keeps his bass boat, making the loudest ruckus you’ve ever heard. Usually he tiptoes around like he’s afraid to wake Jesus when he’s getting ready to head to the river. He likes to get an early start, before the fish start biting. But this morning, I’m awakened by things being moved around in the dining room, the front door slamming and him whistling—at five o’clock in the morning, mind you. Curiosity takes over the desire to crawl further under the covers. I’m wideawake now, anyway. I tiptoe over to the window that looks out over the back yard to see what the noise is all about. At first, nothing looks out of the ordinary. I see Edward loading the boat with his tackle box and cooler of beer. But then I notice something odd. The dining room chair, the one with arms that usually sits at one end of the dining room table, is being lifted up onto the boat. Edward starts working up a sweat using a piece of rope to tie the chair to the seat closest to the bow. I ask you, why in the world would somebody tie a dining room chair onto a boat? I hear Uncle Si’s feet hit the floor. “What’s all that racket at this ungodly hour of the morning?” he calls out to nobody in particular. “It’s just Edward, Uncle Si, loading up the boat to go fishing,” I say. “Sure wish I could go with him, but these old bones won’t allow it. My rheumatism is getting worse by the day. My legs hurt too bad to sit in those low seats,” he says. Just about now, I hear the front door open and shut. I follow my nose to the kitchen. Mother is making breakfast and packing a lunch for Edward while he stands over her, sipping on a cup of coffee. “Edward, where’s my good dining room chair?” asks Mother. “Where’s Uncle Si?” he asks. “He’s up and about, but you still haven’t answered my question. You about woke up the dead this morning scraping the dining room chair across the floor.
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It’s a good thing your Daddy was already up and gone to work. I think I hear Si in the bathroom. Go tell him to come butter his pancakes before they get cold.” “Uncle Si,” yells Edward. “Get a move on. We’re going fishin’!” Uncle Si hobbles up the hall. “Who’s going fishin’?” “You and me,” says Edward. “What the hell are you talking about, Edward? You know I can’t go fishin’. These old legs are about to give out on me.” “Sit down and butter your pancakes, Si. You can’t go fishing on an empty stomach,” says Mother. “Hurry up and eat, Uncle Si,” says Edward, as he leaves through the kitchen door. “I’ll meet you out by the boat.” “Thelma, that boy needs his head examined,” says Uncle Si. “He’s stubborn, that’s what he is. Won’t take no for an answer.” Uncle Si starts eating so fast, syrup dribbles down his chin. “Guess I’d better get dressed and go see what he’s up to. Those were mighty good pancakes,” he says. Next thing you know, Uncle Si is walking out the door wearing old clothes and his good Florsheim shoes, the ones he wears to work. Edward sees him limping across the yard like he’s 90 years old. He’s only 68, but you’d never know it sometimes. “What’re you doin’ wearing your good shoes, Uncle Si? Those’ll get ruined.” “These are all the shoes I got, Edward.” “Well, come on then. Come see what I got rigged up for you,” says Edward. They walk together over to the boat, Edward holding onto Uncle Si’s elbow to keep him from slipping on the grass that’s still wet with morning dew.
Uncle Si stops dead in his tracks when he sees the chair hitched up in the boat. “Well, I’ll be, Edward. You think that’ll work? I’m not so sure about this.” Edward stands proudly, admiring his handiwork. “Come on, I’ll help you up.” He picks up Uncle Si like he was picking up a sack of feathers and sits him in the chair. “Jiggle around a little bit to see if it’s going to hold,” he says. Uncle Si squirms this way and that, testing it. “I think it’s okay, Edward. Let’s go fishin’.” Next thing you know, Edward is backing out of the driveway, boat in tow, with Uncle Si riding shotgun. Just as the sun begins to dance across the water, they make it to Dog River in South Mobile County. Edward puts the boat in first, then Uncle Si. Next thing you know, Edward’s gunning the motor until they’re practically flying over the low delta. Uncle Si is sitting straight up in the chair, gripping the chair arms, looking for all the world like king of the Nile as they head toward Edward’s favorite fishing spot. After they’ve gone about a mile, Edward slows the boat and comes to a complete stop, throwing out the anchor in a narrow part of the river. On both sides of the river, the river banks are heavy with overhanging vegetation, the roots of cypress trees jutting out of the water. “It’s going to be a hot one, Edward,” says Uncle Si. “Hope you remembered to bring some suntan lotion.” “I’ve got it right here in the cooler,” says Edward. “It’ll feel good on your skin when the sun starts baking us.” “Boy, you think of everything, don’t you?” says Uncle Si. “Try to,” says Edward. “Let’s get to fishin’. We’re wasting time.” It’s not long before Edward is hauling in a mess of bream and croaker. Uncle Si hasn’t had even a nibble. “I don’t know what your secret is Edward, but you’re
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hear tell » Fiction Next thing you know, Edward is backing out of the driveway, boat in tow, with Uncle Si riding shotgun. Just as the sun begins to dance across the water, they make it to Dog River in South Mobile County. Edward puts the boat in first, then Uncle Si. Next thing you know, Edward’s gunning the motor until they’re practically flying over the low delta.
