MULE TRAIN RECORDS PRESENTS

MUSIC, COMEDY & M0RE

nuçi’s space
 welcome to mulefest 2009! Always cool products,
great values & friendly service.
RYAN KELLY,
PRESIDENT,
MULE TRAIN RECORDS
Dear Music Fans:

It is with great pleasure that the Mule Train

Records family welcomes
you to Mule Fest 2009. We are excited to
be hosting our second an-
nual music festival in the Classic City and
hope that you enjoy this
great weekend of music. We have work
ed hard to provide you with
a diverse line up of entertainment over
the course of the weekend in
a family friendly environment.

A portion of the proceeds of Mule Fest 2009

will be provided to Nuçi’s
Space. Nuçi’s Space is a non-profit hea
lth and music resource center
located in Athens, Georgia. The aim of
the organization is to prevent
suicide by providing obstacle free treatmen
t for musicians suffering
from depression and other such disorder
s as well as to assist in the
emotional, physical and professional well
being of musicians.
This is very close to my heart as one of my
best friends committed sui-
cide while I attended college at the Univ
ersity of Georgia. He helped
introduce me to the wonders of the Athe
ns live music scene, and the
sudden loss of his friendship was a life-c
hanging event. The memory Come see why everyone loves shopping at PeachMac.
of his spirit shaped the creation of Mule
Train Records and lives on And join our e-mail list to keep up with new products and promos.
in every record we release. Please take
a moment and stop by the
Nuçi’s Space booth and see how you can
get involved with this great Proudly supporting the good work being done at Nuci’s Space.
cause.

Enjoy the music. We thank you for spen

ding the weekend with us and
look forward to seeing you at many Mule
Fests to come. Remember
to drink plenty of water over the weekend
, and stay cool!
Sincerely, macs • ipods • software • service • business solutions

1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy • 706-208-9990 • peachmac.com

Athens • Augusta

who is mule train records?
“Athens, Ga., Born and Bred”
Mule Train Records was created
out of a love for music and began in
May 2008.
“We wanted to develop an art-
ist friendly record label using 21st
century technology and partnering
with our artists so that they would
have a tool chest of resources at
their disposal to be able to navigate
through the somewhat tricky waters
of the music business,” Ryan Kelly,
managing partner of the label, says.
Mule Train strives to use the most
environmentally friendly practices
possible in promoting its records
and artists, while also understanding
that pressing compact discs and vi-
nyl is still necessary in the business.
It strives to use only the greenest
packaging and printing resources
and encourages using online distri-
bution outlets as much as possible.
“We hope to offer diverse music
from upstart and mid-level bands
and provide them with the resourc-
es to get them where they want
to go,” Jill Kelly, vice president of
operations, says.
Mule Train Records hopes to rep-
resent the new sounds coming out
of Athens, Ga., and is ready to have
the new generation of music heard.
Location
512 N. Thomas Street
(below Good Dirt)
Fun Facts
* The Mule Train Office
was used as the Fuzzy
Sprouts (a 1990s party
band) rehearsal space.
* The building houses
The Green Room (which
opened during Athfest
2008), Green Room Stu-
dios (a full recording
studio) and Green Room
International Produc-
tions.
* The number of
pounds of material col-
lected (and recycled
when possible) during
construction is more
than 3500 (1.5 tons!).
* The walls of the re-
cord label office are
purple and green, re-
minding Jill of Mardi
Gras.
Bands
-The Corduroy Road
-The Incredible Sandwich
contents
4
About our beneficiary: Nuci’s SPACE
15
full 2009 mule fest festival guide
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
.......7
the lee boys......................................................
oot hookers ......... ......... ......... ......... .....9
the bearf
.........11
the incredible sandwich...........................
..........13
comedy showcase....................................
......16
Lingo...............................................................
.....17
trey wright......................................................
ound ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....18
soulh
betsy franck &
9
The bareknuckle band...................................1
Pam blanchard/one l........ ......... ......... ......... ....20
lefty williams/ the half
....21
dozen brass band.....................................
tent city...................................................26
Lara........................................................22
tropical breeze steel drum band.......26
the xg-1.................................................22
jazzchronic...........................................27
jocelyn ellis & the
ken will morton....................................27
Alpha theory...................................22
lefty hathaway......................................27
Young goodman brown................24
the jompson brothers..........................28
chris moore........................................24 8
broken road...........................................2
three foot swagger..........................24
rachel o’neal.........................................28
brad downs & the
the adam payne band...........................28
poor bastard souls......................25
avery dylan............................................29
dr. arvin scott...................................25
90 acre farm...........................................29
free lunch............................................25
harp unstrung........................................29
laissez funk..........................................26
706..............................................................29
nathan sheppard...............................26
Thanks to all of those involved The athens blur magazine for
handling the design and layout
in creating the Mule Fest 2009 of-
ficial festival guide!!! We’d espe-
of the guide
cially like to thank:
cover design by
Lindsay oberst for gathering and
Nathan Rodriguez
writing all artist info!
!
please recycle this guide when finished

