The Family Returns: Suwannee Spring Reunion

The Family Returns: Suwannee Spring Reunion

Many that attend the spring and fall roots festivals (Roots Revival and Spring Reunion) at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park refer to themselves as a family. Most of the devoted fans come back year after year, and while there are always new artists added, there are a number that come back every year as well. And last year, the Roots Revival festival was canceled due to Hurricane Helene damage, so fans were especially eager to get back to the oaks and Spanish moss. This year, other than a short period of rain on Thursday, the weather was spectacular and the crowds were energetic.  

This year’s Spring Reunion festival was a tribute to Randy Judy, who with his wife Beth, began these festivals in 1997. Randy, who was known as Big Cosmo, passed away last year and the amphitheater was renamed for him this year, and his former band got together and played the opening and closing sets.  

The Infamous Stringdusters and Sam Bush were the headliners this year, and the amphitheater was packed for both shows. The Stringdusters were on fire; Andy Hall’s dobro, Jeremy Garrett’s fiddle, Chris Pandolfi’s banjo and Andy Falco’s guitar mixed with Travis Book’s vocals  had the crowd up and dancing.  (Click on gallery photos for full view)

On Saturday night Sam Bush, with his long-time guitar player Stephen Mougin, and Wes Corbett on banjo, covered the waterfront, from straight-ahead bluegrass (“Bluegrass Train” and “Make Me a Pallet on the Floor”) to his extended jam song “Crooked Smile”.  He covered John Hartford’s “Goodle Days” and did his own Hartford tribute, “Radio John.” A very solid set for an appreciative crowd. 

There were several newcomers and they were a tremendous addition. The Po’ Rambin’ Boys are one of the very best traditional bluegrass bands around these days. Led by mandolinist CJ Lewandowski, they’ve been playing for a decade. They’ve made some personnel changes, adding new fiddler Max Silverstein and guitar player John Gooding. Additionally they had a stand-in banjo player, Colton Powers, who was as solid as it gets. They did lots of classics: “Dim Lights”, “Hold What You Got”, “Toy Toy Heart”, and “Hold What You Got”, the Jimmy Martin classic, made even more so by the fact that Gooding was playing Jimmy’s prewar Martin guitar.  

Another newcomer was Steve Poltz. I’ve been fortunate enough to see him several times in the past, and trying to describe Steve is pretty much impossible. He’s a songwriter and no-holds barred storyteller, along with being a fine guitar player and singer. But mostly, he’s absolutely hilarious. His stories are legendary, ranging from recording “You Were Meant For Me”, the mega-hit he co-wrote with Jewel in the ‘90s at Neil Young’s farm and a subsequent gig at Woodstock ‘99, to him transporting John Prine around San Diego. He’s cowritten with just about everyone, from Billy Strings to Molly Tuttle and Jim Lauderdale, with whom he’s written 23 songs and they’re planning an album together. You are never sure what he’s going to do on stage; at the amphitheater he had resident artist John Mailander come out to do a song with him, and Poltz literally ran circles around him on stage while playing rhythm guitar. At his Music Hall set he wandered into the audience while playing some great acoustic guitar songs. His songs range from the sentimental to the politically active (he did a new song called “Dear Elon” in which he outlined some of the things he did this week). By the end of his set, the crowd was roaring. His other two sets over the weekend were also big hits, and I hope he’ll become one of the regulars.

 There were return visits by Nicholas William’s New Quintet and Blair Crimmins and the Hookers, along with Asheville’s Fireside Collective. Scythian brought their high energy to the main stage.  

And speaking of high energy, the Ain’t Sisters returned for multiple sets, including a main stage set with three fiddlers. Their song “New American Dream” is a powerful song for where we are and where we might be. They are a force of nature not to be missed. 

And then there were the regulars. From the unofficial “hosts” Donna the Buffalo to Quartermoon, the Grass is Dead, Joe and Hattie Craven, Nikki Talley, Jeff Mozier, Sloppy Joe and Grandpa’s Cough Medicine, the frequent returnees are part of the family. Billy Gilmore and Mickey Abraham did a well-received David Grisman tribute.  

As usual, one of the highlights of the weekend for me was the joint session in the Music Hall with Jim Lauderdale and Verlon Thompson. They’ve been doing this for a decade or so, and the place was packed with lots of people sitting on the floor. Their interactions are always fun (Jim introduced Verlon as being one of the people he’s most proud of mentoring). Verlon did a show-stopping medley of guitar songs: “The Guitar”, which he co-wrote with his former boss Guy Clark, intermingled with “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and the Bread song “Guitar Man”.  

With many performances on stage and lots of activity in the campsites, it can be a tiring weekend for older guys like me, but there’s a great sense of serenity after the spring and fall roots festivals.  Some people describe them as “Woodstock Light”: lots of tie dye, self-identified old hippies and frequent and distinctive odor of banned substances. But the music is always the reason for coming, and that alone makes you feel like part of the family. 

(Click on gallery photos for full view)