Suwannee Spring Reunion Lineup: Sam Bush, Steep Canyon Rangers, Peter Rowan Band, Donna the Buffalo

ANNOUNCING THE 6TH SUWANNEE SPRING REUNION
MARCH 21-24, 2024
THE SPIRIT OF THE SUWANNEE MUSIC PARK IN LIVE OAK, FL

FEATURING:
Sam Bush – Railroad Earth – Steep Canyon Rangers 
Peter Rowan Walls of Time Band – Donna the Buffalo
Keller Williams’ PettyGrass ft. The HillBenders 
Bettye LaVette – The Steel Wheels – Town Mountain
and more!

Early Bird Tickets on sale now at → www.suwanneespringreunion.com  

LIVE OAK, FL — Swing into spring in the most spectacular of ways at Suwannee Spring Reunion, taking place Thursday through Sunday, March 21-24 at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP) in Live Oak, FL. Enjoy four days and nights of music rooted in Americana, newgrass, bluegrass, folk, blues, and more. This family friendly festival is set in the midst of 800 acres of majestic Spanish moss-draped oak and cypress trees along the Suwannee River, the venue is a picturesque playground for endless activities including swimming, canoeing, kayaking, yoga, and disc golf.

The 2024 Suwannee Spring Reunion features music on multiple stages and includes Sam Bush, Railroad Earth, Steep Canyon Rangers, Peter Rowan Walls of Time Band, Donna the Buffalo, Keller Williams’ PettyGrass ft. The HillBenders, Bettye LaVette, The Steel Wheels, Town Mountain, Seth Walker, Jon Stickley Trio, Fireside Collective, Darrell Scott, Jim Lauderdale, Hattie & Joe Craven Trio, Verlon Thompson, Shawn Camp, Jeff Mosier Ensemble, The Grass Is Dead, Roy Book Binder, Leon Timbo & The Family Band, David Grier, Colby T Helms & The Virginia Creepers, Nikki Talley Band, Free Range Strange, Sloppy Joe, Quartermoon, Habanero Honeys, John Mailander: Artist At Large, and Magic Moon Traveling Circus.

“Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida, would seem the most unlikely of bluegrass epicenters, but legends and new stars alike flock there every spring for an in-the-know festival,” wrote Rolling Stone’s Garret Woodward. 

The lineup includes artists with storied histories of epic Suwannee performances over the years. Matching the history on the stage, longtime park hosts, Randy and Beth Judy, are partnered with the Spirit of the Suwannee to make sure that every piece needed to make an epic weekend. It is home to generations of families who have gathered year after year to experience that shared connection to the music and the commitment to the notion of something bigger than ourselves. 

Beth, the Festival Director, says “From the very beginning, in 1997, with our first festival at SOSMP (Suwannee SpringFest), we set an intention of a community of love and healing and music and positive impact on the lives of the people who were there. And we attracted those people who needed that in their lives, and many of them are still coming. The Suwannee Spring Reunion is a new version of the events we began so long ago when music festivals were just starting to pop up again after Jerry’s passing. Springfest and Magfest had changed and evolved over the years and now we are gathering everyone together for the  big reunion and revival of what commenced during those early years.”

“There’s this unique, communal spirit here, where it’s homelike for us,” says Sam Bush in an interview with Woodward, “And you find yourself thinking about some of our brethren that aren’t here anymore, but especially Vassar [Clements] — he ruled this place.”

“‘It was probably around 2004 [when we first played the park],” Steep Canyon Rangers singer-banjoist Graham Sharp tells Rolling Stone backstage at a recent Suwannee Spring Reunion, ‘We’ve been able to trace our band and its evolution through this festival, from being a traditional bluegrass band to being whatever the hell we are now — this place is a natural home for that.’” 

They say the stars come out at night. And at Suwannee that is not only true in seeing the clear nighttime skies, but also throughout the park. Many of the festival musicians convene in the campgrounds when things light up at night. The Bill Monroe Shrine, hosted by Quartermoon, and Slopryland, hosted by Sloppy Joe, are open to all who bring their instrument and want to join in. In addition, there are literally dozens of camps, many of them with clever fun names, that have their own style and vibe.