about our benificiary: nuci’s space
Nuçi’s Space is a non-profit health
and music resource center in Ath-
ens, Ga. Bob Sleppy, executive
director, says Nuçi’s Space is hon-
ored to be the beneficiary of Mule
Fest 2009.
“The focus of Nuçi’s Space is the
well-being of musicians,” he says.
“Paramount to this concern is the
ability to see a mental health pro-
fessional without fear of stigma or
negative repercussion.”
He says the money received from
Mule Fest will be used to help main-
tain the commitment to providing
professional counseling services
at a very low cost. Nuçi’s Space
recently celebrated the completion
of its third year of Camp Amped.
The camp is a multiple session, two-
week summer day camp for youth
ages 11 to 17 which supports the
mission of Nuçi’s Space by serving
as an outreach program to young
musicians. Because of the success
of Camp Amped, Nuçi’s Space is
presenting an after school program
(Camp Amped After School) that
will begin August 13, 2009. CAAS, a
partnership between Athens School
of Music and Nuçi’s Space, is a 13-
week music ensemble program.
“We expect Mule Fest to be a
huge success. The line-up of bands
and musicians is incredible and the
Mule Train family has been a plea-
sure to work with,” Sleppy says.
Thank you for supporting
&
* In 1999, the
Phillips family of Atlanta
formed the Nuçi Phillips
Memorial Foundation
in memory of their son.
The Foundation created
Nuçi’s Space.
* The mission is to
prevent suicide by
providing obstacle-free
treatment for
musicians suffering
from depression and
other such disorders, as
well as to assist in the
emotional, physical and
professional well-being Nuçi’s Space is a non-profit health and music
of musicians. resource center in Athens, GA. The aim of the
* Nuçi’s Space organization is to prevent suicide by providing
exists in the honor of obstacle free treatment for musicians suffering
Nuçi Phillips, a 22-year- from depression and other such disorders as
old musician who took well as to assist in the emotional, physical and
his own life after professional well-being of musicians.
struggling with
depression for five
years.
* Nuçi’s Space
welcomes the help of
volunteers, including be-
ing part of street teams,
fundraising and plan- ˜ÕXˆ½ÃÊë>Vi
ning events. ΙÈʜVœ˜iiÊÃÌÀiiÌ
>̅i˜Ã]Ê}iœÀ}ˆ>ÊÎäÈä£
ÊÜÜÜ°˜ÕVˆ°œÀ}
Ìii\ÊÇäÈ°ÓÓÇ°£x£x

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the lee boys
There’s something to be said about
being in a band with your family.
While for many people this
something might not be too positive,
Alvin Lee of the The Lee Boys doesn’t
see himself performing any other way.
“No matter what, you’re still
family,” he says.
The three brothers, Alvin Lee
(guitar), Derrick Lee and Keith
Lee (vocals), along with their three
nephews Roosevelt Collier (pedal
steel guitar), Alvin Cordy Jr. (seven-
string bass) and Earl Walker (drums)
are the entire band.
Alvin Lee isn’t the oldest of the
family, but he seems to take on an
important leadership role. The band
and those who know him best call
him “Uncle Al”.
“All our lives we’ve helped raise
them,” he says referring to the younger
members of the family. “We have little
issues, but we always love each other.”
The inspiration behind their
wildly energetic, sacred-steel music
is founded in the church and fueled
by the death of Alvin Lee’s father and
his late brother Glenn Lee, who used
to play the main instrument—the
peddle steel guitar.
“Their deaths inspired me to
continue music,” Alvin says.
After playing music growing
mulefest 2009
mulefest 2009
sun/7:30 p.m.
“No matter what,
you’re still family”
- Alvin Lee, The Lee Boys
up and then deciding he wanted
to spread his music further, Alvin
learned booking and the business side
of music from Robert Stone of Folk
Alliance in Florida, which showcases
music in Jacksonville.
The Lee Boys have now toured
widely. In 2007, they performed
for more than 250,000 music fans
at festivals throughout the United
States.
They have played with many other
sacred steel artists and were invited
to perform on the recent album
“Palmystery” of one of the greatest
living bass players, Victor Wooten.
Recently, Alvin Cordy Jr., the bass
player, took two months off from the
band to play in Japan with Robert
Randolph.
This year The Lee Boys played
Bonnaroo to great success, Alvin says.
The festival Web site said fans of
The Lee Boys described them in the
following ways: exhilarating, energetic,
exciting, freeing fun, spirited, soulful
and thrilling.
After their 2006 performance at the
Chicago Blues Festival, the Chicago-
the best of the fest
WHO’S WHO
Alvin Lee (guitar), Derrick Lee and
Keith Lee (vocals), along with their
three nephews Roosevelt Collier
(pedal steel guitar), Alvin Cordy Jr.
(seven-string bass) and Earl Walker
(drums)
FORMED
Mid-1990s in Miami, Fla.
LABEL
Arhoolie Records
LATEST RELEASE
Say Yes (2005)
Sun Times compared to Jimi Hendrix
saying that their music,
“May be what Jimi Hendrix had in
mind with his grand plan for ’electric
sky church music.’ Part Robert
Randolph, part Holmes Brothers, the
Miami quintet sang the praises while
whipping the crowd into a frenzy
with hypnotic grooves, innovative
pedal-steel/lead guitar interplay and
funky rhythms.”
“Sacred steel” is a type of music
described as an inspired, unique form
of Gospel music with a hard-driving,
blues-based beat. The musical genre
is rooted in Gospel, but infused with
rhythm and blues, jazz, rock, funk,
hip-hop, country and ideas from
other nations.
Alvin Lee believes he and his
family members have a mission to
touch people through their music and
share it with the world.
10
7

