Entertainment

2011 ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS                                                                                         

Boat Parade on the May River and Blessing of the Fleet
Join us for the annual blessing of the fleet Sunday, Oct. 16th at 2:00 on the bluff of the May River at The Church of the Cross. Father Chris Royer from The Church of the Cross will bless the boats on the river.  Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy a special treat with Kim Polote, a gospel singer who will be accompanied by Lavon Stevens on the bluff. Sit back and listen to music while watching the boats ride by for their blessings.                                                                                                                      

Our Admirals, Nancy and Captain Bill Schilling, will lead the Board Parade and Blessing of the Fleet on the May River during the opening ceremonies of the Seventh Annual Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival on Sunday, October 16 at 2:00pm. Our Admirals are well deserving of this honor.  They both live and breathe the water.  Nancy & Bill Schilling and their six siblings were raised on Long Island, NY.  Their upbringing included lots of time on the water and deep sea fishing.  The Schilling family moved to Florida in 1972, and then to Hilton Head Island. In 1985 four of the children and their families came to build a marina, Schilling Boathouse on Skull Creek.  Nancy, Bill and the family operated the marina with     Nancy as general manager and Bill managing the dry stack storage.

Over the past 26 years, Nancy has gone on to write a marina travel guide, start the SC Marine Association, and find Friends of the Rivers.  Bill managed the storage and fishing operations of the Boathouse until 2006, when he was able to reconnect with his past and first love as a charter fishing boat captain. There are few folks who appreciate the pristine and plentiful waters of the Bluffton and Hilton Head areas that haven’t spent time with these two over the years. Today, both Nancy and Bill live in the Bluffton area and are enjoying retirement.

                                                                                                                                                                                              Kim Polote
Kim Polote is a professional singer, motivational speaker, and entertainer. She has performed with the Savannah Music Festival and on “Paula Deen’s Cooking” of the Food Network. She has sung with Harry Connick, Jr. and his orchestra. Her awards include the Gold Medal of the American Traditions Competition. She recently released her own CD of Johnny Mercer’s music and we are thrilled to have her join us this year!

Lavon Stevens
Lavon Stevens is known for his Soulful Jazz, Contemporary and Blues music. A native of Savannah, Ga. Lavon began singing and playing piano at the age of 7. He began performing in local groups across the Southeast at the age of thirteen. His first instrument was the violin. He later studied voice and piano at Dekalb College in Atlanta, Ga. From 1979 to 1983.

He has traveled and performed all over the country including Aspen,Co., Atlanta, Ga. and Orlando, Fla. The resort vacation destination of Hilton Head Island, SC has been his home since 1981. He is one of the premier entertainers in Hilton Head Island, SC. Lavon is affiliated with BMI as a Publisher/Songwriter.

He serves on the board as a member of The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and is one of the music producers for The Native Island Gullah Festival. He is very active with The Junior Jazz Foundation at The Jazz Corner and he is also a member of the Circle Of Songs organization. His CD "I See Love" was released in 1996 and features all original compositions. He is producing a variety of shows and recording projects including other R&B, Jazz, and Gospel artists.

This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a leisurely picnic lunch on the bluff of the May River and be entertained by the music and
boat parade. What better way to begin our festival! Plan to join us at 2:00 PM on the grounds of The Church of the Cross at the end of
Calhoun Street for a memorable time.

Author Night with Mary Kay Andrews and Karen White
We are excited to have two best-selling authors for our Author Night this year, to be held Wednesday, Oct. 17 from 6:00 - 8:00 at the Rotary Community Center at Oscar Frazier Park. Plan to join us as these two authors share details about their background and writing...an evening to be shared with friends!
 
Mary Kay Andrews is the author of the New York Times bestselling The Fixer Upper, Savannah Breeze and Blue Christmas, as well as Deep Dish, Hissy Fit, Little Bitty Lies and Savannah Blues.

She also wrote ten critically acclaimed mysteries, including the Callahan Garrity mystery series, under her real name, Kathy Hogan Trocheck. Her mysteries have been nominated for the Edgar, Anthony, Agatha and Macavity Awards.

