South Carolina Posts
New GRITZ List: Top Vocalists of the Southern Rock Era
"Way down in Alabama/Shoutin' Bamalama..." What a rocking song. What a great singer. I never get read more...
Hank "Sugarfoot" Garland Movie Looks Great
Growing up in Spartanbrg, SC, I was always running into people who were under the misconception that guitar legend Hank Garland was read more...
New Features, Capricorn Records, Southern Rock Lists
We are happy to add a couple of new ongoing features here at GRITZ. The first is our
SEC Football Update, Memphis Style!
Ron Higgins was on fire over the weekend. He's one of the best writers about SEC football newspaper writers outside of Tony read more...
The Legends of Southern Rock, a Guide
Greetings from Carolina. We are happy to present our new
Between Texas and Hawaii
It's been a busy week here in the land of GRITZ and SWAMPLAND... We are very happy to share the latest feature in our Legends read more...
Why Swampland Sports Loves the BCS
Despite winning back to back national titles in football, the SEC susre seems to hate the BCS. Lately, this hatred has been read more...
For The Record: Haunting the Local Indie Record Stores
To me there is nothing more fun than spending a few hours thumbing through LPs and CDs at a used record store. I have always loved read more...
Rick Godfrey Returning to Upstate South Carolina
Former Garfeel Ruff guitarist
Why I Love Bonnie Bramlett
I remember reading about Delaney and
Charlie Daniels' GRITZ Guest Blog; Memories of Toy Caldwell
We are happy to present our second Guest Blog, this read more...
Jackson Crossing and Other Great Bands of Spartanburg, SC
My old hometown of Spartanburg, SC is turning into the new Athens, with an array of great new bands all over town. In the coming read more...
Vintage GRITZ Articles Unearthed; Hatchet, Skynyrd, Tucker, Ricky Skaggs and More
It's time once again to add a few more Vintage Gritz articles to the archives, and I hope you'll check 'em out for a "blast from read more...
Snowflakes: What Are SEC Football Critics Going To Do Now?
With spring football in full gear, it’s never too early to look ahead to the upcoming season. We at Swampland have focused many read more...
Football Film "Leatherheads" Brings Hollywood to Carolina
There’s been quite a lot of anticipation here in Greenville, SC over the past few months. I mean, everywhere you go you read more...
More Back Home Memories of Marshall Tucker
I woke up at three in the morning last night thinking about
Season Summary: Charlotte Panthers
Quick Summary: The Carolina Panthers entered the 2007 season as a Super Bowl contender. They started out strong, read more...
Just What is GRITZ ?
This year GRITZ celebrates our tenth year online. Over the past decade we have gone through a lot of changes, and enjoyed the read more...
Snowflakes: Why SEC Hoops is No Longer Just Kentucky
With Mississippi and Florida both dropping first round games in the conference tournament, the SEC contingent for the Big Dance seems read more...
Snowflakes: Small Conference Hoops Does the Footprint Proud
It’s the most exciting time of the year for many of the smaller schools around our region. Their conferences tournaments have read more...
Racing Drag and Dirt Track with The Marshall Tucker Band
During the early ‘70’s you could find a dirt track racer running the round track at Greenville Pickens Speedway on read more...
Midnight in the Garden of Good Southern Rock: Late Night Tea & TV
I love it when things like this happen. I was sitting up late tonight writing, as I often do. Beside me a nice hot cup of read more...
GRITZ Movie Reviews: The Other Boleyn Girl, Semi Pro
THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL
Snowflakes: ACC Hoops
* Mike Krzyzewski got his 800th career read more...
When Nantucket Ruled The Earth
I was talking to my friend Dewayne “aka: Rebyll” this afternoon when the conversation shifted to his first live concert read more...
GRITZ Movie Reviews: Vantage Point; Definitely Maybe; Roscoe Jenkins
VANTAGE POINT
My 2008 Oscar Predictions
The 80th Academy Awards comes to the boob tube this Sunday night, February 24, 2008. Those of you who read GRITZ on a regular read more...
Snowflakes: Small Conference Hoops
We often focus on teams that reach the dream of an NCAA tournament or special players who make the NBA, but sometimes it’s just read more...
The Love Box
I have a little ceramic box that sits on my dresser in the bed room. It’s red and has a multi-color lid with the word read more...
Snowflakes: ACC Hoops
* What a game in Chapel Hill on Sunday. Still without star point guard Ty Lawson, North Carolina rallied from a double-digit deficit read more...
Weekend Notes and Tom Dowd On Ronnie Van Zant
I really hope everyone is enjoying the new look of GRITZ, as well as our “Mothership” Swampland.com. The powers that be read more...