The Suwannee Spring Reunion community has something going on around the clock. That said, if sleep is important to you, there are plenty of camping areas where it’s low key, so sleep is a possibility. No recorded or amplified music is permitted in the campground during this festival, so any music happening is live and acoustic.

The Jamwich’s Ashley Feller noted, “I love how these family camps have evolved over the years because now there are generations of people that have come to this festival. People have brought their kids, and these kids have grown up and made offshoots of those original camps. It is just so cool to see the creativity that goes into it. Some of it is like glamping. Some of them are just downright gorgeous.” 

Beth expands on this in her interview with The Jamwich, “But the thing about the generations, grandparents have been the first people to come and bring their grandkids, and then the kids come, or it’s the kids and they bring their parents and then they bring their grandkids. The most I’ve seen is five generations. Five generations of families doing things together. And this is not just one family, this is in multiple cases. It’s a family reunion for people. It’s a family outing. It’s part of their life. They plan it, and that is community plus. That’s building relationships and making your life better. If you can do things with your family or chosen family,  that can make your life happier and make the challenges that we all face during the year so much easier to face because you have this support and those people are there for you. The people who come to these festivals are the kindest, most open-hearted, loving people you will ever meet!.” 

Jeff Mosier, who had been performing at spring and fall Americana/bluegrass events at SOSMP since nearly the beginning (in the early years with his band Blueground Undergrass), sums it up eloquently in an interview with Live and Listen (2019), “Live Oak is the balm. It heals me from missing Bruce [Hampton], missing Vassar [Clements]. It gives me a chance at 60 to keep it going as long as I can. So far, so good. That’s all you can do – keep writing, creating, doing interviews with folks like you and you doing your writing, that’s what life is – keeping the ball rolling… It’s a special place and it made a huge difference in my kids’ lives. They’re in their 20s, but they started going when they were babies. It taught them everything they needed to know without us having to teach them. It taught them how to be. They decided to be people like the people of Suwannee. And now they’re good people. My little boy used to say, ‘Why can’t the world be like Suwannee?!’. That’s really it. Why not? I think it can. I go there every year in hopes of keeping that going.”

Suwannee Spring Reunion (and its sister festival Suwannee Roots Revival which takes place in October) hold the space for a special couple of music-filled weekends to look forward to and back upon with laughter and love in your heart. Many of the artists look forward to returning each year just as much as the attendees! The atmosphere and the people that gather are uplifting and warmhearted—the perfect end caps to the long festival season. 

Stay tuned for further news about the daily schedules and a wide range of hand-on workshops on the Music Farmers Stage, sponsored by the festival’s nonprofit arm, Live Oak Music and Arts Foundation (LOMAF). There will also be a raffle to raise money for LOMAF, which is earmarked for music and arts programs locally in North Florida schools. 

One program that LOMAF helps fund is Suwannee Spirit Kids Music Camp which is a free three-day music weekend for kids ages 5-17, held three times a year, where students receive instruction a variety of instruments including but not limited to fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, ukulele, vocals, and hand drums. There is a performance at each Spring Reunion and Roots Revival which often features kids that attend the Suwannee Spirit Kids Music Camp, along with plenty of other fun things for the little ones including an amazing kids zone set accessible back in the woods with crafts, games, face painting, and more!

Tickets are on sale now. Suwannee Spring Reunion offers a multi-day Weekend Ticket that includes festival admission for four days of music, as well as primitive camping on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.  Military and Student discounts are available. Children 12 and under are free if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Get your tickets before they go up to the next pricing tier on January 14th. An additional event car pass is required to bring a car into the campground—Advance Car Pass: $15 or $20 at the Gate. For complete ticket information and to purchase tickets, visit www.suwanneespringreunion.com/Tickets/.