the bearfoot hookers
The first time Ty Manning of The
Bearfoot Hookers came to Athens, he
went downtown to check out some
music at the Athens Human Rights
Festival.
He wandered to College Avenue
and witnessed Tim Conley of the
now-broken up, party band Fuzzy
Sprouts jumping from the roof of The
Grill onto a stage below.
From this moment, he knew
Athens was a pretty cool town, and
he knew it would accept his fun and
unique personality.
“I never claim to be the best guitar
player or the best singer,” he says over
the phone with a simple honesty. “I try
DOUBLE THE PUNCH!!! to entertain, and that’s what a lot of
people in Athens are trying to do, like
Tim Conley did (in the 1990s).”
6 am - 10 am
While the members of The Bearfoot
Hookers have roots in Southern small
towns, like Waycross, they are based in
the college town of Athens, Ga.
4 pm - 7 pm “The best part about Athens is
that there’s always a song going on
somewhere,” Manning says.
And, especially for him, that’s
always true. He began the songwriting
for the band and writes songs almost
www.thebulldogonline.com
everyday, which he often keeps
crunched up in his pocket.
Not all of his songs are good, he
admits, and most of them don’t make
mulefest 2009
any sense.
After three years of upheaval from
new marriages and large purchases of
houses and bookstores, The Hookers
have about seven songs ready for a new
album that Manning tentatively calls
“Double-Wide Revival”.
He says the new CD might be a
theme album or even a double-CD,
with songs only about new life and
new birth.
Most of the seven recent songs
were written by Jon Tonge, the bass
player.
“Jon (Tonge) wrote about 60 love
songs, and half of them are crazy crap,”
Manning says. “But the fact that he
was that inspired is kinda cool.”
While Manning and Tonge are all
for quantity, Mark Durfield believes in
quality of songwriting.
“He’ll go months without writing
anything, and then he’ll come up with
this amazing song,” Manning says.
“He’s sneaky.”
Overall, a Bearfoot Hookers’
performance is something not offered
by other artists.
Manning says they once had a
stretch of 17 shows where at least one
woman flashed them.
“And then guys started going
topless, “ he says with a slight sadness
in his voice.
the best of the fest
sat/10:30 p.m.
WHO’S WHO
Ty Manning (guitar, vocals), Mark
Durfield (guitar, vocals), Scott
Nicholson (piano, organ), Marcus
Thompson (guitar), Jon Tonge (on
bass) and Josh Skelton (drums)
FORMED
2003 in Athens, Ga
LABEL
Independent
LATEST RELEASE
Life at the Bar (2004)
Being unique themselves, the band
often attracts interesting people along
their tours.
One hardcore fan named “Blue”
has recorded every live show except
two, Manning says.
Because of a request by “Blue”, The
Hookers once performed at a nursing
home.
“They were dancing and sweating
and coughing,” Manning says.
A the end of the night, one 98-
year-old woman named Ellen wanted
to leave with them, and a song “Ready
to Ride” was born.
Whether it’s being flashed by
women or entertaining elderly,
Manning and The Hookers have a way
of creating excitement, and surely they
won’t back down anytime soon.
9
 (but s
till lega
l)
from the bringers of all things fun ^
[the athens blur magazine, rye bar, and sugarbuzz studios]
open mic shootout
EVERY MONDAY BEGINNING AUG. 24TH
AT RYE BAR
how it works:
>> 6 slots each night (20 minutes each)
>> Solo and duo acts only (sorry bands!)
>> Judged by top-names in the Athens music community
>> Weekly winners will face off in a
final competition for the grand prize!
‘the prizes:
>> $200 cash prize
>> Weekend headlining performance @ Rye Bar
>> Coverage in The Athens Blur Magazine
>> 3 song EP recorded at Sugarbuzz Studios
the NITTY GRITTY?
>> Rye Bar 140 E. Clayton St. (beneath Helix)
>> Doors @ 9; show starts @ 9:30
>> Free show for all the groupies out there!
For submissions, contact:
openmic@athensblur.com
The incredible
sandwich fri/10:30 p.m.
At the end of any show outside
of Athens, The Incredible Sandwich
members like being homeless, or
more accurately—hotel-less. They’ll sit
around and find someone willing to
offer up an extra room, or a couch or a
clean bit of carpet space.
“We always manage to find people,”
Matt McKinney (lead guitar, vocals)
says. “But the worst part is that you
meet people and have to leave so soon.”
For The Sandwich, couch surfing is
a good way to make friends who will
remember the band the next time it
tumbles into town.
This familiarity is also what
McKinney hopes to achieve through
his songwriting.
“I try to write something people
would understand,” he says. “If a song
is about a problem, thousands can
identify with it.”
Writing since the age of 16
and enriched by a degree in music
composition, he puts a remarkable
amount of thought into each of his
songs.
We don’t really jam,” McKinney
says, even though The Sandwich is
often called a jam band. “Chances
are that I’ve written all that out. It
makes no sense to me to jam without
thought.”
mulefest 2009
“I try to write something
people would understand. If
a song is about a
problem, thousands can
identify with it. ”
- Matt McKinney,
The Incredible Sandwich
He grew up admiring the guitar
solos of The Allman Brothers Band,
and then started listening to Wilco and
Radiohead in college.
“I have a pop-esque writing style,
with a 18-year background in jamming,”
he says.
The band, as it is now with
McKinney, Kevin Juneau (bass guitar),
Damian Kapcala (keyboards) and
Rackley Davis (drums and vocals) has
only been together for five months.
McKinney says the current quartet
is hitting a new stride and reaching a
new realm of thinking.
Something must be working since
the band received the 2009 Flagpole
Award for “Upstart of the Year”.
For McKinney, the true testament
of a band is staying real to who you are.
“I try to be true to myself as a writer
and a musician,” he says, expressing his
the best of the fest
Who’s Who
Matt McKinney (lead guitar and
vocals), Kevin Juneau (bass guitar),
Damian Kapcala (keyboards) and
Rackley Davis (drums and vocals)
Formed
2008 in Athens, Georgia
Label
Mule Train Records
Latest Release
The Incredible Sandwich (2009)
dislike of the limiting labels sometimes
put on artists. “I just want to be me and
the band to be the band.”
McKinney is a big fan of lots of
sound and collaborating. He hopes to
eventually add another guitarist and
maybe even a percussionist.
A full-length album is in the
works. He says it will likely be around
80 minutes with 10 long songs of
constantly moving and flowing sound.
“Our music makes you boogie-
woogie,” McKinney says.
If you’ve seen The Sandwich
perform live, you know their music
makes people dance. Especially in
Athens, The Sandwich knows how to
draw a crowd.
Supported by a tight-knit
community, St. Simons Island—where
the band was in residency in July—
feels like home to McKinney.
With their unpretentious attitudes,
The Sandwich members are likely as
happy on a fan’s couch as they would be
in a penthouse suite.
11