out-fishing me for sho,” says Uncle Si, who’s starting to get restless, shifting his weight around in the chair. “Sit still, Uncle Si,” says Edward. “You’re liable to tump us over and scare all the fish away. And I don’t want to have to save your ass from a hungry alligator.” Next thing you know, Uncle Si’s standing up in the boat. “Sit down, Uncle Si,” yells Edward. “I can’t help it. Lawd, Edward, I’ve got something on my line,” yells Uncle Si. “I think it’s a big one.” “Just sit down, I’ll help you haul it in,” yells Edward, just as Uncle Si is sailing over the side of the boat, still hanging on to his fishing rod. “Jeezus H. Christ, I told you to sit down,” mutters Edward as he jumps in after Uncle Si, who, by now, has disappeared. Edward starts diving, feeling frantically for Uncle Si, unable to see his hand in front of his face in the brown, murky water. He comes up, dives again, over and over. The last time his head breaks through the water, he screams in anguish, “Dammit, Uncle Si, where are you?” He swims slowly over to shallow water, climbs up on the riverbank and hangs his head between his knees, sobbing. “I’ve killed Uncle Si. How am I going to face everybody?” Next thing you know, he hears some splashing around and a voice, but he can’t make out what the voice is saying. Edward’s thinking he hears Uncle Si’s ghost. He keeps his head hung between his knees, unwilling to look out at the river that has swallowed up Uncle Si. But the voice starts getting louder and louder, and, for sure, it does sound like Uncle Si. As he raises his head, he sees Uncle Si treading water near the riverbank, right in front of him. “Boy, I’m talking to you. I’ve been trying to get your attention for the last 15 minutes,” says Uncle Si. “I thought you had drowned,” cries Edward. “Where
in hell have you been, Uncle Si?” “The current took me clear over to those bushes on the other side of the river,” says Uncle Si. “I liked to never come up for air. When I finally did come up, I could see you sitting on the opposite bank with your head hanging down. I thought you was taking a nap while I was drowning.” Edward, his voice shaking with frustration, says, “Uncle Si, I liked to have drowned myself. I was scared out of my head. I must have dove down twenty times trying to find you.” “Aw, it’s okay, son. I’m right ‘chere, see? I’m alive as you.” A slow smile spreads across Uncle Si’s face. “Why don’t you come on in? The water feels pretty good.” The fishing part of the trip forgotten about, Edward and Uncle Si are treading water, not saying much, until Uncle Si says, “Sure is peaceful here, isn’t it?” “You still have those good shoes on, Uncle Si? I bet they’re ruined by now.” “Naw, Edward, when I made it to shallow water and tried to wade to shore, the mud on the bottom of the river sucked ‘em right off me. Them shoes had just about seen their last days. I needed new ones anyway. Still have that mess of fish you caught?” “Yessir,” says Edward. “They’re still on the boat in the cooler.” “That’s good. I sure hate that I let that fish get away. What say we go home and get your momma to fry some up while we take us a nap? I don’t know about you, but I’m all tuckered out.” Edward lets out a sigh that sounds more like a shudder. “I gotta’ swim out and get the boat first. You stay put.” “I’m not going anywhere, bubba. I’ll be right ‘chere,” says Uncle Si.
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parting shot Âť Patrick Hood
Kyle Eastwood, March 2014, The University of North Alabama
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We’re celebrating home grown stars! This summer, we’re celebrating the home grown celebrities, entertainers, craftspeople and volunteers who make this place such a great place to live and work. We understand the importance of deep roots, because we’re home grown, too! We have a limited number of audio CDs at our branches, highlighting the musicians who are profiled in this issue. You are welcome to visit one of our convenient branch locations and ask for a complimentary copy, while supplies last. We’re proud of the people who make this such a great place to live. That’s why we’ve been helping families put down roots of their own, for almost eight decades! www.firstsouthern.com
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Milner Rushing
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