SOSMP offers guest comforts including a general store, full service restaurant, free showers, indoor bathrooms, and water stations. Upgraded camping, including RV hook ups and cabin rentals, as well as golf cart rentals are currently on sale. Reservations may be made by calling the Park office at (386) 364­-1683. SOSMP is located between Jacksonville, Florida & Tallahassee, Florida about 30 minutes south of the Georgia State line, about 45 minutes north of Gainesville and is host to a variety of events. Please visit the park’s web site at www.musicliveshere.com for further information.

For more information, please visit www.suwanneespringreunion.com. 

Suwannee Spring Reunion 2024 Lineup
Sam Bush
Railroad Earth
Steep Canyon Rangers
Peter Rowan Walls of Time Band
Donna the Buffalo
Keller Williams’ PettyGrass ft. The HillBenders
Bettye LaVette
The Steel Wheels
Town Mountain
Seth Walker
Jon Stickley Trio
Fireside Collective
Darrell Scott
Jim Lauderdale
Hattie & Joe Craven Trio
Verlon Thompson
Shawn Camp
Jeff Mosier Ensemble
The Grass Is Dead
Roy Book Binder
Leon Timbo & The Family Band
David Grier
Colby T Helms & The Virginia Creepers
Nikki Talley Band
Free Range Strange
Sloppy Jo
Quartermoon
Habanero Honeys
John Mailander: Artist At Large
Magic Moon Traveling Circus

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Armchair Boogie Debuts Title Track From Upcoming Album ‘Hard Times & Deadlines’

Armchair Boogie. Photo by Dan Waterman.

Armchair Boogie Independently Releases 4th Studio Recording
Hard Times & Deadlines – March 15, 2024

With their unique lineup of drums and electric bass backing acoustic/electric guitar and banjo, Armchair Boogie offers a funked up spin on bluegrass

Out Today- Stream the 1st Single “Hard Times”https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/armchairboogie/hard-times

Madison, WI funk-grass outfit Armchair Boogie is ready for whatever
life throws its way on its new single, “Hard Times”
—Premiered by Live For Live Music

Presave Hard Times & Deadlines →
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/armchairboogie/hard-times–deadlines

MADISON, Wis. — Jamgrass, newgrass, funkgrass, whatever you want to call it—Armchair Boogie is rapidly becoming one of the country’s hottest acts. With an unbounded sound, this Wisconsin-based quartet is known for their powerful harmonies, timeless originals, and choice covers, along with unforgettable live performances. Listed as a “Must-See Roots Artists at Bourbon & Beyond” by The Bluegrass Situation who wrote, “We recently caught this jammy Wisconsin outfit at Earl Scruggs Music Festival, where they burnt down their late-night set.”

Armchair Boogie is Augie Dougherty on banjo and Ben Majeska acoustic and electric guitars backed by tight, driving rhythms of Eli Frieders on electric bass and Denzel Connor on drums. This unconventional lineup enhances their lightning-fast bluegrass, allowing them to freely venture into the realms of funk or country. A band on the verge, Armchair Boogie is excited to independently release their fourth studio recording, Hard Times & Deadlines, on March 15.

The lead track, and first single, “Hard Times,” demonstrates the 3-part harmonies that drive home the album’s namesake. Dougherty says of his perspective of the song, “‘Hard Times’ is about my navigation of life’s realities. Entering my late twenties came with a lot of pressure to pursue musical and other professional endeavors. Feeling lost, feeling a lack of freedom, feeling like I have to push on through.” 

The Hartforesque sounding tune can also take on a plethora of new meanings with lyrics like, “We’re out here all alone, this big ol’ world is our only home, What do you do, if you find yourself lost? You can find a friend, you can find a bucket, You can find a piece of wood and just chuck it. If you’re real lucky, you can find a soul… Well the hard times and deadlines pushin’ me through till the good times.”