-available at-
School kids records - wuxtry records
muletrainrecords.com - cdbaby.com
comedy showcase
Friday night’s Mule Fest Comedy
Showcase was produced by Chris
Patton. The show features some rising
stand up comedians from the Athens
and Atlanta area. It will last from 9 to
11 p.m. DJ t8r(tot) will provide music
for the after party.
In order of performance the
comedians are:
Jonathan Lowder is a 23-year-old
comedian living in Athens. He started
doing comedy at Rye Bar earlier this
year and has also performed at Half-
Moon Pub and The Office Lounge as
part of Classic City Comedy. Johnathan
draws influence from comedians John
Belushi and Chris Farley. His stage
name is Farls Barkley.
Harold Kizzapps is a 25-year-old,
local comedian. He’s at the beginning
of what he hopes will be a successful
career. He’s had shows at Rye Bar,
The 40 Watt and Flicker bar. He likes
ninjas, ultimate Frisbee and some
shaving cream his mom bought him at
a yard sale that he thinks smells really
good. He doesn’t like quicksand, eggs
and country music.
Brian Stoltz is a senior at the
University of Georgia. He began his
comedy career at the age of three,
but his first official show was during
his sophomore year of college. His
influences range from Joel McHale
to Mike Speenberg and Daniel Tosh.
mulefest 2009
Experience the first ever
Comedy Showcase
in The Green Room—a night
you don’t want to miss!
Inspiration comes from everything
around him, especially his friends. His
boy-next-door charm combined with
an edgy sense of humor creates a unique
style that helps him easily relate to any
audience.
Chris Patton started doing comedy
in March of 2009 on St. Patrick’s Day
with a set at Nowhere Bar, which he
completely bombed. Not to be defeated,
he picked himself up and worked his
way through the open mic at Rye Bar.
Before long, he started putting together
full nights of comedy and music there.
Drawing influence mainly from Dave
Chappelle, Richard Pryor and Mitch
Hedberg, Chris’ unique style of laid-
back yet in your face comedy makes
him truly special.
Joel Atwill accidentally became a
stand-up comedian. Prior to late 2007,
he had never wanted to become a stand-
up comedian. In fact, he had never even
thought about becoming a stand-up
comedian. After graduating from the
University of Georgia in 2004, Joel
the best of the fest
fri/9:00 p.m.
Line-up
(15 minute sets)
Jonathan Lowder
Harold Kizzaps
Brian Stolz
Chris Patton
Joel Atwill
Headliner
(20 minute set)
TJ Young
Atwill went on tour with The Whigs—
not knowing what would come of it.
Stand-up comedy is what came of it.
Headliner TJ Young is nestled
securely in a long line of great
comedians. If he were more of a
morning person, he could have gotten
a better spot near the front of that
line—But who can get up before 1
p.m., honestly? With a background in
improv and sketch comedy, TJ brings
his clever wit and and boyish charm to
the stand-up stage. Sometimes playing
dumb about the obvious nature of
things and other times turning simple,
everyday observations on their ear,
TJ’s an audience favorite at clubs and
colleges nationwide. TJ is the creator
and host of the Loft Comedy Showcase
in Athens each month.
13
2009 SCHEDULE 2009 SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, August 21 SATURDAY, august 22, cont.

6:30p -12a (ongoing): Green Room Studios Open For Viewing GREEN ROOM STAGE outdoor STAGE
GREEN ROOM STAGE outdoor STAGE 6:20-7:10p NATHAN SHEPPARD

7:00-7:50p JOCELYN ELLIS AND

7:00-7:50p SOULHOUND
THE ALPHA THEORY 7:30-8:20p KEN WILL MORTON
8:10-9:00p FREE LUNCH
8:10-9:00p BRAD DOWNS & THE
9:00-10:40p POOR BASTARD SOULS
Comedy Showcase 8:40-9:30p 3 FOOT SWAGGER
9:20-10:10p JAZZ CHRONIC 9:20-10:10p TENT CITY
10:30-12a THE INCREDIBLE 9:50-11:00p XG-1
SANDWICH 10:30-12a
11:30p-??? THE BEARFOOT
DJ T8R(tot) HOOKERS

SUNDAY, august 23
saturday, August 22
GREEN ROOM STAGE outdoor STAGE
GREEN ROOM STAGE outdoor STAGE 1:00-2:00p THE JOMPSON BROS.
10a-11:30a PAM BLANCHARD 1:30-2:30p LARA
11:50-12:50p 706 + KIDS ACTIVITIES 2:20-3:10p LAISSEZ FUNK
12:30-1:30p DR. ARVIN SCOTT 2:50-3:40p RACHEL O’NEAL
1:10-2:00p ONE L 3:30-4:20p LEFTY HATHAWAY
& HDBB
1:50-2:40p TREY WRIGHT TRIO 4:00-4:50p ADAM PAYNE BAND
2:20-3:10p TROPICAL BREEZE 4:40-5:30p LINGO
STEEL DRUM BAND
2:50-3:40p YOUNG GOODMAN 5:10-6:00p AVERY DYLAN
BROWN
3:30-4:20p BROKEN ROAD 5:50-7:00p BETSY FRANCK & THE
BAREKNUCKLE BAND
4:00-4:50p 90 ACRE FARM 6:20-7:30p HARP UNSTRUNG
4:40-5:30p LEFTY WILLIAMS 7:30-9:oop THE LEE BOYS
5:10-6:00p CHRIS MOORE
5:50-6:40p HALF DOZEN BRASS THE INDOOR STAGE IS LOCATED IN THE MULE TRAIN RECORDS GREEN ROOM AT 512
north thomas st. in athens. the outdoor stage is in the first american
BAND
bank parking lot adjacent to mule train records.

14 please recycle this guide when finished! mulefest 2009 mulefest 2009
mulefest 2009 please recycle this guide when finished!
1015
 artist bios artist bios

