2015 09 06 sun hc funfest

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Special Supplement to the

Herald-Citizen, Sunday, September 6, 2015


2 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 6, 2015

Fall FunFest Everything you ever wanted to know about Fall FunFest

In its 20th year, Fall FunFest takes place on the Putnam County courthouse square Sept. 11-12. As always, admission is free. Hours of the festival are 5-10 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; except for the 5 Mile FunRun which takes place Saturday at 7 a.m. Fall FunFest is proud to be a recyclingfriendly, litter-free event — please look for the recycling containers throughout the event. Please keep in mind no dogs, bicycles or skateboards are allowed during the festival. Here are a few other things to keep in mind for Fall FunFest! Parking Most parking lots and spaces north of the Square begin closing at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday to accommodate the BBQ rigs coming into town for the Cook-Off competition. Also important to note is that parking spaces from Broad going north to Freeze, and going east and west from Staley to Washington as well as up to Freeze will be closed for the entire festival. Handicap Parking Designated signage will be posted at Jacob’s Ladder parking lot for handicap parking. Vehicles must enter from Dixie Avenue and must also have designated handicap hangtag or license plate. Street Closures Street closures will begin first thing Friday morning and by 7 p.m. will encompass the entire Square area. However, Dixie will not be closed until Saturday morning for the Five Mile FunRun. Here’s the schedule of street closures: Friday: 8 a.m.: Broad from Staley to Jefferson; Washington from Spring to Freeze; Madison from Broad to Freeze to 1st St., pending any funeral processions; Boyd from Staley to Madison; Jefferson from Broad to Freeze to 1st St., pending any funeral processions; Freeze from Jefferson to Washington (and Dixie to Jefferson, pend-

ing any funeral processions) Noon: Boyd from Staley to Dixie; Broad from Staley to Dixie; Jefferson from Spring to Freeze; Madison from Freeze to Spring 7 p.m.: Jefferson from Reagan to Freeze to 1st St., pending any funeral processions; Madison from Reagan to Freeze or 1st St., pending any funeral processions; Spring from Washington to Dixie. All roads will re-open by 2 a.m. Sunday. 5 Mile FunRun Saturday: The following roads will be affected on Saturday beginning at 6 a.m.: Dixie from Broad to 1st; Broad from 1st to Walnut; Walnut from 1st to Peachtree; Peachtree from Walnut to 7th; 7th from Peachtree to Whitney; 10th from Whitney to Peachtree; B Street from Peachtree to Dixie; Jere Whitson from Dixie to Washington; 10th from Washington to Jefferson Public Restrooms Port-a-johns will be in several locations throughout the festival: Madison Avenue in Family Fun Zone and Washington Avenue. Information Booth/Ticket Sales Ty Kernea | Herald-Citizen There is no charge for admission to the festival; however, there are inflatables and kids James Jones grins as he hangs on the sticky wall in the Kids Zone. activities that require tickets in the Family Fun Zone. Tickets can be purchased at the Information/Ticket Booth on the corner of Broad and Jefferson. Additionally, WCTE has its own Information Booth located in the Stations of Imagination area in front of the Arcade Building. Stations of Imagination is free. Emergency Services Emergency Services are on hand if any type of emergency should arise. Emergency Command Center is located at the intersection of Spring and Washington. Staff from other city and county emergency agencies that will be in attendance are: Cookeville Fire Department, Cookeville Police Department, Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and Putnam County Emergency Services.


HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 6, 2015 — 3

Fall FunFest Fall FunFest brings fresh fun to Cookeville By MEGAN TROTTER HERALD-CITIZEN Staff

COOKEVILLE — Putnam County’s favorite fall festival will kick off Friday at 5 p.m. for Fall FunFest’s 20th year. The event will be a whirlwind of activities for the kids, a selection of fantastic food and a variety of music for all types of musical tastes. “This is the 20th year of Fall FunFest and the biggest change this year will be the music,” said Laura Wolf, executive director of CityScape. “We have some incredible acts that will be taking the stage and a lot of them are Cookeville’s finest musicians that have gone to bigger stages. This will be a true homecoming performance for each of them and they all bring a large fan base that will add a lot of excitement” The line-up will bring a little something for everyone, from blues and classic rock to modern pop and R&B. Musicians will include LaFever, Malemen, Few Miles On, and Roy Roberts — culminating in the return of hometown favorites Judah and the Lion. “Everyone is going to be dancing in the streets,” Wolf said.

The musical peformances at Fall FunFest draw large crowds every year. Ty Kernea | HeraldCitizen

This year, the opening day of Fall FunFest falls on Sept. 11, and so organizers have decided to make this year’s event have a patriotic theme. The opening ceremony will include the singing of the national anthem, and the event’s logo has been adapted to paint the shape of Tennessee with the American flag. The annual Tony Stone Cook-Off returns

for the best cooks to showcase their skills in preparing hamburger, chicken and pork chops for the chance to win the big trophy and bragging rights for this Kanas City Barbeque Society sanctioned event. And there will be plenty to keep the kids happy, with WCTE’s Station of Imagination, which will include music and characters from the TV station’s programing —

such as Elmo from Sesame Street. There will also be activities like bouncy houses, giant slides and a bungee run. New this year will be a cliff jump to get the blood pumping and a four-man jousting arena. It is going to be two days packed with food, fun and entertainment. Read on for more details about this annual event.


4 —HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, Sunday, September 6, 2015

Fall FunFest

FunFest full of youth activities COOKEVILLE — Young people have plenty of fun in store at the courthouse square this weekend. It is a fun fest, after all. While the older crowd may get satisfaction with everything from live music to crafts to barbecue, little ones and teens alike may have different ideas for excitement — jumping in inflatable bounce houses, going down slides and more — in the family zone on Madison Street and Broad as part of CityScape’s annual Fall FunFest. “It is always packed,” said Jackie Duncan, event director for CityScape, which puts on the annual event. “That is one of the best areas, and some of the things you can do for a dollar. So we do have good value for the children.” Duncan noted that no rock wall or sticky wall will be available in the area this year, but taking its place will be a cliff jump and a four-man jousting arena. And there will be other favorites like giant slides, a bungee run, Adrenaline Rush and Jurassic Park.

Tickets for family zone activities may be purchased at the ticket booth, located on the corner of Broad and Jefferson, across from Poet’s. “Most of the inflatables range from one ticket to five tickets,” Duncan said. Armbands are also available. “Armbands will allow them to jump and play on inflatables all day long for $15,” Duncan said. She said more activities were added this year to help eliminate long lines. “Last year, we had really long lines at some of them, so we’ve tried to improve that by adding more inflatables while not increasing the prices,” she said. Duncan looks forward to seeing more families enjoying themselves at this year’s FunFest. “We try to provide something for the whole family,” she said. “While you can listen to the music, the kids can play on the jumpies. We have volunteers from Tech who help man them so there’s always going to be people there helping to gear up and watch the children.”

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Anna Stiriz laughs as she gets snapped back by the bungee cord on the Bungee Run in last year's play area.

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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 6, 2015 — 5

Fall FunFest

Barbecue competition to crown the best

COOKEVILLE — The annual Tony Stone Cook-Off in Cookeville has returned to pit some of the best barbecue cooks in the country against each other to claim the title of best of the best. Qualified judges taste-test their creations and announce whose culinary creations make top marks. Started in 1989, the competition was first known as the Cookeville Hamburger CookOff when it leapt from the mind of then Cookeville Mayor Tony Stone to become reality. “It was a hamburger cook-off competition for the first few years,” said Stone’s daughter, Melinda Keifer, “and then Crime Stoppers took it over and did that for several years.” It served as a fundraiser for Crime Stoppers for a while. Then, in 1996, Keifer became the executive director of CityScape, and helped start the tradition of Fall FunFest. A couple of years later, coordinators of WCTE’s annual Stations of Imagination decided to combine their event with the Fall FunFest, and the Cookeville Hamburger High on the Hawg from Fayetteville was the grand champion of the Tony Stone Cookeville Cook-Off last year. From left, are Terry Buchanan of High on the Hawg; Christy Lee, Tony Stone’s granddaughter; and Brenda Buchanan of See KCBS, Page 7 High on the Hawg.