A native of St. Petersburg, Florida Trocheck earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Georgia in 1976 (Go Dawgs!). She started her professional journalism career in Savannah, Georgia, where she covered the real-life murder trials which were the basis of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. She left journalism after a ten-year stint as a reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She is a frequent lecturer and writing teacher at workshops including Emory University, The University of Georgia’s Harriet Austin Writer’s Workshop, the Tennessee Mountain Writer’s Workshop, and the Antioch Writer’s Workshop.

Married to her high school sweetheart, she is the mother of two grown children and a proud grandmother. After a brief hiatus in Raleigh, NC, she and her husband moved back to their old neighborhood in Atlanta, where they live in a restored 1926 Craftsman bungalow. She divides her time between Atlanta and her restored beach cottage on Tybee Island, GA.

Karen White
After playing hooky one day in the seventh grade to read Gone With the Wind, Karen White knew she wanted to be a writer—or become Scarlett O'Hara.  In spite of these aspirations, Karen pursued a degree in business and graduated cum laude with a BS in Management from Tulane University.  Ten years later, after leaving the business world, she fulfilled her dream of becoming a writer and wrote her first book.  In the Shadow of the Moon was published in August, 2000.  This book was nominated for the prestigious RITA award in 2001 in two separate categories.  Her books have since been nominated for numerous national contests including two more RITAs, the Georgia Author of the Year Award and  has twice won the National Readers’ Choice Award for Learning to Breathe and On Folly Beach.

Karen currently writes what she refers to as ‘grit lit’—southern women’s fiction—and has recently expanded her horizons into writing a mystery series set in Charleston.  Her fourteenth novel, The Beach Trees, was released in trade paperback by New American Library, a division of Penguin Publishing Group, in May, 2011 and debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at number fourteen. 
 Karen hails from a long line of Southerners but spent most of her growing up years in London, England and is a graduate of the American School in London.  She currently lives near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two teenage children, and a spoiled Havanese dog (who appears in several of her books), Quincy.  When not writing, she spends her time reading, scrapbooking, playing piano, and avoiding cooking.  Her next book, The Strangers on Montagu Street, will be published on November 1st, 2011 and she is currently contracted with Penguin for four more novels.
                                                                                                                                                     Whitley Deputy
Hailing from Bluffton, SC, Whitley Deputy and the B-Town Project are an exciting, high energy group playing a great mix of funk, soul, motown, blues, rock and original music.  They cover artists such as James Brown, Stevie Wonder, The Black Crowes, Stevie Ray Vaughn and more.  They have a great feel for getting people out of their seat and onto the dance floor.  Be prepared for an uplifting, soulful experience. Whitley Deputy and the B-Town Project band will be our entertainment for the Saturady night Rockin' on the Dock finale...not to be missed! Find them by the Bluffton Oyster Factory Saturday at 6:00 pm!

Julie Gribble
We are lucky to have this kind of talent ...not to be missed! It just comes naturally for Julie Gribble, writing, singing, and performing.  But what she loves most is to inspire, to reach people with her music.  With her Traditional Americana/Country Music, Gribble has entranced audiences with her modern stories of life, love and relationships.  When you think about the edge of an artist like Lucinda Williams, the melodies of Allison Krauss, and a likeness to Natalie Merchant, you'll find Julie.  Audiences connect immediately to the unique lyrics because they’re not the same old love clichés. As Craig Ferguson said, on his show about her record, So Typical, "It's Fantastic!"

Gribble has toured the US and Canada, opened for major label artists, become the face of Hotel Indigo's Featured Artist and be asked to perform on many national television shows around the country as well as numerous radio spots. With her recent endorsement through Martin Guitars, Julie has been touring supporting her newest release, "Letting Go." This is followed by her appearance in October, 2010 on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.  After wrapping up her supporting role in the upcoming Sony Pictures Film, Quarantine 2, she also was a songwriting teacher and performer on Seth Green's new webshow, ControlTV. Before her recent move to Nashville,TN, she managed to gain a full page interview in Atlanta's Finest Mag, a finalist in GA Lottery's All Access Music Competition, and is nominated for a GA Country Music Award. Don't miss Julie on the Main Stage Saturday from 10:00 - 11:00am and  then again from 1:30 - 3:00pm!