Lingo trey wright

(SUNDAY, 4:40 P.M.)
Break-ups can be hard. Hard like broken glass against
your head, or less physical, hard on your heart.
Apparently, the members of the roots-based jam
band Lingo know a lot about break-ups, or they just are
sympathetic to this type of sadness.
Justin Tramble, rhythm guitar and vocals, calls the
band’s trend a long-standing joke.
“All the songs we like best have to do with break-ups,”
he says. “And we keep writing them.”
Much of the media who has tried to describe the
band has commented on their indefinable music.
“We’re tough to define, I guess,” Tramble says. “We’re
like a jam band but a lot more singer/songwriter. We
have a lot of just songs.”
Tramble says one reporter called them Ben Harper
mixed with Widespread Panic.
“It’s kinda funny to see what people say about us.”
Tramble says.
Having a sense of humor, as Tramble seems to, is
good, especially when you sing a lot about break-ups.
Humor, however, walks a fine line.
“We try to avoid corniness,” he says. “As corny as that
sounds.”
Three out of four of the members, which includes
Tramble, Dylan Burke (lead guitar and vocals), Drew Ear-
ley (drums), and Alex Tramble (bass guitar and vocals),
taught themselves how to play music in high school.
Lingo has played about 45 shows this year already
and plans for their first album to be released this Fall.
“We have the freedom to do a lot and take risks,”
Tramble says. “We want to turn this into a career. I want
to be able to pull up to a town we don’t know and have
people already know our songs.”
Trey Wright leads a life of music, which is something
that he never envisioned for himself even as a music mi-
nor in college.
He met the members of his musical groups in during a
University of Georgia jazz improvisational class, and it all
came together somehow, he says.
Wright will be performing as part of his Trio with Marc
Miller (upright bass) and Marlon Patton (drums, also
plays with Squat) during Mule Fest.
Wright also performs solo and co-founded the award-
winning jazz band Squat.
“The Trio is more about setting the mood. It’s more ex-
(SATURDAY, 1:50 P.M.)
pressive,” Wright said. “Squat’s all about having fun and
entertaining. It’s dance music.”
The Trio will play original songs from their recent CD
“Thinking Out Loud”, as well as jazz interpretations of Ra-
diohead and folk rock singer Nick Drake.
“Back in the day, jazz was all about re-interpreting pop-
ular songs,” Wright says, pointing to the music of George
Gershwin as an example.
The Trio’s new CD was co-produced by Wright and Mar-
lon Patton.
The members are currently doing a wide range of
shows, from college-towns to church shows and rock ven-
ues to promote the CD, Wright says.
Jazzreview.com says the CD raises the bar for ener-
gized, collaborative and highly listenable guitar, bass and
drum trio music, and calls the guitar sound seductive and
Patton a magician at phrasing with his drums and cym-
bals.
“The Trey Wright Trio is an intensely attentive, selfless
mix of musicians completely connected to what is going
on around them,” according to the Web site.
The best part of playing for Wright is when the band
tries something new and it works.
“Our music is very interactive,” he says. “It’s fun to go
someplace you never went before.”

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mulefest 2009 10
16 mulefest 2009 mulefest 2009 17
 artist bios artist bios

soulhound betsy franck

(SATURDAY, 7:00 P.M.) (SUNDAY, 5:50 P.M.)
Hour” in Macon. “But beware: she can be as brutal
In the middle of Floyd Fest, a funky music
as a bad stretch down a mountainside too.”
festival that took place July 23 through 26 in
Her band, Betsy Franck & the Bareknuckle
Virginia, Atlanta-based soul band Soulhound is
Band, has been together in its current formation
two songs in to one of its sets.
for two years.
People are dancing. People are sweating. The
“We’ve finally melded together and found our
sun is shining.
sound,” Franck says over the phone. “I hope to get
And then the power cuts out.
behind this and push it really hard.”
On a nearby stage, the crew is prepping for
She then talks about her excitement about add-
Grace Potter to preform.
ing new instruments.
Soulhound members hold it together and
“We all play with other people. Everyone is do-
start playing as soon as possible. They play for
ing side projects,” she says. “But now we all priori-
two hours instead of one and make many new
tize this.”
fans.
Franck is currently finishing up a solo album
“It was a first-class event,” says Bob Roth, gui-
live shows,” Roth says. “We tried to bang it out live.” Betsy Franck has one of those incredibly powerful voices with AJ Adams, which she hopes to release in Sep-
tar and vocals. “We went to one festival where
capable of transcending genres, according to Kristen the tember.
the headliner bailed out, but this was not like that. We
He points out the song “Simone” as one in particu- writer of an Athens music blog “Echoreyn of Athens”. All the band’s songs are original and written by Franck.
had a great time.”
lar that was done in one take because of reduced studio People up and down the East Coast know her voice. She says she has been working really well under pressure
The band recently released a new CD “Quickie in the
time. Her solo and group songs are mostly blues and southern and generally writes a new song when she gets bored of her
Cave” and immediately began “pimpin it”, as Roth calls
He hopes audiences will have their hair blown back rock, and she has been recognized for 10 years as a powerful other ones.
it.
when Soulhound performs, and he enjoys being the un- and award-winning performer who knows how to entertain. One of her new songs she particularly likes is “I’m Afraid”,
The CD name has brought some inappropriate com-
known factor. “Betsy Franck’s gospel-strong and siren sweet voice will which she wrote before a set at Caledonia Lounge. The band
ments, Roth says, but the band recorded it in a live room
“One guy at a festival called our performance a ‘drive- carry you safely over the personal turmoil that you’d normal- will perform the song together at Mule Fest, although she
called “The Cave” and they did it quick.
by funking’, and I like that,” he says. ly approach like a patch of jagged asphalt,” writes the “11th will record it solo.
“As a funk band, we wanted to have the energy of the

