The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Savannah celebrates state lore in music
‘Georgia on My Mind’ to give part of proceeds today to soup kitchen.
“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere,” said Frank Sinatra, famously, about New York, New York. With all due respect to Ol’ Blue Eyes, “Georgia on My Mind,” at Savannah’s Victory North today, wholeheartedly shows that the Peach State will not be overlooked.
Co-promoted with the Homegrown Collective, this is the second iteration of what is sure to be an ongoing event, celebrating the impact of Georgia’s greatest contributors to musical culture from Ray Charles to Otis Redding, from Johnny Mercer to R.E.M. and everyone in between.
“The reception to the Neil Young show ‘A Dreamer of Pictures’ in 2021 was so successful that we really wanted to capitalize on that, and find a way to give back to the community in some way,” said Andrew Sovine, the main organizer and member of the house band backing up all of the event’s singers. “The locals really turned out for that one and we were grateful.”
Joining Sovine as the evening’s band will be Stan Ray, Ryan Kelly, and Jared Hall, who are no strangers to each other. “Since we’re all working musicians, it’s frankly one of the few opportunities we have to get together and play with each other and watch each other perform,” said Ray.
“The Homegrown Collective started over 10 years ago when local bands the Trainwrecks and the Accomplices put together the first Homegrown Holiday Hoedown, which was an annual event for nine years until 2020,” continued Ray.
“When the dust settled we were looking for a good title for the Summer Jam in 2021. Many of these contributing artists have been a part of the Christmas event over those
nine years.”
The contributing artists in question are some of Savannah’s finest, including mainstays Eric Britt, Anders Thomsen of the Anders Thomsen Trio, jazz and gospel great Trae Gurley, singer/songwriter Aaron Zimmer, and the incredible Dolette Mcdonald (among other as-yet-unnamed surprises), whose talents truly demonstrate the diversity of Georgian music.
“Primarily we wanted to include as many local acts as possible and also showcase the breadth of stylistic variety we have in Savannah,” said Sovine. “‘Georgia on My Mind’ has so much diversity with styles and artists.”
Part of the proceeds from the event will go to benefit Emmaus House, a multi-faith soup kitchen, self-described as “an unrestricted soup kitchen; no one is ever turned away, no questions asked.”
For more information on Emmaus House, including hours and services, visit unitedministriessavannah.org.
“I guess there’s a selfish motive to putting us all on the same stage for a good cause whenever possible, we have a great time together,” summed up Ray.