Snowflakes: SEC Hoops
* The Kentucky Wildcats finally look to be playing the kind of winning ball that Big Blue fans expect. It took a while to adjust to read more...
Snowflakes: Smaller Conference Hoops
One mid-major club that higher seeded teams will not want to see in the Big Dance is Davidson from the Southern Conference. The read more...
South Carolina Designates "Nappy Brown Day" February 15th
The State of South Carolina will honor Rhythm & Blues pioneer Nappy Brown with an official state proclamation declaring February read more...
Snowflakes: ACC Hoops
* The best rivalry in college hoops takes place Wednesday night when #2 ranked Duke invades Chapel Hill to battle #3 North Carolina. read more...
Like a Rolling Stone
I simply could not believe my luck. I was at Barnes and Noble, drinking a cup of coffee and reading various read more...
Cold Beer, Tom Petty & Superbowl Sunday
Greetings fellow babies. It's Superbowl Sunday and I am chilling on the sofa with a cold brewskie waiting to see New England and New read more...
Snowflakes: SEC Hoops
by Patrick Snow * Someone forgot to tell 2-time National Champion Florida that they were supposed to struggle this read more...
Snowflakes: ACC Hoops
by Patrick Snow * As Duke put the finishing touches on their 93-84 victory at Maryland Sunday night, it became increasingly read more...
Toy Caldwell Article Added to Swampland Archives
I was going through my files today and ran across an article I wrote back in 1999 about
Video is Uniquely George McCorkle
On January 29th it will be seven months. Seven months since
The Best of All Possible Worlds or Is There Balm in Gilead?
I live in the boonies, the hinterlands of Northern Alabama. For years, I made do with erratic reception from local television read more...
Garfeel Ruff Guitarist Ready to Return to Southern Rock Roots
I was talking to my old friend Ricky Godfrey on the telephone yesterday. Rick is living in Nashville, but he still returns home read more...
1981: Marshall Tucker Conquers New York, Video Blog
In 1981 The Marshall Tucker Band played Madison Square read more...
My Favorite Southern Rock Song?
I was talking to one of my pals down Florida way the other day when the conversation shifted to great Southern Rock songs.We started read more...
Six Degrees of Separation
In the south we not only claim kin we also claim friends. I have learned that behind every new acquaintance there lies the read more...
How I Gave Up on Going to the Moon and Became a Writer Instead
Oddly enough, I would have never even dreamed of becoming a writer during my days in grade school and high school. I really wanted to read more...
Happy New Year : Farewell to 2007
Happy New Year to all of our readers, and once again, allow me to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your continued support of read more...
GRITZ Best Albums of The Year
Lots of great music rocked my world in 2007. Here are my choices for the 15 best of the best. Feel free to log on and comment. Let me read more...
Merry Christmas from GRITZ
Greetings from South Carolina... Since I have received so many e-mails and calls, I thought I would post this. I know read more...
Growing Up in Spartanburg with The Marshall Tucker Band
My association with The Marshall Tucker Band has read more...
Brothers of the Southland Advance CD Download Available Now
The Brothers of the Southland with Bo Bice CD is now available for a limited time as an advance download of the CD. The read more...
Video: "Painting Her Toenails," Michael Buffalo Smith
One of my songs that seems to be going over well these days is called "Painting Her Toenails." It's just a simple tune read more...
Picture of the Day: Buffalo and T. Graham Brown
Gritz man Michael Buffalo Smith hangs out with country r&b legend T. Graham Brown at the Angelus event in Tampa, read more...
Enter to Win, Marshall Tucker Band Live 1977 DVD!!
There's still time for you to win a copy of the new DVD/CD package The Carolina Dreams Tour by The Marshall Tucker Band! read more...
TF Rivalry Week Preview
Rivalry games define college football. More than bowl games or even conference championships, a win against your rival means read more...
Win Marshall Tucker's New Live in 1977 DVD/CD FREE!
The Marshall Tucker Band was at their peak in the summer of 1977, and now you can relive the magic of the original lineup of Toy and read more...
The Cowboy Diaries: Part One
by Michael Buffalo Smith GRITZ went into the studio with Cowboy for the recording of their all new album, their first in 36 read more...
TF Saturday Preview: The Year of Transition Nears An End
The wild year continues. In many ways this was just a sign of the transition college football around the Footprint has read more...
Picture Of The Day: Jam 4 George
Cooking onstage during the recent Jam 4 George Memorial Concert are George's son Justin McCorkle, founding Marshall Tucker Band read more...