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18 mulefest 2009 mulefest 2009 19
 artist bios
pam blanchard
(SATURDAY, 10:00 A.M.)
Picture a group of children dancing freely. They
twirl in toy-sized circles. They laugh and seem to
feel pure joy and excitement.
This vision, this willingness of children to let
their spirits shine and put their whole hearts into
dancing is why Pam Blanchard chooses to focus
her attention on entertaining young children.
“They remind me of the ability of music to in-
cite joy, and that is cool to watch with any age,”
she says.
As a teacher at a local Montessori pre-school
13 years ago, Blanchard started writing a lot of
songs for the children, but wanted to expand the
songs.
At the time, she was playing some jazz stuff with Joe
Ellison (drums) and Danny Conkle (bass) who became the
original members of the Pam Blanchard & The Sunny Side-
Up Band.
As adults grow older, they often forgot their youthful
mindset, but not Blanchard. Children and the way they
think make sense to her.
“What is scary to them (like mean people or loud peo-
ple) is scary to me,” she says. “What’s important enough
to me to write songs about, like butterflies and trucks and
ONE L
(SATURDAY, 1:10 P.M.)
Phillip Kohnen, the composer and band lead-
er for the Athens salsa-soul band One L, first en-
countered Cuban music in 2003 through a col-
lege class while he was studying anthropology.
It was love at first sound, and since that
first meeting he has listened and played island
rhythms almost nonstop.
“I gravitate towards Cuban music because of
its really complex rhythms,” Kohnen says. “It’s a
fusion of European and African styles.”
He formed a band called Boondog Trio, but it
broke-up soon after coming together.
Now, One L members change sometimes be-
cause of school and other band-related issues,
but overall the sound stays the same.
What most Americans know as “salsa” comes from
music played in New York in the 1970s by Cuban im-
migrants.
One L tries to play stuff more connected to true Cu-
ban music inspired by rhythms of the island.
“I like to share music from the island because Cuban
politics are changing and tourism might be possible,”
Kohnen says, explaining that Cuban music might then
become more popular.
20
watermelons and hoping and colors and feelings, is what
they care about.”
Although grown-ups have a much harder time letting
loose, sometimes she occasionally enjoys dressing up and
playing romantic tunes for an older crowd.
Still, children are what continue to spark her interest
the most.
‘Young children care about the journey and the process
rather then a projected outcome,” Blanchard says. “And I
like hanging around people like that—they help me re-
member not to miss the magic of now.”
Similarly, he says the big mambo craze of the 1950s
was sparked by a political situation.
Until culture changes in Cuba, the audience in Athens
that likes to dance to salsa will likely remain steady.
To pull One L together, Kohnen picked the giraffe as
a symbol to anchor his advertisements.
“The giraffe started as short-necked animal and kept
reaching and reaching,” he says. “That’s sorta how I feel
as a musician. I started guitar at age 17, and now I’m
reaching higher and higher to new plateaus.”
mulefest 2009
Yes, Lefty Williams has only one arm—hence the
term “Lefty”—but who needs two arms to play the gui-
tar anyway?
The 31-year-old, Atlanta-born artist started playing
the guitar at the age of 4 and invented a prosthetic pick
at the age of 6 because he wanted to play fast like Jimi
Hendrix.
Despite his one-armed existence, he never backed
down. He remembers singing “Amazing Grace” at church
in front of 600 people at the age of 6.
He also remembers his fingers hurting terribly when
Success appeared with little warning for members of
Half Dozen Brass Band. Now, they must figure out how
to handle it.
The band has been together in some capacity for a
year, but together with their current six members only
since March of 2009.
Up against the locally-known names of Kenosha Kid
and Carl Lindberg, they won the 2009 Flagpole Award
for “Best Jazz”.
Joshua Cutchin says he is surprised at the band’s
success, and that it’s as hard as herding cats to get all
the members together for practice or performances,
mulefest 2009
mulefest 2009
artist bios
lefty williams
(SATURDAY, 4:40 P.M.)
he learned to play, although he says he’s sure the ex-
perience isn’t any different for other people learning
to be guitar players.
His Father used to say, “The more you play, the
faster it will stop hurting.” So, he played non-stop,
teaching himself to play by ear, and then he began
to sing back-up in several bands.
“I listened to Dave Matthews and thought, ‘If
this guy can sing, so can I’,” Williams says. “I never
really liked my voice, but I got more comfortable do-
ing it.”
Although he transitioned over time into being a
front man, he always knew he would be a full-time
musician.
“I’m musically Schizophrenic,” he says. “I’ll play blues
for awhile and then funk and then metal.”
Lately, he’s been trying to stick to playing Southern-
influenced blues and rock with jazzy overtones.
J. Evan Wade of the Homegrown Music Network calls
Williams’ lyrics close to all humans and his perspectives
wise and seasoned.
“In overcoming disability to create music, Jason
“Lefty” Williams truly has a remarkable story to tell,”
he says.
artist bios
HalF DOZEN BRASS BAND
(SATURDAY, 5:50 P.M.)
which is why the band can’t perform as much as
it would like to.
Four out of six members are in school and
two members have obligations with The Univer-
sity of Georgia Redcoat Band.
Out of convenience, The HDBB plays mainly
in Athens, but did recently play a private party
in North Carolina.
They play a balance between new and origi-
nal standards and have been incorporating a lot
more collaborations with other bands or artists.
Even though the definition of jazz does fit
HDBB, Cutchin says the popular conception of
jazz is changing.
“We do our jazz stuff, but not a lot of swing,” Cutchin
says. “In the last 30 to 40 years more emphasis has been
on brass band.”
Lately, he says he’s been describing the band as Dix-
ieland funk.
Cutchin says he’s enjoying playing with the current
group of musicians, although he would love it if more
people danced at the shows.
“It should be music to be danced to,” Cutchin says.
“But so far only a few people have been dancing.”
21
10
 artist
artistbios
bios

LARA
(Sunday, 1:30 P.M.)
Lara’s Georgia roots and California spirit have
been mixed and shaken to create a unique and
delightful musical cocktail. She has been deeply
involved with music since childhood, and dis-
covered her songwriting skills after an encoun-
ter with dolphins in Venice beach. With her
debut album, “Emerging”, she established herself
as a warm, inspiring performer and talented lyri-
cist. She blends soulful piano and vocals with a fun and intimate storytelling style. Now her second
album, “Dive In”, showcases her gift at musical arrangement and strong melodies. Her heart pours
through with raw presence, carrying you with her and inviting you to dive into your heart.

the xg-1
(SATURDAY, 9:50 P.M.).)
The XG-1 formed in the spring of 2009 in Ath-
ens, Ga. The band consists of Larry Acquaviva
(bass/vocals), Riley Smith (drums), and Jonathan
Walker (guitar, vocals). The XG-1 brings all original,
cut and dry rock and roll. The eclectic influence
base drives the band to write it’s own brand of
distinct rock songs, always bringing the heat.

Jocelyn Ellis & the

Alpha theory
(friday, 7:00 P.M.)
Jocelyn Ellis & The Alpha Theory of Charlotte,
North Carolina, represent a different direction
with their music. The Alpha Theory, consisting of
three talented and diverse musicians, Jeff Taylor,
Jesse Seibold and Nathan Woolard, dedicated
most of their music-careers playing in punk rock
and metal bands while learning to play other
genres. Now paired with arguably one of North
Carolina’s best female vocalists in music-award
winner Jocelyn Ellis, you have a successful blend
of rock, soul, blues, funk and hip-hop. The band released its self-titled EP, “In the Beginning” on May
7th 2009, and since then have had their music played all over NC radio stations.

