TDawg Presents brings you the finest in music that heals the soul and brings life to your life. You KNOW that a TDawg show will always be a solid show!
– Yes Ma’am Family Band feat. Caroline Aiken, Diane Durrett, Donna Hopkins & Liz Melendez
Set 2 (8 – 9:20 PM)
Part I (8 – 8:15) – Jason Carter & Bronwyn Keith-Hynes Fiddle Duo
Part II (8:15 – 8:45) – Jim Lauderdale Bluegrass (Steve Poltz joins)
Part III (8:45 – 9:20) Jim Lauderdale Electric
Live Auction (9:20 – 9:25 PM) – Seth Weiner, our Live Auctioneer
Drums for Count & Rico(9:30-9:40 PM)
Set III (9:50 – 11:30 PM)
Part I (9:50-10:10) – Steve Poltz
Part II (10:10 – 11:30) – Poltz > Oliver Wood > Wood/Rev. Jeff Mosier & Friends
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Folks we are right on the cusp of quite a memorable night of music and collaborations that will leave you wanting more! The silent auction, brought to you by the amazing team at Positive Legacy, will be up and running by no later than Wednesday. There are some great items to bid on! There will also be a link to donate directly to Atlanta Habitat on behalf of the Holiday Hootenanny. This is a wonderful annual event, and I sure hope you can make it! Happy Holidays everyone!
We’re just 9 days out from what promises to be an absolutely smokin’ Holiday Hootenanny 13 raising funds and awareness for Atlanta Habitat for Humanity! I’ve spent the week putting the show together, and let’s just say we’re gonna be very JAM HAPPY! The musicians are pumped, and there promise to be quite a few collaborations you might not see again. Below are ticket ino and the schedule, expect Brandon “Taz” Niederauer to be all over the map. Please continue to spread the word, please feel free to share this note or the attached poster.
Tickets: GA $35 ADV/$50 Door ~ RES $45 ADV/$60 Door. Variety Playhouse box office open M-F 2-6 PM and on show nights if you want to avoid the fee.
Set 2: 8:20-9:35 PM ~ Jim Lauderdale (Bluegrass & Electric) w/ special guests
**9:55-10:05 PM** ~ The Count/Rico Drums Tribute
Set 3: 10:10-11:40 PM ~ Grant Green Jr., Jess Goggans, Rev. Jeff Mosier, ZAMBI!
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I know I’ve posted this video before, but it sure was a special set by Col. Bruce Hampton, and also his final full set at the Holiday Hootenanny. From the 5th Annual Holiday Hootenanny at Terminal West. Enjoy!
TDawg Presents is excited to bring you some exciting fresh old-time music by the The Tillers and The Montvales, both from Cincinatti!
The Tillers have been thumping their own distinctive sound of string band style folk music for a decade, riding it all over the country and across the sea. Four studio albums and one live record have won them praise as modern folk storytellers of the national soundscape. Self-described “retired” punk rockers, that punk influence gave their sound a distinctive bite, setting them apart from most other folk acts, creating a hard-driving percussive strum and stomp. Their sound has proven to be an appropriate fit with a wide range of musical styles- traditional folk, bluegrass, jazz, punk rock and anything else they might run into. They have shared the stage with a broad swath of national touring acts, ranging from renowned folk legends such as Doc Watson, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Guy Clark, Country Joe McDonald, Jerry Douglas, Iris Dement, Pokey LaFarge, The Hackensaw Boys and The Carolina Chocolate Drops to rambunctious rock daredevils like the Legendary Shack Shakers.
Songwriter duo The Montvales honed their skills in Knoxville, TN, performing on the air for WDVX and the old-time music community in town, before relocating to Cincinatti. Their sound careens recklessly across the whole folk-country spectrum, showcasing The Montvales’ distinctive harmonies and building a sonic world just expansive and surprising enough to hold the wide-eyed existentialism of the stories and questions raised by the lyrics.