Live For Live Music premiered the song and Michael Broerman writes, “‘Hard Times’ highlights the dualities that define Armchair Boogie. On one hand, there’s the opening picking of Augie‘s banjo, which elucidates the group’s traditional elements. By the time he breezes through the opening verse, however, the rest of the band comes alive as Denzel‘s drums awaken the track to reveal Armchair’s folk-jam sensibilities. The stylistic personalities of the four-piece—which also features Eli on electric bass and Ben on acoustic guitar [for this track]—work in tandem on ‘Hard Times,’ as Armchair Boogie powers through the hard times and deadlines to discover what life is about.”

Self-produced, this new album shows a maturing of the band’s songwriting and musical capabilities. Composing these songs around the beginning of the pandemic, Majeska and Dougherty—who sing lead on the respective songs they wrote—were experiencing the stresses of entering their late twenties. 

Majeska says “Life comes with highs and lows, and Hard Times & Deadlines captures the fleet of emotions that come with it. From broken hearts and fond memories. To broad horizons and the inevitable end of this human journey.” 

“Hard Times & Deadlines is a pretty literal explanation of what I felt life was turning into,” Dougherty says. “The fluffy part of college and party life was beginning to fade away and it seemed like it was time to put my head down and work.” 

Once the tunes were drafted, they were brought to the whole band for collaboration. “This is where the tune truly becomes a Boogie song. Everyone adds their touch of creative input and we’re able to polish it up collectively pretty quickly,” explains Dougherty.

The ten original songs that make up Hard Times & Deadlines were recorded and mixed by Jeffrey Peterson at Lunar Lava Audio—who specializes in classic recording techniques and organic sounding results—in Fort Atkinson, WI. It was mastered by Collin Jordan—owner of The Boiler Room Mastering in Chicago.

ARMCHAIR BOOGIE DOWN THE ROAD

Armchair Boogie emerged from the central waters and woods of Wisconsin, after meeting at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point in 2015. The members moved to Madison in 2017, releasing their debut self-titled album in 2018, followed by 2019’s What Does Time Care?, and a 4-track EP in 2021—The Western. 

Nowadays Armchair Boogie continues touring and climbing their way up notable festival lineups. In 2023 alone they performed at Summer Camp Music Festival, Old Settler’s Music Festival, Bourbon and Beyond, Grey Fox, Blissfest, Suwannee Spring Reunion, Earl Scruggs Music Festival, Shoe Fest, and Sugar Pine Music Festival. Adding to previous years at WinterWonderGrass, Northwest String Summit, Blue Ox Music Festival, John Hartford Memorial Festival, Charm City Bluegrass, MerleFest, Albino Skunk Fest, and more. 

They started hosting their own event, The Boogiedown Music Festival, in 2021 at Driftless Music Gardens during the summer in Yuba, WI. The band has performed throughout the country, with regular stops throughout the Midwest—including sold-out shows in their hometown of Madison—as they continue to break through into new markets. 

Over the years and through the shows, they’ve had the honor to share the spotlight at shows and or performed with members of with Leftover Salmon, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, The HillBenders, Daniel Donato, Pert Near Sandstone, and jammed with many more.

The good word of boogie continues to spread like wildfire! Armchair Boogie has several Midwest performances coming up to close out the year, culminating on New Year’s Eve at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee with Horseshoes & Hand Grenades and Dead Horses. They begin the new year with performances throughout the Rocky Mountains, followed by Telluride. February resumes with a few gigs in Wisconsin before heading to the Northwest for a run with Kitchen Dwellers. They kick off March at WinterWonderGrass in Steamboat Springs, CO with spring tour dates soon to be announced. Visit www.armchairboogiemusic.com for a full list of tour dates.

With Hard Times & Deadlines they want to help you boogie down in your living room, your car, on your phone, or wherever you listen to music when you’re not at a show. 

Presave the album at https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/armchairboogie/hard-times–deadlines. 

Visit www.armchairboogiemusic.com for more information about Armchair Boogie and Hard Times & Deadlines. Keep up to date with their adventures on facebook.com/armchairboogieboys, instagram.com/armchairboogieboys, and youtube.com/@armchairboogie4522.

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