Magnolia Fest Was Sublime

Sunny days, cool nights, a full moon, and a ridiculous amount of talent conspired to make the 14th Magnolia Festival at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. a lovely event. The park was full of happy campers, but as is usually the case, it never felt too crowded.

Suffice it to say -- whether on stage or in the campground in the wee hours, these folks were here to PLAY. Standouts were the super-fast picking of Keller & The Keels, Cornmeal, the transcendent Dread Clampitt-Tornado Rider late-night jam on Saturday night, the slow and easy Seven Walkers set, Wet Willie's rocking vocals and cool sax, the super loose Donna The Buffalo family show Sunday night, and Joe Craven, a unique performer with a big heart.

There was a lot of talk about this being the last Magnolia Fest, and a lot of folks have been asking me about what's next. That remians to be seen. Founders Beth and Randy Judy are transitioning out of their role as main producers. We're all so grateful for the fatastic events they've put on all these years, starting back with Big Cosmo's Sunshine Daydream.

Paul Levine anad Lyle Williams (of Bear Creek Music & Art Festival) are taking over for the March 2011 Suwannee Springfest, and they have already announced that The Avett Brothers will headline.YES!

Paul and Lyle have excellent taste and new energy, so I'm thinking it's all going to work out just fine.

I'll post some Magnolia Fest videos later, but in the meantime, here are some pics from the weekend!

Joe Craven plays the jawbone

Peter Rowan with Keller & The Keels

18 South Rocks It!

Scramble Campbell paints Joe Craven

Peter Rowan tells it like it is

Sam Bush plays with Dread Clampitt

Seven Walkers Playing Magfest, Releasing New Album

A lot of folks are psyched that Seven Walkers, the new collaboration from Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzman (that's him with the backwards baseball cap and black T-shirt,) will be playing at 10 pm on the ampitheatre stage at Magnolia Fest this weekend at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl.

Check Out Seven Walkers Video
Our friends at Jambase posted that video, and here's what they have to say about the new project:

"Famed drummer and Grateful Dead co-founder Bill Kreutzmann and voodoo guitar master Papa Mali come together as 7 Walkers for their self-titled debut release, due out November 2, 2010 on Response Records. With nearly all of its songs co-penned by Papa Mali and longtime Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, 7 Walkers is a hybrid of classic Bay Area rock and New Orleans funk.

Together with legendary New Orleans bass man George Porter Jr. (The Meters, Funky Meters) and multi- instrumentalist Matt Hubbard (Willie Nelson, Fastball), the highly anticipated release features a batch of brand-new originals, a guest performance by Willie Nelson on “King Cotton Blues,” and a few smokin’ instrumentals.

In this sneak peek video, Kreutzmann and the rest of 7 Walkers talk to Billboard about making the album and offer a preview of "King Cotton Blues" featuring Willie Nelson off the new album.'

I'm going to predict that Donna The Buffalo's Tara Nevins sits in. She popped up at Wanee Festival a few years ago with Kreutzman's BK3.

See you Saturday night, People!