Words By Rob Nicholson   Macclenny’s own Dylan Gerard is “always trying to write his next favorite song.” Drawing on inspiration from artists like Otis Redding, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, and bands including The Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd, creating a mix between country and rock and Americana. His first single, “Simple Things,” was very well received in Nashville and reached No. 37 on the MusicRow Country Breakout Chart. Gerard followed that song up with his newest single, released last month, “Young Again.” It’s no surprise to people who know Gerard that he is a songwriter due to …

Words by Rob Nicholson  The Psychedelic Furs have been touring since the late 1970s, except for a hiatus in the 1990s. Brothers Tim and Richard Butler have always been at the helm of the band as well as the founders Love Spit Love. Throughout their career, the Furs have continued to develop and progress. They seem to have had the ability to keep their sound fresh, while at the same time familiar and relevant.   I met Tim and Richard back in the early to mid 1990s during my stint as the afternoon drive guy on WCHZ in Augustine, Georgia when …

Words and interviews by Rob Nicholson Sara Evans began singing at the age of four. She is a multi-platinum, American country music singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and author. She has held the number one spot on Billboard’s country charts and has sold more than six million records and counting.  Raised in Missouri, she began singing alongside her siblings in the aptly named Evans Family Band. In 1991, she and her brother Matt put together their own band and headed to Nashville to start their careers in country music. Evans’ career soared in the early to mid-2000s with records like …

Words by Rob Nicholson It has been over 35 years since Emily Saliers and Amy Ray teamed up to form what would become the Indigo Girls—or, as “Rolling Stone” has called them “ideal duet partners.” Together, multi-platinum, Grammy Award winners and ferocious songwriters. And they aren’t limited to the success of the Indigo Girls. Both Sailers and Ray have solo records and careers, working and collaborating on all kinds of projects including films and musicals. They are even the subject matter of a new documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January called “It’s Only Life After All.” …

Words by Rob Nicholson With the Clay County Fair in high gear, it means plenty of live concerts through the event’s run April 9. As usual, fair organizers have booked an outstanding lineup this year, and one performer, in particular, is high on the list of can’t-miss acts: Ashley McBryde. McBryde’s duet with Carly Pearce, “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” (a song about being the other woman), went all the way to No. 1 and earned McBryde and Pearce a host of ACM and CMA awards, as well as a Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. By the time …

Words by Rob Nicholson NFAN (Northeast Florida AIDS Network) is gearing up for its annual Dining Out for Life on April 27. The one-day-only fundraiser is part of a national campaign that encourages local restaurants to donate a portion of their sales for the day to a local HIV service, which, in Jacksonville, is NFAN.  Nationally, more than fifty local HIV service organizations partner with 2,400+ participating restaurants, 4,100+ volunteers, and 300,000+ diners to raise over $4.5 million for people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States and Canada. Best part? All funds raised through a city’s Dining Out for …

Born in a Barn A look at the incredible country concerts headed our way in 2023 Words by Rob Nicholson Northeast Florida has always been considered a hotbed for country music performers, not just for up-and-comers but also for musicians at the top of their game. And 2023 is taking it to a whole other level with performances by mega-stars like Carrie Underwood, Willie Nelson and Blake Shelton, not to mention legends-in-the-making and two theatrical performances dedicated to one of the most influential country singers in history Patsy Cline. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s already on the concert schedule …

Judith Hill: From the Background to Center Stage Words By Rob Nicholson  When I first heard Judith Hill was scheduled for a show at the historic Ritz Theatre in January, I thought to myself, “How do I know Judith Hill?” I wasn’t confusing her with Lauren Hill. Had I seen her in concert previously? No, I’m sure I hadn’t. After a quick Google search, I realized how I knew her: She performed at Michael Jackson’s memorial service at the Staples Center on July 7, 2009.  The celebrities and entertainers who paid homage to the King of Pop included Quincy Jones, …

Chris Isaak   Country, Americana, rockabilly, folk and rock … you name it and Chris Isaak plays it, sings it and writes it. With a career spanning more than 30 years, Chris Isaak has sold out concert venues around the world. Throughout his life, Isaak had many opportunities, including a shot at being in the CIA, but his true love has always been music. Isaak is probably best known for his hit song “Wicked Games” from his album “Heart Shaped World.” The song actually debuted a year before it made it to commercial radio and only hit the charts after being …

Words by Rob Nicholson    Paula Cole was literally plucked from obscurity in 1993 by Peter Gabriel when she replaced Sinead O’Connor on the 1993-94 Secret World Tour. Since then, she’s been a multi-Grammy winner in various categories including Singer/Performer, Songwriter and Producer. Paula was an instrumental part of the team that put together and toured with The Lilith Fair and Cole has been on the voice faculty at Berklee College of Music while continuing an active performing career. In anticipation of her Concert on November 20th with Sophie B. Hawkins at the Thrasher-Horne Center, after twenty years since they …