Spike Ivory Band
Spike Ivory crafted his unique sound and style by drawing on influences such as John Waite, Danny Wilde, Bruce Springsteen and John Hiatt just to name a few. Spike Ivory played many of the instruments heard on his debut album and put a very personal stamp on each song. The resulting sound and amazing energy were felt through the live shows as Spike Ivory and his newly formed band began touring. After the release of The Velvet Chains, the band toured many intimate sized venues and more than 225 shows all over the USA, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong and Canada. We are excited to have the Spike Ivory Band join us for the first time in 2011. Don't miss them at the Main Stage on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 3:00 - 5:00!


                                              Alan Stockard
Alan Stockard, a Kentucky native, is an American folk artist residing in the low country of the Southeastern United States. Drawing from life's own struggles and jubilations, as well as the stories that all folks have to tell, his message is one of communication and connection. One that speaks not only to the listener's ear, but to the heart. Stockard will be performing on Stage 2 from 10:00 am - noon on Saturday, October 22.

Richard Steven and the Midnight Blues
Richard Steven and the Midnight Blues are fast becoming a staple in the Georgia/South Carolina Blues scene. the band is well versed on what it takes to please any size crowd.
Comprised of three talented and experienced musicians, the band exhibits levels of professionalism and musicianship that make it easy to become a dedicated fan. It’s plain to see right away that these guys really enjoy playing live and love the music they make together. Not surprisingly, their fan base continues to grow with each performance.
Influences include Albert King, Freddie King, BB King, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Warren Haynes, Son Seals, Muddy Waters, ZZ Top, Howlin’ Wolf, Luther “house rocker” Johnson, Elmore James, just to name a few.
Another new addition this year, you can catch Richard Steven and the Midnight Blues' performance on Stage 3 Saturday from noon - 3:00pm...not to be missed!


Lee Tyler Post
Lee Tyler Post is a National Touring Artist whose style is a mix of Acoustic Soul, Roots Rock Americana & Southern Blues. His lyrics convey stories of everyday people. The San Diego Troubadour wrote, “...Post’s sound is as much Springsteen and Van Morrison as it is Otis Redding and Al Green: blue-collar heartland grit mixed with Motor City soul...” Lee calls it “Rock ‘N’ Soul.”

Having been tagged "The Gypsy Troubadour", Post tours the US extensively, performing 150-200 shows a year, driving 25,000-40,000 miles annually. Along the way he has released 6 studio albums, lived and performed in cities like Austin, Nashville, Seattle, Los Angeles, Asheville, San Diego and Santa Fe, as well as performed live on many TV and Radio Programs. His live shows have been described as “passionate, powerful and moving.” And his down-to-earth on-stage persona complements his dynamic voice and electrifying shows. Always eager to lend his time and talents to charitable causes, Lee has performed at benefits for M.A.D.D., the M.S. Society, and The Ramona Cancer Resource Center. As well as at benefit fundraisers for camps for seriously ill children, The Victory Junction Gang Camp owned by Kyle Petty, the racecar driver, and Bikers Who Care/Toys for Tots to help underprivileged children. Lee has also performed for The Heartland Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center in San Diego, CA. And most recently for The Childhood Cancer Sux Benefit in Seattle, WA for Cure-search. Currently Lee resides in Atlanta, GA where he is finishing up his next release, "Wreckage Of Love" at Miracle Something’s Studio.
Don't miss the "Gypsy Troubadour" on Stage 2 from 3:00 - 5:00pm on Sunday, Oct. 23rd!