6 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 6, 2015

Fall FunFest Fall FunFest Sponsors

CityScape Board

Ty Kernea | Herald-Citizen

Fall FunFest, in its 20th year, wouldn’t be possible without the support of our sponsors. Please support their businesses and say thanks to the following commercial sponsors for enabling us to put on the great festival: CityScape, City of Cookeville, LifeChurch, Nissan of Cookeville, Averitt, 94.7 The Giant, Cookeville Regional Medical Center, First Tennessee, 98.5 KissFM, BB&T, Coca-Cola, Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Stone Steel, Tennessee Tech University, WCTE, Select Designs, First National Bank, Roland Outdoor, Party Source and Rentals.

This year’s CityScape Board includes, in front, from left, Laura Wolf, executive director; Jil Horner, board member; and Jackie Duncan, event director. In back are members: Lee Wray, Mark Wilson, Rick Jones, Larry Thomas, Randy Adams, Randy Porter, Angelo Volpe, Brian Maffett and Gene Bressler.

Fall FunFest Volunteers

Ty Kernea | Herald-Citizen

Some of the volunteers helping out with this year’s fall FunFest include, in front, from left, Jen Webb, Lisa Fuller, Avery Owens, Susie Cantrell, Jackie Duncan, Laura Wolf and Reggie Brown. And in back: Scottie Roberts, Mike McLatchy, Brian Long, Josh Womack, Tom Dyer, Bruce Womack, Roger Fuque, David Medley, Mike Sullivan, Eddie Farris, Mike Thompson, Randy Porter, Zach Ledbetter, Tommy Copeland and Chad McDonald.


HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 6, 2015 — 7

Fall FunFest KCBS: Contest officially sanctioned as state championship From Page 5 Cook-Off decided to merge into the festival as well. Only now, it was called the Cookeville Cook-Off and included barbecue as well as hamburgers. Stone passed away in 2011 at the age of 74, and in 2012 the event was officially re-named the Tony Stone Cook-Off in honor of the man who started it all. His love of barbecue got its start when he started building barbecue cookers and smokers through his and his brother’s steel fabricating business, then known as Stone Brothers Welding. After building, he got into cooking and served as Grill Master for the Golden Eagle Scramble in 1979. He started up the annual cookoff and worked to get it named

a Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned event, and later he got it bumped up to a sanctioned state championship. It was the first barbecue contest held east of the Mississippi River. Stone was a 2011 Pioneer of Barbecue Award recipient and the president of the Kansas City Barbecue Society from 20052007. He even had a competition in Holland named after him — the Tony Stone Low and Slow BBQ Competition. Today, the Tony Stone CookOff at Fall FunFest continues in his honor, thanks to the hard work of his daughters and countless volunteers. “Mother and Daddy both were (into barbecue), and my sister Julie Lee and I have carried on the legacy of the event for them,” Keifer said. “It’s really a labor of love for us.”

Ty Kernea | Herald-Citizen

Milt Collins of Algood Bar-B-Q and Catering shows off some of his sausages for the annual BBQ competition at last year’s event.


8 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 6, 2015

Fall FunFest Elmo highlights WCTE Stations of Imagination COOKEVILLE — WCTE’s Stations of Imagination at Cookeville’s Fall FunFest will take place on Sept. 11 and 12 on the Cookeville Square. This annual event features a myriad of free, fun and educational activities for kids and families. To celebrate PBS Kids programming, popular characters Walkaround Elmo and Sid the Science Kid will be on site to ‘meet and greet’ fans. Over 40 booths will feature hands-on activities for the young and young at heart. WCTE is excited to announce that this year’s Stations of Imagination entertainers will perform from the main Fall FunFest stage at the corner of Washington Ave. and Broad St. Headlining performer this year is the Clarksville-based Latin Jimmy Bonilla Band. Jimmy Bonilla will take the stage from 2-3 p.m on Saturday, Sept. 12. This high-energy band promises Latin tunes and a plethora of instruments to make people move and dance—salsa-style! The Jimmy Bonilla Band is made possible through a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission. Other SOI stage performers include local dance, choral, and theater groups. “Stations of Imagination has always had music and dance performers, but they usually perform from our small stage in the SOI area.,” said Reggie Brown, WCTE Education associate and SOI coordinator. “This year, and for the first time ever, WCTE’s performers will be featured on the main Fall FunFest stage—we are thrilled!” Also new to Stations of Imagination this year is the TTU Oakley S.T.E.M. Center’s S.T.E.M. mobile, which will be on site Saturday, Sept. 12, for tours and hands-on activities featuring the wonders of science. Young ones will be able to explore PBS Kids mobile apps, see a 3D printer in action, and more. A “Read Up” event, in partnership with the Children’s Reading Foundation of the Upper Cumberland and Putnam County Schools, will also take place at SOI. Over 1,000 books have been donated to be distributed free to children; families can stop by the WCTE “Read Up” booth to pick out a new favorite book to take home. These books are intended to encourage children and families to ‘Read 20’ minutes per day. At 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights,