Tickets: GA $35 ADV/$50 Door, RES $45 ADV/$60 DoorCLICK HEREto purchase or to avoid a fee visit the box office 2-6 PM M-F and during performances! **NOTE** You can also purchase tix for the show at any of the other Zero Mile/AEG venue box offices including The Eastern, Terminal West and Georgia Theatre.
Showtime: 6PM Doors/7PM Start
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Here’s a fairly complete list of the musicians. We are so blessed to have such professionals come together for a celebratory night of music that also raises money for Atlanta Habitat for Humanity!
Bill Fleming (Natti Love Joys, Expand Band, Hair of the Dog)
Matt Williams (Blueground Undergrass, Capt. Soularcat, Randall Bramblett, Pickled Holler) Emcee Wildman Steve
Peter Stroud is Sheryl Crow’s music director and has been a part of her band for the most part of 25 years. He has also toured and/or recorded with Stevie Nix, Don Henley, Sarah McLachlan, Shawn Mullins, 10,000 Maniacs, and many others. In fact, if you watched the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony recently, you would’ve seen Peter on the stage jamming with Peter Frampton during Sheryl Crow’s segment! It’s pretty darn exciting to be bringing this local music icon to the Holiday Hootenanny stage for the first time! Below is a video performing “Everyday Is A Winding Road” with Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nix & Peter Frampton just last month at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction!
Two-time Grammy winner Jim Lauderdaleis an American music treasure. Joining us for the 8th consecutive year, his sets are always a crowd favorite, in part because he releases at least one album a year! He cohosts the weekly Buddy & Jim Radio Show on SiriusXM with the incomparable Buddy Miller, and his songs have been covered by the likes of George Strait, Patty Loveless, Elvis Costello, The Dixie Chicks, Gary Allen, Blake Shelton, and more! He has also collaborated with many of those artists as well as the legendary Robert Hunter, Ralph Stanley. Here’s what a few folks have to say about him!
“Jim Lauderdale is a consummate entertainer, a sharp dressed man as well, a terrific songwriter and a great singer.”– George Strait
“He’s my favorite part of Americana music” – Ketch Secor, Old Crow Medicine Show
“He’s a man of great style, an exceptional songwriter and tremendous singer” – Elvis Costello
“Jim Lauderdale could easily be called a renaissance man. He’s a great singer, great guitar player and there’s no way you could miss his work as a songwriter.” – Ricky Skaggs
Here is a video of his performance from 2021 with the once-a-year band the Atlanta All-Stars.
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I also want to extend a big THANK YOU to our sponsors Springer Mountain Farms Chicken & Tito’s Handmade Vodka for their support year after year! It truly makes a difference!
Tickets: Gen Adm $35 ADV / $45 Door, Reserved $45 ADV / $55 Door. Available online through Variety Playhouse and at their Box Office (M-F Noon-6 PM and on show nights)
Things you should know about the 9th Annual Holiday Hootenanny
1. Every Holiday Hootenanny is different yet offers that same insane musical energy that has defined many of us here in the ATL. We continue to embody the spirit of the late Col. Bruce Hampton, who inspired so many of us to “let it ride, let it roll, let it flow!” I find it impossible not to live life with that as a premise at the top of the list. The Bruce banner will be hung!
2. The Johnny Knapp Tribute will be a two-part segment. The first will feature jazz the way that Johnny played it. This is going to be an incredibly special time. That portion will lead into the second half of the set featuring music that Col. Bruce and Johnny loved playing together. Those two gentlemen meant so much to each other and anyone around them or felt the magic created by these two masters of Zambi.
3. Expect the unexpected. For any of y’all who have been to all of the Holiday Hoots, a handful, or if last year was your first one, you know that is trademark. The final jam is going to be one for the books! I’ll leave it at that.
4. Jim Lauderdale will be performing a full set broken down into solo acoustic > bluegrass > full electric with horns. All of the songs featured he co-wrote with the late Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. This will truly be a remarkable experience to witness.