Bam Jazz
Let the Party Begin! Some of the best Jazz Blues Cajun Latin Reggae R&B Beach Worldbeat Swing and more with a New Orleans feel. The Gumbo Kings of Jazz and Blues - The Professors of that Gulf Coast Rhythm & Groove - Whispering Smooth Ballads from the Greats - Steaming Swing of the Big Band Era - From the most CLASSIC to the most MODERN Jazz, Jitterbug, Mambo, Swing, Latin, Reggae, Caribbean, Dinner Music, Smooth Jazz, Klezmer, Motown, Beach, and more…

With over 30 years experience in the music business Bam-Jazz has some of the most professional musicians with the highest standards of excelllence in the region. Comprised of some of the most accomplished and versatile players around, trumpeter/vocalist Bill Averbach brings it home with vintage to modern jazz, blues, swing, jumpin’ jive, latin, reggae/ska and more... Influenced heavily by artists such as Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan, Louis Prima, Clifton Chenier, Dr. John, The Meters, and Bob Marley the band plays that jumpin’ jive so reminiscent of zoot suits and two-tone shoes. And when they play that New Orleans sound you can almost taste the creole and gumbo at Mardi Gras. Don't miss the party at the Main Stage on Sunday starting at noon until 3:00pm with Bam Jazz!

GT Summerlin & Misti Franklin
GT and Misti are well known musical artists around the Greensboro North Carolina area.  They perform originals, as well as a variety of Rock, Pop, Country, and Instrumentals.  GT Summerlin is a seasoned musician, singer, songwriter, and will surely dazzle you with the wild sounds of his electric guitar.  Misti Franklin is a soulful vocalist and passionate entertainer.  Misti, a Houston native, has also performed with groups such as The Doug Watkins Band, and Blood Sweat and Tears.  GT & Misti’s diverse song selections offer cool entertainment for everyone! See GT Summerlin & Misti Franklin wow teh crowds on Sunday from 12:00 to 3:00 on Stage 2.

The Train Wrecks
Savannah's own local-boys-done-good, The Train Wrecks offer up raucous and rollicking Americana that’s as equally indebted to the traditionalist legacies of Hank Sr. and Johnny Cash as it is to the forward-thinking rock & roll of Hank III and Lucero. Local reviewers have been “blown away” by the band’s live shows, and the Wrecks have been officially dubbed “The Hardest Gigging Band in Savannah”, a testament to the love and dedication they have for their music. “Saddle Up” is the band’s second full length album and was released earlier this year. The pre prelease had the critics saying it, “is a take-no-prisoners set of electric (and electrifying) story- songs”.

In the time since the band’s inception they have opened for legendary guitarist, B.B. King, as well as Outlaw Country Troubadour, Jerry Jeff Walker, both to a sold out crowd. The Train Wrecks have been a featured band at many festivals including the Annual Gram Parson’s tribute as well as opening for Eddie Money at the Tybee Island Pirate Festival. They were voted the best Southern rock/ Country Band by the Connect Savannah in 2009 and 2010. All four band members bring their own unique perspective and talents to the table to create a singular musical vision, one that they hope to bring to as many people as possible as they continue to tour tirelessly and passionately. Don't miss The Train Wrecks on Sunday, from 3:00 - 5:00 on the Main Stage!

John Emil
Once again, we are proud to have John Emil, an accomplished singer/songwriter, guitarist, and a master of slide guitar, back for our festival! John has delivered showstopping performances at major music festivals around the country.

Equally adept with the acoustic Hawaiian lap steel guitar and dobro, Emil first appeared on the South Florida music scene in 2000. Fans hear haunting, subtle hints of Delta bluesmen Son House and Blind Willie Johnson, but Emil ultimately creates a unique style all his own by integrating country blues, folk, bluegrass and lush Hawaiian sounds into his repertoire.

Routinely taking the lost art of slide guitar in a new direction, Emil has composed a wealth of slide guitar tracks for media production libraries. His instrumental tracks have been published by LA Post Music in Los Angeles, Westar Music in Canada, and Strange Fruit in South Africa. Emil recently became the first American musician to be published by London’s KPM, one of the world’s largest production libraries. Among the many television and cable network shows Emil has supplied music for are “Dateline,” Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations,” CMT’s “Cribs,” and several international wildlife and nature documentaries. Catch John's act on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 3:00 - 5:00 on Stage 3.

Fireworks Spectacular
The 7th annual Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival fireworks spectacular will present the best fireworks show in Bluffton at dusk on Saturday evening, October 22nd. Shot from the May River and viewed riverside at the Bluffton Oyster Factory Park on Wharf Street, this will be the grand finale to a day full of festivities, not to be missed!

