Black Jacket Symphony

STORY BY BREANNA MANLEY

TThe Black Jacket Symphony will take to the Lake Martin Amphitheater stage on July 22 to perform Fleetwood Mac’s beloved 1977 Rumors album, providing yet another chance to listen to great music this summer.

According to Robert Gunn, director of events and marketing operations for Russell Lands, coordination between Black Jacket Symphony management and Russell Lands has been ongoing for a while. Fortunately, schedules worked out, and the performance will finally happen this summer. Both parties are excited to bring an unforgettable performance to Lake Martin residents.

“Jason Rogoff, their manager, and I have been talking about doing something together for a couple of years. We were finally able to come up with this year’s event,” Gunn explained.

Rogoff said the idea of the Black Jacket Symphony performing at The AMP was first examined around the time the pandemic hit.

“We were trying to do so many outdoor shows during the pandemic. I drove down and met with Robert, and we looked at The AMP and really wanted to try to get it done, but unfortunately, we ran out of time for the season. It’s such a cool venue, and we just knew we wanted to make a show happen there,” Rogoff explained.

Luckily for them, and for Lake Martin residents, schedules finally lined up and the show is happening.

Founded by J. Willoughby and Damon Johnson in 2009, Black Jacket Symphony was inspired by symphony orchestras and the music they create. The group has been recreating classic rock albums, such as Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run and Elton John’s Madman Across the Water, note-for-note since their debut.

Over the years, several musicians have played with the Black Jacket Symphony, including both founders, Marc Phillips, Jay Johnson, Tim Kelly and more. With evergrowing popularity, the symphony has graced many stages across the South to perform sold-out shows inspired by some of the greatest rock bands in the industry.

The group has performed more than 40 classic rock albums. Depending on the album, different artists are brought in to perform vocals with the symphony.

“We’ve been fortunate over the years to have people reach out to us, whether it’s on Facebook or email. People seem to figure out how to get in touch with us, and we also do a lot of talking throughout the music community. A lot of times, it’s just a friend of a friend, and that’s how we encountered Jess Meuse as a wonderful Stevie Nicks,” Rogoff explained.

Meuse, a Wetumpka native who has enjoyed her time with Black Jacket Symphony thus far, can’t wait to perform with the group once again, this time for Lake Martin residents who have watched her career blossom.

“Performing with them is awesome. They’re incredibly professional. The first thing that stood out to me is not only are they great musicians, but also they’re just great and fun people. The tour was very refreshing for me. I’ve made a lot of new friends,” Meuse said.

According to Meuse, performing with the Black Jacket Symphony is not the only good thing to come out of this experience for her. Connecting with Fleetwood Mac fans through their timeless music has been a huge driving point for her.

“I mean you already have a connection with the audience because they love Fleetwood Mac, and they’re there because they love that band. I’ve always been told I sound a little bit like Stevie, so performing as her and already having that kind of excitement and anticipation is great,” Meuse explained.

Tickets can be purchased through the direct link on the Lake Martin Amphitheater website, ranging in price from $39 to $49. To learn more about the band and upcoming performance dates, visit their website blackjacketsymphony.com.