New Marshall Tucker Band 1977 DVD is On The Way
A three-CD set of the Marshall Tucker Band read more...
TF Saturday Preview: Everything's Still To Be Decided
Patrick Snow has it right. This year's
Still More Scenes from The Jam 4 George!!
If a picture is truly worth a thousand words, how much are a thousand pictures worth? Due to popular demand, we read more...
More Scenes from The Jam 4 George!
The photographs just keep coming into the GRITZ offices! Here are some more great scenes from The Jam 4 George. Photos read more...
Jam 4 George Brings Out The Best of Southern Rockers and Fans
Wofford College weren’t the only ones having a homecoming in Spartanburg, SC last Saturday, November 3. Barnett Park downtown read more...
Picture of the Day: Jam 4 George
Buffalo is seen here with founding Marshall Tucker Band member, flute and sax player Jerry Eubanks, moments before the finale jam at read more...
Tribal Fever's Weekend Observations
1. That enormous exhale coming from the Oxford, Mississippi area would be the sigh of relief of Ole Miss Coach Ed Orgeron. His Rebels read more...
TF Saturday Preview: Pole, er.. Bowl Position
If you aren't a Florida or Georgia fan, this weekend might be a good one to spend with the kids. This is a pretty thin weekend read more...
One of My Heroes, Porter Wagoner Has Lung Cancer
October 24, 2007 I was really taken aback to hear Country Music Hall of Famer Porter Wagoner has been read more...
Win Free Tickets To Jam 4 George
Here's your chance to win a pair of tickets to the Jam for George memorial concert in Spartanburg, SC. We have a few pairs of tickets read more...
TF's Saturday Preview: Act Like You've Been There Before!
It's the old saying when a player celebrates a little too much - act like you've been there before. This rules seems to also read more...
It Was 30 Years Ago Today: Last Flight of The Free Bird
I only saw Lynyrd Skynyrd, the original Lynyrd read more...
George McCorkle To Be Honored by Memorial Concert November 3rd
Spartanburg, SC - George McCorkle, an read more...
Rockin' On The Top of The Mountain
Our primary goal of the trip, besides handing out the videos, was to shoot the camel on top of the read more...
Dick, a Duck and a Decoy : Part One
Shootin’ The Camel on the Top of the Mountain Part read more...
TF's Saturday Preview: The History Behind SEC Dominance
Tribal Fever would like to start this weekend's festivities by directing everyone to a fantastic series on
A Pearl in the Heart of South Carolina
Down the road from me in Bishopville, South Carolina, there lives a man named Pearl. Pearl Fryar, a sixty-six year old African read more...
Tribal Fever's Weekend Slate (10/6/2007)
Let's start with this week's College Football Preview from Athlon. Swampland's own Patrick Snow hosts each read more...
Upset Saturday, or not?
Patrick Snow mentioned in his last column read more...
People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs 1913-1938
Tompkins Square Releases Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs This Week 9/29/07
Swampland welcomes Tribal Fever!
It was only a matter of time before Swampland Sports starting covering the colleges in earnest. Today marks the start of Tribal read more...
Jam for George McCorkle Shaping Up to Be a Must See Event
The Jam for George Concert is scheduled for Saturday, November 3, 2007 beginning at 1 PM at Barnett Park in downtown Spartanburg, SC. read more...
Southern Rock News: Get Your GRITZ Via RSS Feed
I am really happy to announce that GRITZ is now available in Really Simple Syndication. (RSS) That is, you can get updates and links read more...
Swampland Sports Thursday Links
Just a few quick hits here on Thursday.... Snowman's Latest Column Patrick Snow's
The Shadow And the Truth
9/19/07 ...THE SHADOW AND THE TRUTH...
Former Marshall Tucker Band Bassist Charged with Sexual Assault
Franklin Wilkie, who joined The Marshall Tucker Band in 1980 following the death of founder Tommy Caldwell, has been charged with read more...
J4G: The Jam for George (McCorkle) Set for November 3rd
SPARTANBURG, SC - The highly anticipated Jam for George: A Concert Honoring The Memory of George McCorkle, will take place in read more...
Picture of the Day: George McCorkle and Doug Gray
Our friend, the late great George McCorkle was reunited with singer Doug Gray of The Marshall Tucker Band just months before George's read more...
Former Marshall Tucker Band Drummer Suffers Heart Attack
SPARTANBURG, SC - Former Marshall Tucker Band drummer David "Ace" Allen was admitted to the hospital yesterday following a read more...
Billy Bobbin' in Myrtle Beach
Thursday morning I got up early and made my way to the beach. I was bound and determined to get in a beach walk, so at 8 am I read more...
Metal Band Covers Southern Rock Tune
Hair-metal band Poison has released a full album of cover tunes, including songs made famous by The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of July 31, 2007
New Releases 10 Mile Crossing
Back to Macon with The Tommy Talton Band
I’ve been down to Macon, Georgia several times over the past few months, and every time I visit I feel the spirit of Duane read more...
Thursday Night with Paul Thorn and Something Heavy
I knew going in that it was going to be a busy, busy weekend. What I also knew was that it would be one of the most music filled, read more...
Upcoming Shows, Vintage Interviews Posted
It's been a busy few weeks around here for the ol' Gritzman, and things are just getting busier. I like it that way. Next read more...
In The Studio: New Southern Rock & Country Releases On The Way
TOMMY TALTON says that he and SCOTT BOYER have been writing new material for a read more...
Funeral for a Friend
It was slightly overcast in Spartanburg, SC this morning and a bit cooler than it has been. Well, at least until about halfway read more...
McCorkle Memorial in Nashville, Funeral to Be Held in Spartanburg
A memorial service and visitation for George McCorkle will be held on Sunday July 1, 2007 from 4:00-8:00PM.at Carthage read more...
George McCorkle Dead at 60
George McCorkle of the original Marshall Tucker Band died this morning, Friday, June 29th at 11:30 in a Nashville Hospital. He was read more...
Makin' it Back to Macon
The original plan was to go down to Macon a couple of days early and hang out with my friends Dave and Peggy Peck, prior to the read more...
Guitarist McCorkle Remains Critical, Spartanburg Newspaper Features Article
Fire On The Mountain
6/25/07
George McCorkle Fighting Cancer
We have received some very sad news here at GRITZ. Our long time friend George McCorkle, a founding member of The Marshall read more...
GRITZ Continues to Grow, Tommy Talton Interview Next Week
Greetings! Well, GRITZ is now back, bigger and better, thanks to some hard work from the Swampland team. You may have notced that the read more...
Buffalo Returns, Brings Along Some Ol' Honk
In case anyone is wondering, the ol' Buffalo has been down for the count for a while lately, which explains my lack of blogging. read more...
Volunteer Jam DVD: The Holy Grail of Southern Rock
If there’s one single most defining event in the history of Southern Rock, it has to be the Volunteer Jam, especially read more...
ZZ Top Cancels Euro Tour, Dusty Hill Has Surgery
May 16, 2007 HOUSTON - ZZ Top has canceled its European tour so Dusty Hill can
Ornette Coleman Wins Pulitzer
4/16/07 Born on March 9, 1930, in Fort Worth, Texas, Ornette Coleman won a Pulitzer Prize today for his latest CD, Sound read more...
Cormac McCarthy Wins Pulitzer Prize
4/16/07 Tennessee writer Cormac McCarthy won a Pulitzer Prize today for his heart-rending novel The Road. Congratulations to read more...
Swampland's Buffalo Featured in Easyriders Magazine
New Carter Family Documentary Released
3/25/07 A new hour long documentary on the Carter Family--Will The Circle Be Unbroken--highlights the career of the legendary read more...
Road Trip to Beaufort, SC, Sports Fans!
Recently, we decided to take off, pretty much on a whim, and set sail for the shore. Jill and I had visited before, but it would read more...
South Carolina Radio and TV Pioneer Honored
BMI Award-winning songwriter Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith received the Honorary Life Membership Award from the South read more...
James Brown's Body Closer to Burial
COLUMBIA, S.C. - The six adult children of singer James Brown have agreed with his partner, Tomi Rae Hynie, on where the entertainer read more...
Loretta Lynn To Receive Doctorate
Loretta Lynn will receive a honorary doctorate from the Berklee School of Music in March. Lynn will get an Honorary read more...
Fat Possum Reissues Townes Van Zandt
2/5/07 Fat Possum records will be re-releasing vital Townes Van Zandt albums on May 1, 2007. The albums include For the read more...
B.B. King Released From Texas Hospital
1/27/07 On Thursday night, blues legend B.B. King was admitted to The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston for read more...
...Possum On The Road...
1/1/07 Texas born, country legend George "The Possum" Jones prepares to go out on the road in 2007. Rehearsals read more...
Loretta Lynn Announces Early 2007 Tour Dates
1/1/07 After shattering her shoulder last year, the 71 year-old Loretta Lynn is ready to hit the road. Scheduled stops on read more...
James Brown RIP
The "Godfather of Soul" dies at age 73 ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- read more...
Killer On The Loose...Jerry Lee Lewis Tours...
