Amazing Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina

OK Gang, we’ve been away for a bit but – we’re back!!  We’ve had really cold weather here on the East coast and our neighbors up North have been brutalized by Old Man Winter.  In fact, as we speak (or write as the case may be) we expect to get some more freezing precipitation tonight in the Sunny South.  Who knows?  But we got a reprieve yesterday with temps in the high fifties/low sixties so we hooked up with a couple of our buddies and headed out for one of our most enjoyable outings – a Bluegrass Festival!!! 

You folks who joined us last year for the Bluegrass Festival at Magnolia Lodge will recall some of the spectacular music we saw right here in wonderful Ridgeway, SC.  Well,  Patty and Doug who we introduced you to back, then joined us for a visit to the Haynes Auditorium in greater metropolitan Batesburg-Leesville, S.C. for the second event of the 2015 Haynes Bluegrass Series.  Now, folks, this is something to mark down on your calendar.  It turns out that this tiny town, in the far western corner of Lexington County, S. C., has become a mecca for some of the most outstanding practitioners of bluegrass art in the country.  And I say that advisedly gang. 

Batesburg-Leesville was originally two towns (of the same names) both founded near the end of the 18^th century and separated by a 500 yard median along the “Columbia, Charlotte and Augusta Railroad (Now Southern Railway).  Batesburg was originally called Batesville for one or more members of the prominent Bates family who had extensive landholdings in the area and possibly the town’s first mayor, Captain A. D. Bates, who was also a railroad official and minister.  But it was later changed to Batesburg to avoid conflict with another South Carolina town of the same name.  Leesville was the site of Captain John Lee’s Tavern, reportedly one of George Washington’s stopping places during his tour of 1791, and the town name was derived from the Lee family.  Anyway!!! The present town (consolidated into one entity in 1992) is the home of some interesting stuff.  Located about forty miles from our capital, Columbia, with a population of about  5,500 people, the town is home to the “Mid-State Mud Bogg”, a wild event featuring a bunch of high-powered pickup trucks with huge engines and even “huge-er” tires whose sole purpose in life is to scream through about one hundred yards of gooey mud as fast as they can go.  But “B-L” also hosts the annual “Poultry Festival” (May 9^th of this year) where you can find virtually anything remotely associated with chickens!!!  And, I have to add that it is also the official home of “Camp Barstow” the summer camp of the Indian Waters Council of the Boy Scouts of America.  Barstow was originally located Southwest of Columbia and during the many years we were involved in Scouting we had lots of great adventures there.

We arrived at Haynes Auditorium on College Street right at 6:30 pm, picked up our tickets and made our way into the auditorium.  First, though, we had to pick up cushions for our seats!!  (Believe me, we were glad we had them).  We got settled in, said some “Howdy’s” to friends we saw, and very quickly were introduced to the opening band, “Flatland Express”.  This group has been around for a while and is a regular at Haynes but, more importantly, is the “home band” of the guy who coordinates events at the auditorium, Lewis Rogers.  The group consists of Lewis Rogers (Fiddle, Mandolin, Banjo and vocal), O’Neal Davis (Guitar and vocal), Marty Carrigg (Banjo, Dobro, and Vocals),  Hugh Fanning (also known as “Otto”)  (Mandolin, Banjo, Guitar and vocal), and Katie Miller (Bass and vocals).  Folks this group is what “real” music is all about.  They are exceptional musicians who, I am sure, want to get compensated for their effort but, who perform for the sheer love of music.  They were great!! And glad we had them!– They performed for a solid hour without a break.  I have tried to attach some photos and a video so you will get an idea of their talent.  Soon, however, they turned the stage over to the “headliners” for the evening, “Darin and Brooke Aldridge”. 

Now, I’ve gotta tell ya, while the name of the group is “Darin and Brooke Aldridge”, every one of the other members of the band could be a headliner in his or her own right!!!  They were absolutely spectacular musicians – with credentials to match!!!  Darin (Mandolin, Guitar, Vocal) and Brooke (Vocal, Mandolin) were stunningly good singers but the talent on the other parts of the stage was amazing.  Dwayne Anderson (Acoustic Bass, Vocal)  has performed with a number of groups and is currently an instructor at East Tennessee State University; Tyler Collins (Banjo) is an incredible musician who has won numerous banjo and guitar competitions throughout the southeast and was Tennessee State Dobro Champion last year.  Colin Willis (Dobro) is from Chesnee, South Carolina and has recorded and played with numerous bands.  Carley Arrowood (Fiddle) is an 18 year old young lady from from Union Mills, N.C. whose credentials include First place (Fiddle) and Second Place (Bluegrass Band) at the Union Grove Fiddlers Convention.  Now, folks, these groups were truly outstanding and our experience at the Haynes Auditorium could not have been better.  I hope you will take the time to find out more about these exceptional groups and consider going to one of the events that will take place on the fourth Saturday each month for the rest of the year.  (And also to some of the other quirky, wonderful events they have around here!!) If you want to find out more about the series bluegrass series, go to http://www.haynesbluegrass.com/.  Next time we go we’ll let you know and, hopefully, we’ll have a chance to meet up in Batesburg-Leesville.  See ya.