Jeff Beasley
Jeff Beasley, a popular mainstay in the Savannah and Low Country area, will join us agin this year. Jeff performs as a one man band...kicking a drum and tambourine while simultaneously singing and playing acoustic guitar, slide, and harmonica. Savannah’s booming tourist trade has provided an abundance of gigs for local and touring musicians. Since 2003, Jeff has averaged 250 shows per year which have provided him ample time on stage to fine tune his one man band act. With the release of his first, live, solo album titled “Jeff Beasley One Man Band”, he is taking his show on the road. “I’m still going to play in Savannah consistently, but I’m ready to show the world this low country sound I’ve been crafting for seven years” says Jeff. The Jeff Beasley Band is well-known in the Savannah and Low Country area, averaging 250 shows per year for the past several years.

We are pleased to have Jeff Beasley as a one-man band. Help us welcome Jeff Beasley back again for another great performance on Saturday, afternoon from 3:00 - 5:00 on
Stage 2.


Mike Gabriel Bailout Blues Band
Mike Gabriel and the Bailout Blues Band will be featured Saturday on Stage 3 from 3:00 - 5:00pm. Bailout Blues String Band is made up of local Bluffton & Hilton Head musicians, Bryan Baker- Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals & 5 string Banjo; Mike Gabriel - Guitar, & Vocals; and John Sturm - Blues Harmonica, Mandolin, Spike Jones Washboard & Vocals. "We got big city and back country, Uptown & Down Home. We play American roots music going back as far as the 1920's & 30's when String Bands and Jug Bands delighted  the denizens of Juke Joints, Fish Frys and  Rent parties, as well as the passersby ,strolling the streets of the deep South.. Picking it up with the changing times, we can pull-out some Texas Swing  from the 1940's, and even some Bluegrass. In all of the music we play, we never  stray far from the basis of all roots music - the low-down, dirty, Blues." This is a sound you won't want to miss!

Ben Mathews                                                      Yostie
We are pleased to welcome Ben Mathews
back to the Street Fest this year. Ben
provides a strolling show that makes
everyone feel festive. Ben entertains the
audience with juggling balls, clubs, a
bowling ball, eggs, machetes, and even
flaming juggling torches! Catch his act on
Calhoun Street Saturday and Sunday from
1:00 - 4:00!


                                                                                                                                                 Yostie is a story-telling puppeteer from Pensacola Florida, serving as Artist-in-Residence with the South Carolina Arts Company. She won’t be hard to miss on Saturday as you wander Calhoun Street. Most likely Yostie will be surrounded by children, as she entertains in her own unique style. Be sure to catch her performance on Saturday from noon - 5:00pm.

Carolina Clowns of Charlotte NC
Carolina Clowns Inc. proudly celebrates 54 years service to Charlotte and surrounding communities in 2011.  The Carolina Clowns originated in 1957. Today, Carolina Clowns has grown to a strong group of dedicated members who still carry on the tradition that brought us together so many years ago. 

The men and women in the Carolina Clowns give of their time and talent to bring joy and laughter to children of all ages.  The organization is a charitable, non-sectarian, non-profit group of volunteers coming together to put on make-up, noses, funny shoes, and costumes.  All four types of clowns are represented in the organization: Auguste, White Face, Character, and Hobo. Bringing joy and laughter to the community is what originally brought Carolina Clowns together and over the years, the Carolina Clowns have touched many lives. You'll want to look for Carolina Clowns as they roam Calhoun Street on Saturday and Sunday afternoons!

Gary Maurer
Gary has been entertaining audiences of all ages with his unique blend of comedy and magic since 1986.
Whether it is close-up, strolling magic, cabaret or a full stage show, Gary is known for his professionalism and relationship that he develops with his audience. Gary takes his audience into a world of magic, comedy, rabbits, audience participation and illusions. Don't miss the magician performances as Gary roams the streets from 11:30 - 1:30pm on Saturday and again from 1:00 - 3:00pm on Sunday!

Fred the Fantastique
Watch for Fred's magical acts as he strolls Calhoun
Street on Sunday from 1:00 - 4:00. He will amaze children
amd adults with his magic!