12/11/06 On September 26, 2006, Last Man Standing, Jerry Lee Lewis' latest CD hit the stores. The collection read more...
Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam Returns, CDB To Perform with Symphony Orchestra
After a few summers without a Jam, the famous Charlie Daniels Band Volunteer Jam returns in the summer of 2007. So far, the line up read more...
South Carolina Reviews
The Very Best of Outlaw Country
(Legacy) The thing that sets this compilation apart from the plethora of others that are always being flooded into the read more...
Backbone & Gristle
macarnold.com Mac Arnold blew everyone’s mind a few short read more...
See You In A Hundred Years
See You In A Hundred Years by Logan Ward Benbella Books Has the stess of today's world with read more...
Brothers of the Southland
Brothers of The Southland is one of the best of the plethora of “all star” bands playing today, and their debut CD is a read more...
Blues Sweet Blues
Blues Sweet Blues Various Music Maker Artists Music Maker Series #91 & #92 By James Calemine
Carolina Dreams Tour ‘77
(Shout!Factory) What a great and historic find this is. A remastered live DVD featuring all of the original read more...
Song of America
Song of America Various Artists 31 Tigers Records By James Calemine This 50-song, 3 CD read more...
Billy Bob Thornton Rocks Myrtle Beach
Billy Bob Thornton The Fabulous Boxmasters House of Blues North Myrtle Beach, SC August 16, read more...
Driving With The Devil
The Next Adventure
The Marshall Tucker Band revives the old school “brotherhood” on their latest album, The Next Adventure, bringing in read more...
Carolina Mountain Time
(www.markemerick.com) Mark Emerick has filled the lead guitar spot read more...
Saul Williams, Greenville, S.C. 3/16/06
Saul Williams Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Greenville, S.C. March 16, 2006 Saul read more...
Renegades of Southern Rock, Nashville, TN 5/10/06
Renegades Of Southern Rock May 10th, 2006 Opryland Nashville Recently, friend and neighbor George read more...
David Allan Coe - The Handlebar, Greenville, S.C.
DAVID ALLAN COE The Handlebar, Greenville, SC July 22, 2006 David Allan Coe took over that audience read more...
Tyler's Cove, Pawley's Island, S.C.
Tyler's Cove The Hammock Shops Hwy. 17 Pawley's Island (803) 237-4848
Island Cafe & Deli, Pawley's Island, S.C.
Island Cafe & Deli Pawley's Island (843) 237-9527 If you are traveling to the southern read more...
The Marshall Tucker Band, Voodoo Lounge, Riverside
THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND THE RAVERS Voodoo Lounge, Riverside, California November 18, 2006 To read more...
The Northgate Soda Shop, Greenville, S.C.
A Greenville, South Carolina Treasure The Northgate Soda Shop by Michael Buffalo read more...
Raw Sugar
Raw Sugar provides 71 minutes of old-time music enhanced by a warm, clear sound quality. Cootie Stark, a Greenville, South read more...
Live From The Garden State
The Marshall Tucker Band Live From The Garden State 1981 (Shout! Factory)
Anthology
The Marshall Tucker Band Anthology (Shout! Factory) As a homeboy fan of The Tucker read more...
Mellowicious
Marshall Chapman Mellowicious (TallGirl) I’ve always felt that Marshall Chapman read more...
Thank You, Mark
Danielle Howle Thank You, Mark (Valley ENT) South Carolina girl Danielle Howle returns read more...
Beyond The Horizon
The Marshall Tucker Band Beyond The Horizon (Shout! Factory) It’s been a while read more...
Where A Country Boy Belongs
The Marshall Tucker Band Where A Country Boy Belongs (Shout!Factory) This read more...
Where We All Belong
Where We All Belong The Marshall Tucker Band (CD Shout! Factory) (Review of read more...
Lost in America
Edwin McCain Lost In America (Vanguard) Here in Greenville, SC everyone seems read more...
Friends Of Old Time Music
Friends Of Old Time Music The Folk Arrival 1961-1965 (Smithsonian Folkways) Between read more...
Stompin' Room Only
The Marshall Tucker Band
South Carolina ArticlesThe Greatest Vocalists of The Southern Rock Era
by Michael Buffalo Smith 1.
The Top Ten Guitarists of the Southern Rock Era
The Greatest Guitar Slingers of The Southern Rock Era by Michael Buffalo Smith 1. Duane Allman
GRITZ Southern Rock Lists
SWAMPLAND'S SOUTHERN ROCK LISTS We love lists! This is your one-stop index page for all of our lists. read more...
