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Health & Fitness

For the love of Bluegrass.

The tradition of Bluegrass still holds true in our backyard.

I'm not quite sure when I decided that I should learn to play the fiddle. I remember looking at them about 6 years ago and contemplating the purchase but I also remember feeling a tad uninspired about making the effort. The feeling stayed in me up until a year ago around this time, I felt that it needed to happen...I needed to play. So for my birthday I asked for lessons and a violin rental, naturally, I was gifted a fiddle and a teach-yourself-fiddle book instead. If you've ever been by my teashop you've probably noticed Alma (Alma De Oro is my fiddle's name...poetic right?) laying around, being tuned and practiced on. In the last year I have been advised by many customers and friends to visit Everett Brothers Music Barn for good ol' Bluegrass inspiration. I hadn't been able to make it until recently and as soon as I walked in I said to myself, "Jess....you've should've been here sooner".

Everett's Music Barn is exactly what you think a wholesome good time should be. Established in 1964, the Everett Brothers began a jam session on their front porch which eventually grew into a music room in their house and from there moved out into a barn. It's been through a changing of hands recently but Everett's Music Barn has held true to the passion of Bluegrass and community. Off a side street in Suwannee, GA, this barn is in no way intimidating to anyone looking for some great local music. The line up changes weekly except for the Everett Family Band that always plays as the 8pm act. 

Now I'm not going to lie, the fact that they don't serve alcohol and given the demographic to be very broad, kinda made me hesitate. Not that I have to have alcohol personally to watch a concert but through experience, I've always found that it tends to loosen up the room a little. All of those hesitations disappeared as soon as I sat down. There isn't need for any alcohol because everyone that was there seemed to truly want to be there. The music was divine and pure. The bands sung about love, heartache, the land and God. When I said wholesome...I meant it. You could sense how much joy the musicians had in their heart and fingers as they strummed, plucked and sang. I didn't want to leave. I sat there with my mouth open and eyes wide as I watched the fiddler and I laughed along to the banter back and forth between the band and audience.

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The best part to this venue is that once the headlining act was over and I did my little "It's over?" tantrum, I realized that it never really is over. See what makes this place so special is that the music never stops playing...literally. Back at the house musicians continue their jam sessions in the living/music room, the kitchen, the porch and basically anywhere they can find to keep playing. The atmosphere is very inviting and welcoming. I found my inspiration and my new Saturday night Bluegrass spot.

To find out more about Everett's Music Barn and upcoming shows visit their website: www.everettbrothers.com

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My next couple of shows will be intown and I'm extremely excited about them. I will be at a taping of the Artist Den for Iron & Wine at the Buckhead Theater this Thursday, no tickets are sold for this event and I got extremely lucky to get to attend....and trust me, I'll definitely be blogging about it.

I'll also be Centerstage this Saturday for Chris Robinson Brotherhood. Tickets are still available for this show and if you have a chance to go....GO!

 

If you have any local Lawrenceville venues that I should check out or if your band is playing anywhere locally just send me an email or leave a comment. Live music lives in us everyday. Seek it out and thank me later.

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