5. Jeff Sipe and the State Birds featuring Ike Stubblefield, Bryan Lopes, Neal Fountain, Mike Seal, and special guests is about as amazing a way to get the show going. Jeff is one of the finest drummers in the world, and we’re fortunate to have him on board fairly regularly with the Holiday Hootenanny! Check out this fine video of the State Birds minus Ike in an intimate setting. They have a vast knowledge of music so who knows (except for them) what they’re going to do! Soooo much talent.
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Holiday Hootenanny Schedule (subject to change)
6 PM: Doors open
7-7:55 PM: Jeff Sipe & The State Birds feat. Ike Stubblefield, Bryan Lopes, Neal Fountain & Mike Seal and some friends
8:10-9:25 PM: Jim Lauderdale (acoustic, bluegrass & electric), feat. the Zambi Horns and performing music co-written with the late Robert Hunter
9:55-10:55 PM: A Tribute to Johnny Knapp by Jez Graham + quite a few special guests
11:15 PM-12:30 AM: THE JAM feat. Drew Emmitt, Vince Herman, Larry Keel, Steve ‘Big Daddy’ McMurry, Rev. Jeff Mosier, Jason Carter, Jeff Sipe & more!
Tickets: Gen Adm $35 ADV / $45 Door, Reserved $45 ADV / $55 Door. Available online through Variety Playhouse and at their Box Office (M-F Noon-6 PM and on show nights)
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We are thrilled to announce that two more sponsors have jumped on board with the Holiday Hootenanny movement! THANK YOU to McGriff, Seibels & Williams and Tito’s Vodka in addition to Creature Comforts Brewing Co. for their support this year. We are grateful for the enthusiasm and support that has come our way this year for this amazing annual concert benefitting Atlanta Habitat for Humanity!
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Lineup Addition
Please welcome the incomparable Joe Craven as the final piece to a magnificent puzzle of a lineup! Joe was a member of the David Grisman Quintet for 16 years, performed on the legendary Garcia/Grisman recordings, including the most legendary of them all – The Pizza Tapes – that also featured the great Tony Rice. Joe participated as an emcee in several HarvestFests back in the day, and we’ve been fortunate to have him available around the holiday season for quite a few years now and are thrilled to have him on board for this roots music extravaganza! He is truly one of the most talented musicians I have ever known, capable of playing more types of instruments than imaginable.
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Holiday Hootenanny Schedule
6 PM: Doors open
7-7:50 PM: Jeff Sipe & The State Birds feat. Ike Stubblefield, Brian Lopes, Neal Fountain & Mike Seal and some friends
8:10-9:25 PM: Jim Lauderdale (bluegrass & electric), feat. the Zambi Horns
9:55-11 PM: A Tribute to Johnny Knapp by Jez Graham + quite a few special guests
11:15 PM-12:30 AM: THE JAM feat. Drew Emmitt, Vince Herman, Larry Keel, Steve ‘Big Daddy’ McMurry, Rev. Jeff Mosier, Jason Carter, Jeff Sipe, Jared Womack, Neal Fountain & more!
(schedule is subject to change)
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I know that I’ve posted this video before but it is so damn good it’s worth another viewing! A one of a kind performance that featured 18 musicians on stage for the finale, and it never let up from the get go. Col. Bruce Hampton with the Anywhere But Here Horns featuring Joe Gransden and the late Johnny Knapp (whom we will pay tribute to this year) really let it rip. You won’t be disappointed! Let’s just say that the Holiday Hootenanny brings this level of energy every year, and we are forever grateful to the Colonel for what he gave to us. Zambi!
Tickets: Gen Adm $35 ADV / $45 Door, Reserved $45 ADV / $55 Door. Available Friday, August 30 @ 10 AM online through Variety Playhouse and at their Box Office (M-F Noon-6 PM and on show nights)
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We are thrilled to announce a few additions to the Holiday Hootenanny lineup y’all! Our official statesman, multi-Grammy winnerJim Lauderdale, will be joining us once again! His sets have been quite a highlight each of the previous three years, and we’re grateful that he is able to return again for what promises to be another memorable set. Jim is a very successful songwriter in Nashville, having written songs performed by the likes of George Strait, the Dixie Chicks, Patty Loveless, and countless others. He also is co-host of the highly successful Buddy & Jim Show on Sirius/XM’s Outlaw Country. We are also pleased to welcome multi-Grammy winner and fiddling master Jason Carter (Del McCoury Band, Travelin’ McCourys) Also, please welcome Acoustic Syndicate’s own Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry as well as Jeff Sipe’s State Birds, featuring bassist extraordinaire Neal Fountain, guitarist Mike Seals (Jerry Douglas Band, Sierra Hull), and saxophonist Bryan Lopes.
Fast , elegant and beautiful, this dynamic quartet take musical flight together as “State Birds” (the name is a nod to Col. Bruce Hampton). With the lineup growing for the 9th Annual Holiday Hootenanny, this set promises to present some surprises for all of us!
The music is mesmerizing and delivered with joy and passion. The near telepathic communication is a result of years of chemistry together. The bands’ roots go back to 1983 in Atlanta. Each of the band members played with Bruce Hampton for a spell and share a unique musical bond. Below is a video captured by good friend Ron Currens at Music On Main Street in 2018, enjoy!
Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry is a founding member, lead vocalist, guitarist & mandolin player of the amazing band, Little King recording artist Acoustic Syndicate. My history with this band goes all the way back to the first HarvestFest on October 10, 1998, and they are “still my favorite band after all these years!” Big Daddy’s friendship and comradery with just about everyone on this lineup only means the family vibe for this year’s Holiday Hoot is going to be felt by everyone in the room. The jams will be plentiful and the music joyous.
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The current lineup: Drew Emmitt, Vince Herman, Jim Lauderdale, Larry Keel, Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry, Rev. Jeff Mosier, Jason Carter, A Tribute Johnny Knapp, Jeff Sipe, The State Birds, Bryan Lopes, Neal Fountain, Mike Seals, Daniel Wytanis, more to come!!!
Stay tuned for the remainder of the lineup for the 9th Annual Holiday Hootenanny to come your way soon! PLEASE spread the good word, and get your tickets now if you know you can go! We’re going to have a nice-sized crowd this year, so dont’ be left out! Zambi!!
Tickets: Gen Adm $35 ADV / $45 Door, Reserved $45 ADV / $55 Door. Available Friday, August 30 @ 10 AM online through Variety Playhouse and at their Box Office (M-F Noon-6 PM and on show nights)
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We are thrilled to bring you a very exciting lineup to the 9th Annual Holiday Hootenanny, which will yet again benefit Atlanta Habitat for Humanity! There will be more to add including some of the finest that Atlanta has to offer, but below is a list of performers up to this point in time:
And that’s just the initial lineup! Stay tuned for more announcements in the upcoming weeks. Meanwhile here’s a gem from the 2nd Annual Holiday Hootenanny in 2012 at the Variety Playhouse that featured Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Sipe, Count M’Butu, Yonrico Scott, Ike Stubblefield, Papa Mali and Wet Willie’s own Jimmy Hall. Enjoy! Spread the good word!
Happy New Year y’all! I hope that everyone has enjoyed a happy holiday season! Having fully recovered from the 8th Annual Holiday Hootenanny as well as taken time for reflection time upon such a wonderful event, it truly warms my heart (and hopefully yours!) to be a part of something unique and special in a time of year that can be difficult for many. We had a strong turnout of 500 for the concert, and I am proud to announce a $6,000 donation to Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, the largest donation yet! Let’s keep it up y’all and next year will easily be more! Thank YOU for caring enough to join us on a very rainy night and provide a filled room for our return to the Variety Playhouse. I felt like we were home again!
