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MUSIC: Venues, Songwriters, Bands

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Facebook/Carolina Old-Time Music Network

Hagood Mill features some of the best regional old time musicians at outdoor performances on the grounds of The Hagood Mill Historic Site .
The Hagood Mill Historic Site
and Folklife Center in Pickens
138 Hagood Mill Road, Pickens SC 29671
(864) 898-2936

Hagood Mill photos below, courtesy of Hagood Mill & Folklife Center: The Carolina Chocolate Drops perform. Bottom: Picking on the porch (players unidentified).

Guest plays Greenville:
Prior to Hurricane Katrina, Mark was actively gigging in the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans region. After Katrina, Mark’s music career began taking center stage in his life. Mark’s home, most of his guitar collection, and much of his community were destroyed by the hurricane. “After the storm, I had invitations to play in venues literally around the world. My wife and I planned to take a portion of our homeowners insurance money and follow the gigs around the world for a year, or two.” They didn’t count on an insurer that did not want to honor their claims until two years after the loss.

Now residing in Asheville, North Carolina, he happily travels to various performance venues promoting his 2008 CD, (Why We’re) Happy Together. Raised in Toronto, Canada, Mark was a fan of jazz early on. He remembers, "During the early 1970's I became a teenaged 'jazz snob' and regularly hung out listening to jazz players like Lenny Breau, Ed Bickert, Sonny Greenwich, Don Thompson and Terry Clark. I also was exposed to the avant-garde/free jazz scene that was happening at the time. It was a real eye-opening experience to play with guys like Al Greg, who was pretty far out there in the free jazz world." While largely self-taught, Mark has studied with noted musical luminaries such as Toronto guitarists Lenny Breau, Lorne Lofsky, and New Orleans guitarists Phil DeGruy, and Hank Mackie.
Mark Guest's CD (Why We’re) Happy Together is available at Horizon Records in Downtown Greenville: horizonrecords.net
See images of Halfling Guitars:
Mark endorses and happily plays the wonderful Ribbecke Halfing guitar.

Illustrated Map Unfolds Music Lore Most Are Unaware Of
Horizon Records music store owner Gene Berger is an authority on local and regional music, he's been selling recordings and organizing concerts for over 30 years.

Berger recently called on the design team at Portland Studios to give Horizon Records a complete website makeover to feature music reviews, showcase regional musicians and offer for sale CDs, DVDs, books, and a fabulous selection of new and vintage vinyl LPs through an online shopping system

A major part of the website is an illustrated map that explores past & present Carolina artists and their music. This is an exciting production that is far from finished. The biggest problem is what to leave in and what to leave out. There's so much that could go into it. This is an ongoing project that is facinating to explore. Visit the MAP at Horizon's Website.

Who Was This Mystery Drummer?

At first glance this dude with the snare drum looks like he could be an early rocker. That's almost George Harrison's haircut from Mersey Beat days. Well, think again, the chap is a Greenville musician and his identity is likely long lost to us. This pic is cropped from a large photo of the "Berean Class Band of Brandon Mill Baptist Church," dated 1935. It's an amazing old photo and it's just further evidence that there's a lot of music out there and it goes way, way back. You can get a better look at the whole photograph by clicking here.

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 Greenville Music Interest & News

Luminescent Orchestrii, just one example of the extraordinary bands that have performed free at Horizon Records & the Bohemian Café
LUMINESCENT ORCHESTRII IS: Romanian gypsy melodies, punk frenzy, salty tangos, hard-rocking klezmer, haunting Balkan harmony, hip-hop beats and Appalachian fiddle, all generated by two violins, resophonic guitar, bullhorn harmonica and bass.

Another example is the above video of Tyler Ramsey from earlier this year. Don't miss these great performances at the Corner of North Main and Stone Avenue. More free shows coming: CALENDAR.

Palmetto Music's Fred Wooten makes drum craftsmanship his specialty, setting up drums to specs drummers want in their kits. Read about it.

Dry Ridge Productions is a nonprofit organization 501(C)(3) made up of an eclectic brew of acoustic music fans working to promote the art of original acoustic music in the upstate of South Carolina. We have been presenting artists since October of 1997. No admission but tips are appreciated. For songwriters performing with acoustic instruments. Original work only! Don't think twice, it's alright. More info on the AcousticSeen, Dry Ridge Productions and Underground Folk.

Greenville all music RADIO

Greenville's most unusual radio station, WPCI 1490 AM Stereo is all definitive rhythm and blues format. You never know what to expect. Free of advertising, the station just plays great music all the time, it's like having a thousand CDs on your system set on random mix. Tune in to WPCI and let it play, you'll be amazed at the variety. Call and give them a word of support -- leave a message, Phone: 864-370-1490, they love to hear from people about it. Tell 'em you found them on greenvillesouth.com.

Horizon Records & The Bohemian Café, at corner of North Main Street and Stone Avenue feature "Tower of Song" shows, most of which are free. SHOW SCHEDULE
Find out who's coming (click here)

Country folk blues. Award winning singer songwriter Hope Nunnery performs and records with Steve Tarshis. Nunnery, a very unique songwriter, offered a free set on at Horizon Records & Bohemian Café in Greenville. Nunnery's debut CD "Wilderness Lounge" wound up on the 2008 50th Preliminary Grammy List. A list that included an amazing group of 54 musicians such as Norman Blake, Nancy Blake & Tut Taylor, Levon Helm, Charlie Louvin, The Red Stick Ramblers, John McCutcheon, among others. A NYC resident, Nunnery was raised in Sumter SC. If you're not seeing these shows at Horizon/Bohemian, you're really missing significant live sessions.

Above: Niel Brooks plays the Bohemian Café, a free Horizon Records in-store show. Photo: Leesa Brotherton.

This music section is still in the developing stages. Hope you'll revisit regularly to catch up on progress.

A mountain of material is out there about musicians and bands, from what's happenin' now to as far back as discovery will lead us, we'll attempt to post here a selection of facts, fiction and undetermined rumor. This will be a compilation of what we suggest is among Greenville's most dedicated and celebrated music and its makers.

--gs