music

Here is some information on the Bands that will be performing at this years Music Fest.

The Occasional Milkshake is what happens when Hootie and the Blowfish, The Blue Dogs, and Cravin' Melon all take a break. Hootie lead guitarist and founding member Mark Bryan, Blue Dogs stand-up bass slapper Hank Futch, and Gary Greene, who plays drums for Cravin' Melon, and percussion for the Blowfish, began jamming together for fun in the early aughts, when their respective bands were on hiatus.

The Occasional Milkshake's motives are pure - have fun playing music. The guys like to switch instruments and open for themselves. Hank is actually a fine acoustic guitar picker, and he likes to sing old songs while Mark works the mandolin, and Gary sometimes tries his hand at banjo. Once they plug in, it's a rock show, with originals and covers that fall all over the map; from bluegrass to punkabilly, and anything in between. Laughter is a key ingredient, and there is plenty of it. It's a spontaneous affair, with a loose setlist - the way music is supposed to be.

Ed Hunnicutt & Laura Ball

Ed Hunnicutt had a successful career in Nashville writing songs that were recorded by artists such as Brooks and Dunn, Reba McEntire, Mickey Gilley and Willie Nelson. He was also a recording artist for MCA Records and had a top fourty single with "In Real Life". Today, he continues performing in the Coastal Carolina Region and one of his songs "The Coast of Carolina" has won enduring popularity in the eastern part of the state.

Laura Ball is a locally grown musician. Trained as a pianist and vocalist in New York and Washington, DC, Laura now works in the greater Charleston area as a performer and an arts educator. She is a member of the Charleston Arts Coalition, director of music at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, a member of the contemporary ensemble at Christ Our King, and a guest artist at Charleston Collegiate School and Nativity School. Whether it is singing jazz, conducting a large choir, or composing a new musical, Laura enjoys collaborating with other artists across mediums. When she is not performing, Laura can be found pursuing her other great love -- literature.

Doug Jones

Singer-songwriter Doug Jones was the friendly, easygoing voice of Cravin' Melon, and for those wondering what the guy has been up to since the Melon's demise, his new CD should answer that question nicely. Always able to write a good hook, Jones has just released "Doug Jones Everybody, Doug Jones," which features an almost-perfect collection of original tunes. Nashville would enjoy an earful of clever tunes such as "Gettin' Out About Now" and "Kisses." Both of those songs were born for modern country radio, as is "I Bought a Star." Doug Jones can make you laugh out loud at one song and get misty eyed at the next.