Set in a Live Oak Grove
From the fish fry on Monday evening through the closing on Saturday night, Newell Lodge hosts Harvin and Kay Carter, with the able assistance of their daughter Ashley, do everything they can to make their guests happy, comfortable, and well-fed. Never losing its down home charm and southern flavor, the Newell Lodge crew offers all the amenities of larger and more well-established events in a secluded live oak grove in the midst of the piney woods of south Georgia. With the able and knowledgeable work of local favorite Robert Wilson and his wizard sound-man, singer/songwriter, and newly-wed son Clint, the Newell Lodge Fall festival came to a rousing end on Saturday night with Nothin' Fancy putting a musical and humorous cap on an enjoyable and low-keyed weekend of fine music and good fellowship. Here's a look in no particular order.
Low Country Boil
Enjoyed by All
The music began on Thursday evening with performances on Friday evening and all day on Saturday. Most bands performed on two days while leaving plenty of time during the day and after closing in the evening for jamming and socializing. The band selection showed a good choice of local bands, up-and-coming bands, and a high quality top-of-the-line band. Meanwhile, the service provided by the willing staff made people's stay a real pleasure. Promoter Harvin Carter has added more water/electric sites while the grounds are scattered with flush toilets and hot shower buildings. The Hold Your Horse Cafe´ serves three meals a day along with home cooked goodies all the time, making it easy for people who would rather not cook.
Hold Your Horses Cafe´
Open Stage
George Wells
Harry Bowen
Irby Brown
The Thomas Family
The Thomas Family is an earnest and fervent family gospel band. Their performance has shown improvement since last spring, but three full sets stretched their capacity a little too much. The youngest, Sarah Beth, has inherited Katie Wilson's song "Five Pound Possum" as well as showing a winsome enjoyment in performance. Ethan and Joel Thomas have been working hard on their instruments.
Michael Thomas
Amy Thomas
Ethan Thomas
Joel Thomas
Sarah Beth Thomas
Cheryl Watson & Watertown
Cheryl Watson
Teri LaMarco
Jim Quine
The Golf Cart Brigade
Camping Under the Live Oaks
Highway 41 South
Highway 41S is a popular Florida bluegrass band from the Bradenton - Port Charlotte area on the west coast. They play good covers of bluegrass and country standards with enthusiasm and skill. J.R. Davis is well known in the region for his country singing and Donnie Harvey is a very good Scruggs style banjo player whose tasteful backup is a real pleasure to listen to.
Mark Horn
J.R. Davis
Donnie Harvey
Dave Beaumont
Robert Feathers
Robert Feathers Sings!
J.R. Davis & Irby Brown
The Wilson Family Band
The Wilson Family Band serves as host band for the Newell Lodge Bluegrass Festival. Robert Wilson has sung and played in south Georgia and beyond for a generation. He formed the band when his children became old enough to join him, and now that Clint has married and moved away to college with his new wife Kalyn, the band is playing less often. Clint ran sound for the festival, providing the kind of attention to detail that makes each band sound like it imagines it should. He and Kalyn will debut their new band Montgomery Belle at the March edition of this fine and growing festival. Meanwhile, daughter Katie's singing and fiddle playing has achieved a new and delightful maturity.
Robort Wilson
Melissa Wilson
Katie Wilson
Clint Wilson
Kalyn Wilson
Lonesome Father: Victor Hall
Two Bands to Watch
Breaking Grass
Breaking Grass is an exciting young band hailing from Mississippi. Lead singer Cody Farrar celebrated his twenty-seventh birthday at Newell Lodge by leading his band through three lively sets of music ranging from classic bluegrass through newgrass, swing, grassed pop by Frank Sinatra via Del McCoury, and some songs with a distinct country twang, all without losing a strong sense that this is a first rate bluegrass band, perhaps the best one you haven't head of yet. Don't worry, though, you'll be hearing much more from them in the near future. The band is remarkably tight for one so young, with strong musicians at each position. Their stagecraft continues to need work, but that will almost certainly come with time, as they look and seem to feel comfortable on stage. We had a brief taste of Breaking Grass at IBMA in Nashville last month and look forward to seeing much more of them in coming years. They're getting increasing air play on satellite and terrestrial radio. Ask for them at your local festival. You won't be sorry.
Cody Farrar
Britt Sheffield
Tyler White
Thelton Vanderford
Zach Wooten
Boys and their Trucks
Still House
With the addition of Chris Harris as lead singer and on mandolin, Still House is poised to become a break out bluegrass band. Young, enthusiastic, highly skilled and deeply experienced, this band of former sidemen appears ready, with only some hard work and a completed recording, to achieve recognition in the near future. Three members of the band toured as Carrie Hassler's back-up band for several years. Bassist Kameron Keller also plays with Grasstowne. Harris has been singing harmony and playing mandolin for Larry Cordle for several years after a stint with Junior Sisk. Four of the five players come from southwest Virginia or the Piedmont region of North Carolina and have been playing together since they were quite young. Twin brothers Keith and Kevin MacKinnon have known each other all their lives. Their repertoire contains hard driving traditional bluegrass, Chris Harris's well-crafted songs, and covers a some pretty non-traditional bands. Already strong, they need to complete a long in-process recording and reconcile their very busy schedules to become tighter and more polished. Their presentation is already filled with youthful good humor in good taste. This is a band with huge potential.
Chris Harris
Jamie Harper
Kameron Keller
Keith MacKinnon
Kevin MacKinnon
Look for videos by both Breaking Grass and Still House on my YouTube Channel in about two weeks. I've recorded a good selection of their work, but need to get home to greater band width to upload it.
A Newell Lodge Cottage
Shower Building at Newell Lodge
Jamie Harper & Chris Harper
watch former band mate Justin Tomlin w/Nothin Fancy
Nothin' Fancy
Nothin' Fancy has carved out a niche of humor, high standards of musicianship, innovation, and quality through eighteen years of polished performing with very few personnel changes, enabling them establish and maintain a distinctive sound and style that has charmed and entertained festival goers nationally and abroad. Lead singer and principal writer Mike Andes contributes both humorous songs and moving, thought provoking ones while the band presents itself with musical and physical humor. Fiddler Chris Sexton's work on the fiddler's national anthem Orange Blossom Special is a notable piece of work. Over the years, the band has continued to keep its performances fresh by adding to and changing comic bits as well as expanding its catalog. The tour hard and never mail it in. Justin Tomlin has joined the band and fit into the spot long inhabited by Gary Faris with ease and polish. Nothin' Fancy always seems to deliver.
Mike Andes
Chris Sexton
Mitchell Davis
Tony Shorter
Justin Tomlin
Justin Tomlin & Mike Andes
Tony Shorter & Mike Andes
Chris Sexton
Harvin Carter - Promoter
Irby Brown - Emcee
Ashley Carter Mesa & Logan
Newell Lodge Bluegrass Festival in Folkston, Georgia is a relatively new event that deserves to be in your rotation. The setting is peerless, the management is customer oriented and forward looking, the sound is excellent, and the vibe is both friendly and professional. There's plenty of room to grow and you can help it. The next edition is coming March 7 - 9, 2013. If you're local, be sure to attend. If you're a snobird heading home, make it a regular stop.
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