2008 Georgia Music Hall Of Fame Awards Ceremony
Saturday night we were fortunate enough to attend the 2008 Georgia Music Hall Of Fame induction ceremony. The evening’s luminaries included Widespread Panic, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Dottie Rambo, Keith Sweat, dee-jay Hamp Swain and Fred and Dinah Gretsch. It was a lavish affair held at the Georgia World Congress Center and was hosted by local celebrities, Monica Pearson and Leslie Framm. Inducting Widespread Panic was former Allman Brothers Band keyboardist and present Rolling Stone, Chuck Leavell, who played with the band as well. Many dignified musicians performed and were honored, but from our standpoint the evening belonged to Widespread Panic.
John Bell arriving on the red carpet.
Widespread arriving on the red carpet.
Ludacris arriving.
Linda Davis performed to honor the recently deceased Dottie Rambo and Keith Sweat performed a few of his “hits” in his imitable style. Ludacris was inducted into the Hall by Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. Cris gave a suitably moving induction speech, yet did not perform. At this point in the evening, the auditorium was on edge in anticipation for Athens’ favorite jamband to take the stage. Once they did, the hall came alive as they launched into “Up All Night” and then the appropriate “Ain’t Life Grand”.
Playing “Up All Night.”
Manning the mandolin on Ain't Life Grand.
Playing “Ain’t Life Grand.”
After the performance, Chuck Leavell inducted Widespread into the HOF with some kind words from a man that has been in the rock spotlight since the early 1970′s, when he took over the vacated seats of Berry Oakley and Duane Allman in the Allman Brothers Band.
The induction.
John Bell’s acceptance speech.
John Bell spoke from the heart about band’s formation, their life together, the late Mikey Houser and the impact of new member, Jimmy Herring. After exiting the stage, the band came back on the stage to take their position at their instruments with Chuck Leavell at the keys to run through “Georgia On My Mind.” It was a fantastic evening that we won’t soon forget. As we were exiting, we were able to take a few moments to talk to Chuck and share a moment or two with John Bell.
[Disclaimer: The Georgia Music Hall of Fame is a client of the public relations firm where Kelly works.]
Phish — Atlanta, GA (11/11/1995)
The third night of a three day run in Atlanta. After witnessing this show I thought to myself, man, this band can do no wrong. An amazing show that gets overlooked, but is a shiny jewel in Phish’s show catalog. Stellar versions of almost every song played. I remember thinking that they were ending the first set with “Stash”, but they continued on with “Amazing Grace”, “Fee” and “Chalkdust Torture”. Here’s the setlist:
11/11/95 Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
Set I: Cars Trucks Buses, Mike’s Song> A Day in the Life, Poor Heart, Weekapaug Groove, The Horse> Silent in the Morning, Ya Mar, Stash, Amazing Grace, Fee, Chalkdust Torture
Set II: Also Sprach Zarathustra> David Bowie, Suzy Greenberg, Uncle Pen, Fluffhead, Sleeping Monkey, Frankenstein, Suspicious Minds, Run Like An Antelope
Encore: Acoustic Army, Good Times Bad Times
Mr. Miner’s Phish Thoughts has the download.
Happy Birthday — Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen was born today in 1934 in Quebec. Happy Birthday Leonard!
Here he is singing “Hallelujah”:
