Previewing Chattahippie Fest

A lot of music to digest from this first time festival on the lake.

We have more on how Chattahippie came about in the Scenic City Scene this week.

And you can get ticket info and directions at their website.

But now, we're going to give you samples of the music.

Thursday: Songwriters Night

7:00 PM

The Gougers are a new band from Austin.

Then we get a bunch of songwriters in the round.

People pay good money to see this sort of thing at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.

Now you can be there to watch pros like Gary Nicholson, Dallas Wayne, and Buzz Cason trading songs.

And it sounds something like this.

Friday (Sirius Outlaw Country)

4:00 PM

Miles from Nowhere is a Texas alternative band that rocks.

5:00 PM

Roger Alan Wade is a local music treasure.

Here is his musical tribute to cousin Johnny Knoxville and the Jackass crew, "If you're going to be dumb..." 

6:00 PM

Blue Rodeo is a real coup for a first time festival down south.

They are one of Canada's best country-rock outfits with 10 Platinum plus selling albums north of the border.

7:00 PM

We talked about Trent Summar and the New Row Mob last week for Riverfront Nights.

He's back this weekend.. so here's a different video.

8:00 PM

Elizabeth Cook is probably the best known talent here on Friday Night.

She is touring on the dainty ballad "Sometimes it takes balls to be a woman."

9:00 PM

I'm personally fired up to see Chris Knight.

He's been cranking out story songs for a few years now about trailers, guns and regrets.

Here are a few of my favorites:

It Ain't Easy Being Me

"There ought to be a town somewhere named for how I feel,

Yeah, I could be the Mayor down there and say 'Welcome to Sorryville."

The ultimate song of not taking responsibility, "Framed."

"Love & a .45, all you need to get you through the night.

One will kill you and one will keep you alive,

Love and a .45"

11:00 PM

Memphis Bluesman Whitey Johnson sings about what makes his hometown famous.

Saturday (Hippie Jam and Rock)

11:00 AM

Tom Gilliam proves that playing your rock songs with the same band you formed in high school really can put you on the Americana charts.

Noon

The Dane Varese Band are modern rockers from Madison, Wisconsin.

2:00 PM

Beggars Caravan was formed in Boone, NC and offers a funkier/jammier mix of modern rock.

3:00 PM

The Joe Moss Band serves up some Chicago Electric Blues.

5:00 PM

If James McMurtry endorses you, that's good enough for me.  The Dedringers are another band from Austin.

6:00 PM

The Band of Heathens is a more down-home mix of an Austin band.  You know, country- soul- rock and roll, all the things that make it worth living down south!

7:00 PM

Prime Time for Saturday's Chattahippie kicks off with Two Tons of Steel (with the accent on Kick).  They wowed a Riverbend crowd under the Walnut Street bridge a couple of summers ago with their Bang & Twang approach.

8:00 PM

I raved about the Derailers this summer at Riverbend.  Now you can see them in cooler weather.

Here's a clip of them performing a song from their tribute album to mentor Buck Owens.

And I've got to add a classic video from the early days.... Just One More Time.

9:00 PM

Pure Prairie League headlines on Saturday.  Yep, they're the group that ran with the Southern Rock crowd in the 70's... gave us a classic song in Amie.. and later launched the career of Vince Gill.

So what have you done for me lately?

Here's a sample.

Sunday (Hippie Fok & Roots)

10:00 AM

Michael Hearne performs what he calls Southwest Americana.  It's acoustic music about the Southwestern United States.

Here's a little background on his sound.

11:00 AM

The New Binkley Brothers are a local string band.

Noon

Doug & Teisha Williams are a folkie duo from Virginia.

1:00 PM

Laura Cantrell brings the kind of show that we usually don't get here in our area.

She's a country music star in places you generally don't hear country... Great Britain and NPR.

Elvis Costello is a fan, and describers her sound this way.

"If Kitty Wells made Rubber Soul, it would sound like Laura Cantrell."

I guess that's what happens when you grow up in Nashville, but move to New York City to begin your musical career.

Cantrell is resuming her performing career after taking a three year break to raise her daughter.

This clip from a few years back features Laura talking about her music.

And here is a live clip from this month.

2:00 PM

I'm a big fan these days of the podcast for Michael Johnathon's Woodsongs program.  It's a weekly radio show he puts on from his hometown of Lexington, Kentucky, dedicated to roots/folk musicians you won't hear on commercial radio.  The show is highly recommended live each Monday evening on the internet or local radio (WSDQ, 1190 AM in Dunlap & WEPG, 910 AM in Jasper).  Here's a sample of the guests he'll have on over the next month... Blues Mountain, Rory Block, Doug MacLeod, Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), Railroad Earth, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile.

Here is a clip of Johnathon performing himself on the show.

5:00 PM

Charlie Louvin is a real,  living legend who comes from right here in the Tennessee Valley.

He and his brother Ira came out of Henegar, Alabama on Sand Mountain.

They began their performing career on the radio here in Chattanooga.

They went on to become one of the most influential duos in country music and landed in the Hall of Fame.

Here is one of their biggest hits.. Cash on the Barrelhead.

After Ira died in the 60s, Charlie soldiered on, scoring several hits on his own.

At 81 years of age, he's still performing and released a new album.

Here is a video from that album, paying tribute to Ira.

Treasure Charlie Louvin, a Hall of Famer and Grand Ole Opry vet, while you can.