Stage Schedule Jefferson & Broad

Friday 5-6 p.m. TTU Drum Line & PBS Characters 6-9 p.m. Silent Disco hosted by WCTE & sponsored by Lenny & Eva 7-8 p.m. Sesame Street: The Cookie Thief film screening

FunFest Main Stage

the public can view “Sesame Street: The Cookie Thief” on the big screen in front of the courthouse on Jefferson Ave. In addition, “kids” of all ages are invited to dance in WCTE’s Silent Disco from 6-9 p.m. Stations of Imagination is always free and open to the public. WCTE encourages Upper Cumberland families to come out to Cookeville for this event. For more information and to view the Stations of Imagination event schedule, visit wcte.org/stations.

MC: WCTE’s Cindy Putman & Lee Wray Saturday 9:30 a.m. Upperman High School Percussion & Art Prowl Bikers 10 a.m. Johnston Family 10:30 a.m. Capshaw Chorus 11 a.m. Stage One Dancers 11:30 a.m. Leisure Services Dancers Noon Cookeville Children’s Theater “Wizard of Oz” 1 p.m. Monterey High School Presents “Grease” 1:15 p.m. Monterey High School Cheer 1:30 p.m. Centre School for Dance 2-3 p.m. Jimmy Bonilla Orchestra sponsored by Tennessee Arts Commission 6-9 p.m. Walkaround Elmo greets young fan Silent Disco hosted by WCTE & sponJosh Sasser at Stations of Imagina- sored by Lenny & Eva tion 2011. 7-8 p.m. Sesame Street: The Cookie Thief film screening

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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 6, 2015 — 9

Artist Spotlight

Fall FunFest Main Stage Schedule Friday, Sept. 11 5:45 p.m. Tori Cannon 6 p.m. LaFever 8 p.m. The Malemen Saturday, Sept. 12 3 p.m. KCBS Cook-Off Awards 4 p.m. Few Miles On 6 p.m. Roy Roberts 8 p.m. Judah and the Lion Several events are listed in the Stations of Imagination Schedule on Page 8

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Roy Roberts sings the blues COOKEVILLE — Roy Roberts became hooked on music while growing up in a small town in Tennessee, listening to blues and R&B on radio stations WLAC out of Nashville. Jimmy Reed’s “Baby What You Want Me to Do” was the clincher and at the age of 14, Roberts worked on a nearby farm to earn the money for his first guitar, a mail order Sears Silvertone. Roberts began to cut records in the mid60’s, staying mostly behind the scenes as a session man. The tragic death of Otis Redding inspired him to step up to the microphone with a song dedicated to the late crooner. The record was released on Nina Simone’s NinaAndy label and backed by an ace studio band. Roberts followed this successful effort with a string of 45’s that carried him well into the 70’s. During the disco years, Roberts turned his talents to country music, touring with the great O.B. McClinton and

releasing a number of country records. After a brief hiatus from the music scene, Roberts built a recording studio in Virginia in 1989, where he produced records by regional gospel artists and cut a gospel record of his own. One day in the early 90S, he heard a young Robert Cray singing the blues on the radio. “That cat’s got my style,” he declared, and got the blues fever once again. Besides recording his own material on Rock House, Roberts has produced albums for the label by Priscilla Price, Lou Pride, Chick Willis, Skeeter Brandon, Floyd Miles, Eddie Floyd, and many more. Roberts continues to record and produce records for his label, and tours the U.S. and Europe regularly. After receiving numerous awards, Roberts has earned his place among the finest artists playing blues today. For more information about Roberts, visit www.royrobertsblues.com.