Southern Sporting "Events"
by Patrick Snow As I attended a Kentucky Derby function this past Saturday, it was never more evident that Southerners must throw a pretty good party. We are probably more known nationally for our college football crowds and pageantry, but the spring read more...
Gritz Legends of Southern Rock
A handful of bands from the Southern Rock Era have earned the title of "Legend." These are the bands that defined the genre and set the bar for all other bands in their wake. These are the few, the originals, the Legends of Southern Rock.
The BCS: A Friend to the SEC (and the Rest of the Footprint)
We at Tribal Fever find it odd that it would be the SEC who would call for a playoff system. We wonder how the SEC can be so blind to the fact that the BCS has been great for that conference. For those that love the idea of a playoff, we will list the reasons why most every proposal for a college playoff is a horrible idea for college football at large and especially read more...
Snowman's 2008 Draft Wrap Up
The annual NFL Draft is now over, and the critics will have a field day with opinions on who did well and who faltered with their choices. I thought I would take a look at the Draft from the collegiate view and see who from our region will have the biggest impact on their new read more...
Record Stores of the Swampland Footprint
ALABAMA CD Cellar Anniston AL Oz Music Tuscaloosa AL ARKANSAS Sound Warehouse Fayetteville read more...
Guest Blog by Charlie Daniels; Memories of a Friend
Memories of a Friend by Charlie Daniels I have the greatest respect for talented people who can take nothing and make something out of it. Such is the case of the songwriter. He pulls thoughts out of thin air and read more...
Getting Realistic About College Hoops Coaching Hires
It’s a who’s who of college basketball in San Antonio with all of the #1 seeds making the Final Four. While the games should be great, there may be just as much drama at the Coach’s Convention, which takes place in conjunction with the Final Four. Many tough choices will be made there and by athletic directors in the coming weeks to see who will fill the read more...
The Top Ten Albums of Southern Rock
Southern Rock’s Top Ten Welcome to a new feature at GRITZ called Southern Rock’s Top Ten, where we will be asking the stars an journalists associated with the genre, as well as some of today’s country music stars, to share their Top Ten all time favorite read more...
The Top Ten Albums of Southern Rock According to...
On the heels of my own Top Twenty Five Southern Rock albums, we asked a few of our friends to share their own lists of Favorite Southern Rock albums, and we got a few real surprises, but one fact remains, The Allman Brothers Band Fillmore East album has a heck of a lot of fans read more...
Legends of Southern Rock: Blackfoot
by Michael Buffalo Smith 1969, Jacksonville, Florida: Charlie Hargrett, Rick Medlocke and Greg T. Walker form the band read more...
Toy Story
This Ol' Cowboy Lives On: Remembering Toy Caldwell (1999) by Michael Buffalo Smith When Toy Caldwell graduated from Dorman High School in Spartanburg, South Carolina in the mid-1960's, he knew that he had a steady gig at the Spartanburg Waterworks waiting on him if he wanted it. His dad, Toy Caldwell, Sr., was a respected read more...
The Garfeel Ruff Story
by Michael Buffalo Smith From the book Carolina Dreams, 1997. When Rick Godfrey was six years old, he was playing the piano at his Grandmother’s house in Greenville, SC. Always a little bit ahead of his time, Godfrey could easily master the kinds of things like all read more...
SEC: Conference King Once Again
By Patrick Snow It’s an argument that will never end-whose Conference is better? Fans will debate this topic vociferously every season, and the answer always tends to lie close to your address. I’m not sure that the Bowl games are the best way to evaluate league strength across college football, but it is basically all we have. Here’s my opinion read more...
Huge Hires for the SEC Old Guard
By Patrick Snow It has already been quite the postseason in the SEC coaching ranks, and it’s only going to get more interesting. With the recent additions of Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino along with Houston Nutt and Les Miles staying in the conference, wins are going to be harder and harder to come by in the nation’s toughest gridiron league. Each read more...
Goodbye, Babylon: A Patchwork Quilt of American Music
GOODBYE, BABYLON A Patchwork Quilt of American Music By James Calemine
SEC Coaching - None Better
In the end, it was a surprise. But the surprise came in the school chosen, no the destination - the SEC West. Bobby Petrino finally made it to the coaching promised land when he was named the head coach of Arkansas late last night. Fresh off of a Monday Night Football debacle against New Orleans, Petrino made the move. Today, the SEC stands as the read more...
Reality Check
By Patrick Snow Some schools in our Swampland Region are currently learning a harsh lesson: if you are going to make a major change like firing your football coach, you must have a better alternative ready to go. Arkansas, Southern Miss(and Michigan on a national level) are finding out the hard way that not every coach in the country is beating down the door to fill read more...