22 mulefest 2009
 artist bios artist bios

Young Goodman Brad Downs and The

Brown Poor Bastard Souls
(SATURDAY, 2:50 P.M.) (SATURDAY, 8:10 P.M.)
Brad Downs, a Mississippi Delta native, is a singer/
Young Goodman Brown is hope and hopelessness,
songwriter who now lives in Athens. He writes and
faith and disillusion. He is hands held high under the
performs Americana and country-rock songs with his
gun of time. He is a country guitar on a summer night.
band, an able crew of Athens’ music veterans, includ-
He is a page from Jean Paul Sartre, a verse from Tom
ing Paul “Crumpy” Edwards on bass, William Tonks
Joad. He is the solitary rambler on Kierkegaard’s road.
playing electric guitars and dobro and Randy Durham
He is an outlaw and a preacher. A gambler and a king.
on drums. Downs released “Winter Breathing”, his de-
He is his own worst enemy with his boots, his only
but album featuring special guests from bands such as Widespread Panic, R.E.M., Drive-by Truckers,
friend.
Bloodkin and the Hackensaw boys. The album was recorded by Drew Vandenberg at Chase Park
Transduction on random, scattered days during July and August, 2008.

chris moore Dr. Arvin Scott

(SATURDAY, 5:10 P.M.)
Chris Moore was born in Savannah and raised in
the two red light, farm community of Glennville,
Ga. He was into music from as early as he can
remember: Elvis at the very youngest age, and
then there was all the cool, ingeniously melodic
stuff McCartney was doing with Wings, the jazzy
sounds of Steely Dan, nasty, rowdy jams of the
Stones and Rod Stewart and the Faces. Until he
moved to Athens in 1997, he barely knew three
chords on a guitar. He didn’t know any other musicians in town, so he picked up his cheap pawn
shop guitar and started writing simple songs and playing open mics until eventually he met other
musicians.
(SATURDAY, 12:30 P.M.)
Dr. Arvin Scott is an award-winning, multi-instru-
mentalist, composer, motivational, youth program
founder/director and a university professor with
a track record that spans nearly 40 years.
He has experience in classic R&B, jazz, African, Ca-
ribbean and Brazilian genres, which all contribute
to his World Beat project. Influences on his music
include James Brown, Carlos Santana, Mickey Hart
and Widespread Panic. He has received multiple Flagpole Athens Music Awards. He founded a
community-based program for kids aged 3 to 16 years old in Athens, Ga and the surrounding areas.
The program called “Drumming for Success” provides mentorship and percussion classes for kids.

3 foot swagger free lunch

(SATURDAY, 8:40 P.M.) (FRIDAY, 8:10 P.M.)
Free Lunch has a rock & roll sound with jazzy tones
3 Foot Swagger was born in September of 2007 and the occasional twang. The Flagpole calls this
when five friends and fellow musicians were hired locally-based band, “a funky staple of the Athens jam
for a last-minute gig at a North Georgia river out- band scene.” Free Lunch began in mid-2006. After
post. Three members, Jeff Reusch (rythm guitar, vo- several break-ups and changes, Free Lunch is now
cals), Scott Lerch (bass guitar) and Charlie McCoy sticking with members Bill Baker, (bassist and vocals),
(drums) had prior touring experience with regional Andrew Lastrapes, (guitar), and Richard Chamberlain,
band Melodious Ground, while David Cardello (drums and vocals). Justin Willis joins in on guitar, while
(lead guitar) and Jake Cohan (acoustic guitar, vocals) “Gnarly G” adds a new degree of style with his saxophone collaboration. Band influences include
played locally with numerous collaborators. The band has many influences that range from bluegrass James Brown, Widespread Panic and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
to electronica and most everything in between.

mulefest 2009 10
24 mulefest 2009 mulefest 2009 25
 artist bios artist bios

laissez funk nathan sheppard jazzchronic

(Sunday 2:20 P.M.)
Laissez Funk is a group of Athens locals
who play music with a jazz-funk fusion. They
generally perform an array of covers. They
performed for a Georgia Theatre benefit
concert in July. Members include Logan Wallis
(piano), Matt Shirley (guitar and vocals), Bill Ba-
con (drums) and Mark Dykes (bass and vocals).
Influences include Phish, The Grateful Dead
and The Funky Meters.
(SATURDAY, 6:20 P.M.)
Nathan Sheppard’s biggest influences are pop sing-
ers and songwriters from the sixties and seventies.
For him, making music is a way of life. He has
performed for local open mic nights and opened
for several international acts, including Matthew
Sweet and Jefferson Starship. He has been in-
volved in a few publishing projects in both movie
and cable television. The song “Carolina” was fea-
tured in a motion picture called “Blue Ridge Fall.”
Clips from Sheppard’s catalog were used in a WB
Network series “Nick Freno, Licensed Teacher.”
(friday, 9:20 P.M.)
JazzChronic is innovative and exuberant.
Members play a mix of funk, rock and roll, R&B,
jazz and soul. The band sometimes incorporates
vocals into their songs, while all original music is
composed with the contributions of all members.
JazzChronic is made up of Leon Campbell (drums),
Bill Baker (bass guitar) ,Gnarly G (tenor baritone,
soprano saxophones), Howard Stroud (synth) and
Justin Willis (lead, rhythm guitar). Reverb Nation calls the band creative, original, psychedelic funk
freak fusion that combines rock, soul, funk and acid jazz into a powerful musical experience that will
melt your mind.

