The 80 Miles Between Athens & Atlanta

Mystery And Manners Highlights Athens and Atlanta, Georgia
8/9/08

Once again, I’d like to shine a spotlight on Lance Ledbetter’s Atlanta-company, Dust To Digital, that issued amazing releases such as Goodbye, Babylon, Fontone Records and I Belong To This Band. I spoke with Lance tonight and we’ll be conducting an interview in the next couple of weeks. He told me about two upcoming Dust To Digital projects that will bring a great deal of attention to his cause of transferring rare 78rpm records to digital form.

Dust To Digital’s Art of Field Recording Volume One counts as the organization’s latest release. For this project Ledbetter contacted Art Rosenbaum—a field recording legend in his own right. Rosenbaum taught art at the University of Georgia for 30 years; a couple of his former students—Michael Stipe and Vic Chesnutt—testify to Rosenbaum’s influence. Rosenbaum recorded many of the north Georgia musicians on Art of Field Recording, shot most of the photos and painted the indelible paintings within the box set. Upcoming interviews with Ledbetter and Rosenbaum prove to be inimitable stories on southern culture…they preserve and bring to life musicians and music that otherwise would have been forgotten and remained unheard.

Since artists of Atlanta and Athens, Georgia, will be my primary focus as we drift into fall, I’ll present a formidable roster of north Georgia artists. Next week I’ll drive over to Athens to interview songwriter and the originator of The University of Georgia music business school, Bruce Burch, to discuss his career, songwriting and how he began a program at the University that educates young people on how to convert real experience, honed talent, and regimented studies into a career. Burch’s interns have been assisting New West Records with Randall Bramblett’s CD release party in Athens on August 16, which Bruce and I will attend. Between Burch and Rosenbuam, I’ll be covering a lot of musical ground with two artistic forces from my alma mater.

I’ll keep everyone updated on news concerning Athens’ own Widespread Panic’s induction into The Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Randall Bramblett played a vital role in Widespread Panic’s music after Michael Houser died. The fulcrum of all these elements emerges next Saturday. It’s like traveling in a boat up this flowing river of storytelling and music…

I’ll also write an up-to-the-moment discourse on the Atlanta group The Black Crowes…my interview with Crowes’ keyboardist Adam MacDougall should be up by mid-next week. MacDougall offers a rare glimpse into one of the South’s greatest bands in the last 20 years. I don’t want to give away too much too soon on upcoming Black Crowes on goings, so you’ll just have to keep up. Train yourself to check the site at least every other day. The Crowes and Panic cast a large and wide shadow over Georgia (and beyond) music in these last two decades.

Other Georgia artists I’ll cover in these fading days of summer include Paul Hemphill, Jeff Calder, William Tonks, Vic Chesnutt, David Barbe, Forrest Griffin, Tinsley Ellis, Kirk West, the Drive By Truckers and the good folks at The Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Indeed, a long row to hoe. In closing, I’d like to send out congratulations to Athens musician and old amigo Daniel Hutchens and his wife Kristi on the birth of their son, Zachary Sterling Hutchens, on August 4.

Until next time,

James Calemine
JCalemine@swampland.com

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