Coaching Carousel
By Patrick Snow The end of the college football season always brings with it unfulfilled goals which translates into coaching changes. There has been quite a bit of movement in our region. Some of the firings were inevitable while others showed us just how unrealistic certain fan bases are with their expectations. I thought I would examine each job, and how it matches up read more...
The Great Southern Sportswriters Series
Writing and storytelling have always been deeply ingrained in Southern culture. The people that combined that art with the Swampland Footprint's passion for sports make the whole experience more special and unique. Swampland Sports is proud to offer this series of profiles of the best sportswriters our Footprint has to offer. You've already probably read them read more...
Truck Driving Man (An American Roadsong)
Truck Driving Man (An American Roadsong)
Enjoy the Season
By Patrick Snow Another college football season--another initial release of the BCS standings. This annual ritual seems to send everyone running to call a local talk show to scream about a Playoff system and how the middle letter should be removed from ‘BCS’. Enough already. If all that you’re worried about is how January turns out, you’re read more...
SEC: Top Level for Coaches?
By Patrick Snow Many of us who grew up in the South have always believed that the SEC was King when it came to sports and our allegiances. We watched and cheered for professional teams, but our passion was always at the collegiate level. For many years, coaches have moved from the Amateurs to the ‘Pros’ mainly for monetary reasons, but you read more...
A Modest Proposal: Southern College Conference Realignment
Now that Swampland Sports has launched Tribal Fever (TF), our dispatch dedicated to college sports in the South, we figured it was time to do weigh in on the current state of college football conferences. The college football conference landscape in the Footprint has become downright confusing. It used to be that there were three main conferences, the read more...
Athletic Directors: Be Ready To Ante Up
Southern college football-we live it and breathe it year-round, and it has become abundantly clear that the stakes of the game have been raised with some of the recent coaching hires. The ‘price of poker’ is increasing steadily, and if your school is not ready to ante up, your team will be left behind. We’re witnessing a changing of the guard when it comes to read more...
Sunshine State Swoon
Sunshine State Swoon By Patrick Snow Has professional football hit its lowest point in the state of Florida? I’m not trying to overreact to three Week 1 losses, but one has to wonder what direction the franchises in the Sunshine State are going. None of the three squads ran for over 90 yards as a team in Week 1, and it’s hard to see much read more...
Memories of George McCorkle
The first time I met George McCorkle, I was bagging groceries at a Community Cash store in Spartanburg, SC. During those days, many of the Marshall Tucker Band and their wives shopped at the store for their food. Sometimes I would see Holly Riddle, the first wife of drummer Paul T. Riddle, and read more...
Legends of Southern Rock: The Marshall Tucker Band
by Michael Buffalo Smith "I saw Marshall Tucker in Memphis at the Midsouth Coliseum back in - it must have been ‘73 or ‘74. They were the headliners and the other two acts were The Outlaws and The Charlie Daniels Band. Of course you know the show was about five hours long. (Laughs) ‘Cause you know Marshall Tucker would read more...
Doug Gray
Everything Old is New Again: The Marshall Tucker Band Release Tommy Caldwell's Final Performance by Michael Buffalo Smith January, 2007 The Marshall Tucker Band is alive and well in the 21st century, thanks to the “never say die” attitude read more...
Mac Arnold
BLUES COMEBACK OF THE YEAR: MAC ARNOLD by Michael Buffalo Smith July 2006 South Carolina bluesman Mac Arnold knows the blues. The one time bass player for Muddy Waters, Arnold has played and sung the blues his entire life, recording and touring with A.C. Reed, Otis Spann and playing in the Soul Train read more...
Danielle Howle
A HOOTIE NEW ALBUM : DANIELLE HOWLE ROCKS by Michael Buffalo Smith May 2006 Danielle Howle is an amazing performer. Based in Columbia, South Carolina, she first rose to prominence as a member of the rock band Lay Quiet Awhile, before forming an equally impressive ensemble called Danielle Howle and The read more...
Marshall Chapman 2006
CALL THE LLAMAS...EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TALL GIRL, BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK by Michael Buffalo Smith April, 2006 During the seven years that GRITZ Magazine has been in cyberspace, we have interviewed Nashville singer-songwriter Marshall Chapman twice. This is our third time out. read more...
Marshall Chapman 2004
TALL Y’ALL: MARSHALL CHAPMAN by Michael Buffalo Smith April 2004 Marshall Chapman has created quite a name for herself in Nashville as one of Music City’s finest songwriters. Not only that, but she is also a highly skilled singer and guitarist whose read more...
