Suwannee Spring Reunion Was a Soul-Recharging Journey of Music
Once again the iconic Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SoSMP) in Live Oak, Florida, has created a magical reunion of music and friends. With its history of fostering the kinship of music both on and off the stage, the park has gone back to its roots with the introduction of the March 23-26 Suwannee Spring Reunion festival and its sister festival the Suwannee Roots Revival (October). Both events are a collaboration of long-time festival director Beth Judy, promoter Paul Levine, and SoSMP owners the Cornett Family. They have pooled decades of experience to create festivals where all attendees feel like they are at home. Friendly faces, amazing music, and the majestic old Florida beauty of the land itself combined to make an unforgettable reunion. The lineup included a long list of past festival performers, many of whom have been gracing the stages of the park for decades. Each one spoke of how much the festivals and park have contributed to their careers and the friendships that have been created through the years.
Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs laid down a foundation that has been built upon and expanded by generations of musicians. Jerry Douglas’ long desire to pay homage to those legends was the force behind the formation of The Earls of Leicester. The ensemble included Jerry Douglas on dobro, Shawn Camp on guitar and lead vocals, Charlie Cushman on banjo, Ashby Frank on mandolin, Jeff Warren on fiddle, and Barry Bales on bass. Dressed in classic matching suits, ties and dapper hats, the band danced around the center mic while delving into a magnificent catalog of mountain music classics like “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down,” “Dim Lights Thick Smoke,” and “Big Black Train.” Jerry Douglas told me after their set that they could not stop smiling the whole time they were on stage. Neither could we, Jerry! It was a masterful show that captured the very spirit of bluegrass music. The Earls of Leicester set will go down as one of my all-time favorites.
Legendary singer and songwriter Peter Rowan opened his first set with a heartfelt rendition of “Keep on the Sunny Side,” which he dedicated to friend Joseph Saccocci, who has been dealing with a life-altering illness. It was a touching tribute that brought smiles, and tears to many faces. Rowan and his signature high lonesome sounds were joined by Chris Henry on mandolin and harmonies. They traded licks and vocals on a slowed-down version of “Drifting Too Far From the Shore.”
The Rev. Jeff Mosier and Pickled Holler were a delight to behold. With masterful banjo skills and a passion for saving our musical souls, the Rev. Jeff Mosier preached a sermon of love and harmony through music. Mosier and Pickled Holler were joined onstage for a special appearance by young Isabella Williams, who proclaimed that she was going to sing an old bluegrass song “from the year nineteen hundred and eighty nine.” The crowd erupted in cheers — and laughter — when she started singing Madonna’s classic “Like a Prayer” to a perfect bluegrass melody. It was also great to see fiddle player David Blackmon back on stage. He is still recovering from a broken neck that left him temporarily paralyzed. Although he needed assistance getting to a chair on stage, his skills on the fiddle were not lacking in the least.
Singer and songwriter Sara Watkins has been on the festival scene since she was knee-high to a grasshopper. Sara, along with her brother Sean and mandolinist Chris Thile, started the band Nickel Creek before she was ten years old. She branched out into a solo career in 2006 and has been exploring the horizons of her music. If it has strings, I am pretty sure she can play it. During her set she switched instruments often, playing skillfully on fiddle, ukulele and guitar while singing songs from her solo albums as well as Nickel Creek favorites like “Anthony.” Her old friends the Turtle Duhks joined her for a hopping version of “Hold What You Got.”
Acclaimed troubadour Jim Lauderdale has been a festival favorite for years. Lauderdale is known for his music as well as his custom-made outfits. With a high purple western suit, he took to the stage with stories and songs, and he was joined by many guests, including Andy King, Verlon Thompson, Jeff Mosier, and members of Donna the Buffalo.
Rushad Eggleston of Tornado Rider is a fireball of talent and energy. He has thrown the traditional boundaries of the cello out of the window and created sounds that are unique and exciting. With his infectious energy, he bends and bows his instrument into an explosion of sound. You can feel his passion pour out of every note. His playful banter and insane energy made him a huge fan favorite.
Old friends Verlon Thompson and Shawn Camp reunited onstage for a set of brilliant music. Both musicians spent years collaborating with legendary singer and songwriter Guy Clark. Their storytellers’ hearts combined into a set of heartfelt and touching music that reflected their mutual admiration and love for each other and music.
There were so many sit-ins that, without a schedule, you might not have known whose set you were watching. It was a festival of reunions on and off the stage throughout the weekend. From the epic campfire picking to the onstage collaborations of old friends, there was musical magic flowing through the park. One of the greatest assets of these festivals is the true love and respect that everyone involved has for the music. With fans who have immersed themselves in the kinship of music, musicians who prefer to forego the hotel room so that they can camp among the trees and play music all night, and organizers who understand the importance that these festivals hold in so many lives, the Suwannee Spring Reunion was a festival that recharged the soul and lifted the spirits of all who were in attendance.