Jason Carter, Lyndsay Pruett, John Mailander
Thanks to our primary sponsor, Georgia’s own Spring Mountain Farms Chicken, all the musicians – especially Peter Rowan for flying across the country – and to Linda Brackner, Tamara Botkin, Brenda Stepp, Ben Brackner & John Griffin for their support and love of the Holiday Hoot movement. This show is indeed a labor of love that is so important in these divided times we live in these days. Can’t wait until next year!
The music was, as expected, completely over the top, as everyone brought
Jeff Mosier & Jim Lauderdale
their A-game to a night of jams that had no rehearsals, and it felt like they’d been playing together for years. It boggles the mind how good these musicians really are and how much they enjoy getting together for this annual gathering that I call OUR holiday office party on the big stage 😉 The mini set that started off the night paying tribute to the late, great Vassar Clements set the tone for the evening, featuring a fiddle trifecta that I’m sure had Vassar
Heather Gillis
flashing that smile from up above. Heather Gillis was sensational – gritty, soulful, vocals and some nasty, brilliant guitar play dominated her set. Can’t wait to do more with her in the future! Jim Lauderdale and Peter Rowan delivered exactly what you’d expect and more. You could tell that each of those two living legends were having a blast up on stage with such talented musicians surrounding them, and when Jim invited Peter on stage to sing “Sitting Alone in the Moonlight”, there was an incredible feeling of love and admiration between the two that anyone in the audience could feel. Jeff Mosier led the final set which was only fitting, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. His version of “Black Muddy River” is one of the best out there, and closing out the night with the fiddle anthem “Orange Blossom Special”, led by the incomparable Larry Keel with fiddles on fire, was the only way to go.
On that note, I really want to thank all the musicians who participated this year, it was a special one for certain. Peter Rowan, Jim Lauderdale, Heather Gillis, Larry Keel, Jeff Mosier, Jeff Sipe, Richie Jones, Bobby Miller, Jared Womack, Matthew Williams, Papa J, Bryan Lopes, Daniel Wytanis, Nick DiSebastian, Evan Sarver, Jason Carter, Lyndsay Pruett, John Mailander, Bill Fleming, Mark Henry, Franher Joseph, Kevin Thomas, and Wildman Steve. From top to bottom, what an amazing grouping of musicians to take this show on!
Stay tuned for details around the same time next year, same venue!
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS: General Admission $35 Adv/$45 Day of Show, Reserved $45 Adv/$55 Day of Show (No service fee if purchased at the Variety Playhouse box M-F 12-6 PM or during all shows)
Vassar Clements was a dear friend to many, and I know I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him professionally and developed a close personal friendship with the man in the final chapter of his amazing life. Vassar first performed with Col. Bruce Hampton at HarvestFest in 1999, with Col. Bruce introducing him to the stage as the King of Kings. What a fitting title.
Vassar & TDawg 2002
On December 20, the 8th Annual Holiday Hootenanny will pay tribute to this amazing American music legend who transcended genres and generations to create a mystique all his own, performing with everyone from Bill Monroe to Jerry Garcia to Stephan Grapelli and all points in between. We will be kicking off the show with a short set of fiddle jams by one of the finer trifecta of players – Jason Carter (Del McCoury Band), Lyndsay Pruett (John Stickley Trio), John Mailander (Bruce Hornsby) – and joined by Jeff Mosier on banjo, Mark Henry on the upright bass, Matthew Williams on guitar, and Nick DiSebastian on mandolin. What a great start to the evening! The adjusted schedule is below:
7:00 – 7:15 ~ Vassar Clements Tribute
7:20 – 8:05 ~ Heather Gillis
8:30 – 9:30 ~ Jim Lauderdale
10:00 – 11:15 ~ Peter Rowan
11:20 – 12:15 AM ~ Jeff Mosier leads Jam Finale
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Here’s Vassar performing Orange Blossom Special with an all-star cast, including Jason Carter!
The musicians are pumped, and there promise to be quite a few collaborations you might not see again. Below are ticket ino and the schedule, expect Brandon “Taz” Niederauer to be all over the map. Please continue to spread the word, please feel free to share this note or the attached poster.
TDawg Presents 