ken will morton

tent city
(SATURDAY, 7:30 P.M.)
(SATURDAY, 9:20 P.M.)
Tent City is a warm and cozy, yummy chunk of Ken Will Morton is an accomplished singer/
fun, according to its MySpace page. The Flagpole songwriter; his music has been heralded by Paste
calls the band, “a new local jam band that mixes Magazine, Relix and more. An engaging performer,
elements of world and blues into the traditional he has been nominated twice for “Best Solo Per-
jam format for interesting and enveloping songs.” former” by Flagpole Magazine. He has toured most
Made up of Greg Kearney, (guitar), Greg Cooler, parts of the U.S. and in Ireland, opening for Randall
(bass guitar), Quinten Q. Perkins, (keyboards), and Bramblett, Sugarland and more. In 2008, Ken Will’s
Scott Underwood, (drums), Tent City mixes a song “Oh Lord” was featured in the TV show
contemporary blend of unique originals along with eclectic rearrangements of deep cut classics. “The Deadliest Catch”. He is currently putting the finishing touches on 2 CDs: a full-length for the
Influences include The Allman Brothers, Phish and Led Zeppelin. NYC-based Sojourn Records and a 5-song EP for Mule Train Records debut produced by Nathan
Sheppard at the Green Room Studios.
the tropical breeze
steel drum band lefty hathaway
(SATURDAY, 2:20 P.M.) (Sunday 3:30 P.M.)
The Tropical Breeze Steel Drum Band is a perform- Lefty Hathaway has performed and recorded
ing ensemble comprised of instruments made several genres throughout the years, from old school
from 55-gallon steel drums, which cover all the bluegrass to funk and hip hop, spending the early part
voices from soprano through bass, and a full of the past decade touring the west coast with a
rhythm section. The band performs music from handful of projects that embodied such collective
Trinidad and other Latin countries, along with experience. He was born in England and moved back
classical, pop and jazz. Tony McCutchen founded and forth between England and the States. Lefty’s
the ensemble in 1986 at The University of Georgia. relocation to Athens, from California in 2006, has
The band serves as a musical ambassador for the University. landed collaborations with numerous local talent, establishing himself as part of the classic city’s leg-
endary music community. He has gained a chiseled persona, delivering a collective of all experiences
to a sound that embodies such range.

26 mulefest 2009 mulefest 2009 27

 artist bios
THE JOMPSON BROTHERS
(SUNDAY, 1:00 P.M.)
The Jompson Brothers are a new, soulful, classic
rock act out of Nashville, TN. The Jompson Broth-
ers form a blended sound of blistering guitar,
thumping rhythm section and soul-laden vocals.
Frontman, Chris Stapleton made his mark on Nash-
ville as a songwriter, penning two country radio
number ones among his dozens of album cuts. The
Jompson Brothers are currently recording their
full-length debut with Frank Rogers.
live. The culmination of her efforts is Rachel’s debut record, “Getaway”. This record is an eclectic
blend of indie-rock, jazz and southern-tinged Americana.
THE ADAM PAYNE BAND
(sunday, 4:00 P.M.)
Adam Payne is a musician from Athens. Adam says
the band has always been called The Adam Payne
Band because they were never clever enough
to coin a cool name. Adam has been playing his
songwriter-folk blend music on stages across the
Southeast since 1997. He has been cataloging and
illustrating his experiences every step of the way.
The band always brings a darker and more focused
palette to the music. Adam recorded ‘Sorry, Please Try Again’ in 1999 and ‘Untitled’ in 2007.
28
BROKEN ROAD
(SATURDAY, 3:30 P.M.)
Broken Road is a local Georgia band, who have
years of experience on the road and in Nashville.
This group combines elements of bluegrass, gos-
pel, and traditional and contemporary country
music. Members are Brad Smith, Tim Cadiere,
Waylin Wright, Chris Blanton, Charles Newman
and Austin Tripp. Influences include Alan Jackson
and George Strait. Their single “Thinkin’ Outside
the Box” hits the radio the third of August, and
they are having a show at the Morton Theater
on Nov. 13.
RACHEL O’NEAL
(Sunday, 2:50 P.M.)
Rachel O’Neal started her musical career as a
lead vocalist in a variety of bands in the early
1990’s, but has of late been honing her craft as a
songwriter and solo acoustic performer based
in Athens. The reception she has gotten at her
acoustic shows prompted her to get into the
studio and record a fully produced version of the
collection of original songs she has been playing
mulefest 2009
artist bios
avery dylan 90 Acre farm
(Sunday, 5:10 P.M.) (SATURDAY, 4:00 P.M.)
Avery Dylan has been making ground in Georgia In his youth, 90 Acre Farm founder and self-
for over seven years by getting to play with taught musician, Todd White, was fascinated by
some of the top name musicians around like: Besty his older cousins’ versions of bluegrass and outlaw
Franck, Lefty Hathaway, Tommy Crain, John Straw country standards. White’s musical style lies
and many more. He’s been on several CDs and somewhere between bluegrass and classic rock
has a few of his own. You may best recognize him & roll. With the release of their debut EP “Back
from the Avery Dylan Project, which travels and Home”, 90 Acre Farm gained regional attention
has been making its own mark. In he past two years winning the Athens area Battle of the Bands.
they have played in five states in over 200 shows
and rocked thousands of faces. Dylan started out
in Southwestern Virginia in the mid-1990s.
harp unstrung
(SundaY, 6:20 P.M.)
Harp Unstrung was formed in August of 2008.
An eclectic blend of jazzy jam-band and alterna-
tive rock, Harp Unstrung takes the listener from
mellow whispers to roaring crescendos. Lush har-
monies house thought provoking lyrics, as inviting
guitar riffs tempt the audience to the dance floor.
The band is comprised of Kevin Fleming (guitar,
vocals), Tony Delgado (drums), Drew O’Donnell
(vocals, guitar) and Daniel Walker (bass, vocals). Harp Unstrung has been going strong in the Athens
bar scene, and will be recording their first album at Atlanta’s Tree Sound Studios, with producer,
Dave Aitken.
706
(SATURDAY, 11:50 a.M.)
706 was formed in 2007 by Clarke Middle School
students. The band started with William Kissane
(vocals, drums, keyboard) and Jake Cona (lead guitar).
Since then, Foster Gorman (bass) and Henry Sieben-
tritt (keyboards) have joined the band. Soulful vocals
and technical perfection brings a youthful, yet deter-
mined dimension to each song 706 performs. Their
originals are unique and compelling and like the songs
they choose to cover, they defy genre classification. The band admits they take in everything right now
with open minds, but they will name: R.E.M., The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton and Led Zeppelin.
All four members are currently freshmen at Clarke Central High School.
mulefest 2009 29
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