Capricorn Records
By Russell Hall April 2004 In a business where executives often achieve legendary status, Capricorn Records founder Phil Walden has always been something of an anomaly. Unlike say, Jerry Wexler or Ahmet Ertegun, Walden’s achievements occurred outside the glare of the public spotlight and without read more...
Doug Gray
Searchin’ for a Rainbow Doug Gray of The Marshall Tucker Band by Michael Buffalo Smith March 2004 The Marshall Tucker Band has never stopped rocking since their inception in the early 1970s; there has always been a Marshall Tucker Band on the road and in the recording studio. Popular myths circulated for read more...
Edwin McCain
by Michael Buffalo Smith December 2002 These days, Edwin McCain is busier than ever, which is somewhat odd considering he just quit the major label Atlantic Records to sign with a small Tennessee indie called ATC Records. In fact, he is so busy that he had to conduct our phone interview from California, read more...
Ricky Godfrey
OUT OF THE DARKNESS, A BEAUTIFUL LIGHT COMETH Nashville Musician Ricky Godfrey On Garfeel Ruff, The Marshall Tucker Band and Beach Music By Michael Buffalo Smith (2002) Ricky Godfrey and his brother Ronnie, read more...
Barney Barnwell, A Possum's Tale
What follows are some true-to-life tales told by a genuine mountain man, my friend Barney Barnwell of Campobello, S.C. (Camp'beller, that is.) Barney has lead The Plum Hollow Band as singer and fiddle player for over 25 years, playing a unique mix of bluegrass and rock and roll that has recently become a trend, but Barney was doing it FIRST. Take my good word for it. read more...
Dickie Harrell (Gene Vincent)
The Drummer from Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps is Alive and Well in Virginia by Michael Buffalo Smith February 2002 The most exciting rock and roller of the 1950's may have been Elvis, but running a close, close second was Gene Vincent, the original "bad boy" of rock and roll. read more...
Lee Bogan
The Good Lord, Family and Friends Lee Bogan Knows What it Takes To Make a Country Hit by Michael Buffalo Smith December 2001 From his years as guitarist for country stars Joe Diffie and Billy Joe Royal to his great new band The Rockits, Lee Bogan has displayed nothing but style read more...
David Ball
Checking in with Our Amigo, David Ball by Michael Buffalo Smith November 2001 I can remember seeing David Ball, along with Champ Hood and the late Walter Hyatt as Uncle Walt's Band here in Upstate South Carolina during the seventies. The guys were all great musicians, and in later years I would read read more...
Retail Canned and Frozen Ready - to - Serve Southern Products
Company's Coming! Retail canned and frozen ready - to - serve Southern products A TRUE STORY by Ron Williams October 2001 (ring - ring) "Hello?" read more...
George McCorkle 2001
Checking Back in with George McCorkle Rockin’ Blues on an American Street by Michael Buffalo Smith April 2001 George McCorkle was a founding member of The Marshall Tucker Band and, for the past several years, has risen to popularity as a solo artist and songwriter. His new album, American read more...
Artimus Pyle 1999
His Tonka Toys Were Real An Exclusive Interview with Artimus Pyle by Michael Buffalo Smith November 1999 He was the second drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd but most fans know him as THE drummer for the South’s most popular band. Artimus Pyle played on the band’s best-loved albums, read more...
Barney Barnwell
Barney Barnwell and The Plum Hollow Band Open New Recording Studio Upstate South Carolina by Michael B. Smith Fall, 1999 Just up the road "a piece" in the town of New Prospect, a new recording studio has opened it's doors. But this is not "your father's recording studio." read more...
Moon Mullins
THE LIFE OF A ROADIE Arthur Mullins Recalls His Days with The Marshall Tucker Band by Michael Buffalo Smith June, 1999 Spartanburg’s Arthur “Moon” Mullins was almost as popular as the band members of The Marshall Tucker Band during his tenure as Road Crew Chief for them read more...
Tony "Smoke" Heatherly
Remembering Toy Caldwell A Conversation with Tony "Smoke" Heatherly by Michael B. Smith March, 1999 Editor's Note: In February, 2000, Blue Hat Records (Charlie Daniels' label) re-released the fine 1992 album Toy did on Cabin Fever with Mark Burrell, Pic Pickens, and Tony Heatherly. We at read more...
George McCorkle 1998
Lightning in the Air An Interview with George McCorkle by Michael Buffalo Smith June 1998 There truly was “fire on the mountain and lightning in the air” on June 4, 1998 when I caught up with George McCorkle by telephone from his Nashville home. His house is located at the top of a mountain read more...