In February, we posted about a special project band featuring a number of notable pickers who were getting together to do some off-season concert gigs. The band will include John Miller on guitar, Jesse Brock on mandolin, Joey Cox on banjo and Mike Conner on bass. A number of other pickers and singers have agreed to be a part of this project when one of those folks can’t make it, including Norman Wright.
The band had chosen the name Southern Accent, which generated a torrent of comment and controversy here on Bluegrass Today. It turns out that a Gospel bluegrass group in western North Carolina uses that name, and friends and fans of the band united to express dismay and dissatisfaction about this new side-project band’s name.
Conner, whose contact information had been published in our earlier post, told us that in addition to the many comments posted here, he received numerous emails and phone calls from Southern Accent fans, and members of the church where they sing regularly.
“I even had the pastor from their church leave me a 10 minute voice message asking us to consider a different name.”
Never meaning to cause a ruckus – especially for a very part time venture – the new band is going to choose a new moniker, and they are asking for your help.
Conner is offering a pair of free tickets to Roanoke Fiddlefest, the festival he manages in late July, to whoever comes up with their favorite new band name. The winner will also get free accommodations for the weekend in the performer’s housing area on site. He asks that suggestions be made in the comments to this post, and we will notify the winners once a new name has been chosen.
Roanoke Fiddlefest runs July 30-31 and boasts stage performances from Cherryholmes, Mountain Heart, Lonesome River Band, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper and more.
Sounds like an agreeable solution to me!