Tammie Ragsdale, Agent New York Life Insurance Company Licensed Agent 320 E. Broad Street, Suite 1B Cookeville, TN 38501 Bus. 931-265-4797 tragsdale@ft.newyorklife.com www.tammieragsdale.com The Company You Keep©

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10 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 6, 2015

Fall FunFest Artist Spotlight

Few Miles On sings blues and about blue-collar life COOKEVILLE — Few Miles On is a group of veteran musicians who perform a combination of blues based favorites along with their own original songs. Their music clearly reveals the influences of Motown, Chicago, Nashville and the Mississippi Delta. They write unpretentious songs about blue-collar life from their unique perspectives of growing up in the rust belt and Bible belt. Together they create a unique style and tone where each one compliments the other. These guys can generate thunder and lightning with the best of them or demonstrate artistic dynamics on a slow burn blues number. The engine that drives every good band is the rhythm section and Few Miles On is no exception to that rule with a one-two punch

of Randall Rittenberry on drums and Larry Alder on bass. These two are at their finest when locked into an irresistible funk rock blues groove. On guitar, Philip Hall takes a song-focused approach blending crisp riffs, melodic solos and gritty slide work moving seamlessly between rhythm and lead. His playing is reminiscent of his 70’s era guitar heroes but still projects a sound all his own. Few Miles On consistently receives enthusiastic reviews for their fun, high-energy performances of covers and original songs. Attend a Few Miles On show and you will be a fan. These guys are sure to bring you “music that makes you want to move!” For more information about the band, visit www.fewmilesonband.com.

Artist Spotlight

LaFever makes vintage modern again COOKEVILLE — The music of LaFever brings heat to modern pop music, with a twist of retro R&B and soul. Creating music with no boundaries, LaFever is setting out to make vintage modern again. The name “LaFever” is French for black-

smith, and LaFever considers them songsmiths. Playing at open mic nights and a variety of venues across Tennessee to Texas and Florida, LaFever has made a name themselves as not only as top notch songwriters, but a solid performers as well.

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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 6, 2015 — 11

Fall FunFest Artist Spotlight

Malemen make the audience get up and dance

COOKEVILLE — Based out of Chattanooga with 25 passionate years on the circuit, The Malemen Show Band is a seasoned act ready to provide a stellar, choreographed performance for any occasion. The three female vocalists bring soothing melodies, while the seven-member rhythm/horn section brings the funk and additional vocals. The group has had the privilege of performing for U.S. Presidents and have shared the stage with the likes of The Gap Band, Parliament/ Funkadelic, Boyz II Men and Cameo, just to name a few. Whether it’s in a large venue or an intimate setting, you can expect a first class delivery and a tailored playlist of various genres from the 1960’s to today’s hits. Audience participation is a virtue of theirs, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself onstage singing and dancing along. For more information about the band, visit www.malemenband.com/.

We couldn’t do it without you Downtown Merchants — Once a year, these businesses and professionals are “invaded” by the festival and respond with great hospitality Plateau Chapter of Tennessee Craft — Mike Whiteman and a group of dedicated members handle all aspects of putting on a high-quality show; many of whom have been involved in the festival for 20 years. Tennessee Tech University — TTU as a whole provides much support in the way of manpower for the event. In the Family Zone, Michelle Huddleston and students from the Service Center man the inflatables and other events. Volunteers — There are approximately 200 volunteers who work together to bring Fall FunFest together. Many of these dedicated volunteers have been with the festival for 15+ years. Leisure Services sends volunteers whose presence is crucial in putting on the Run. Community Partners — Partners like

Walker Investment Company, Aaron’s, Appliance Mart, Arcade Properties, Department of Leisure Services, Freddie Duncan and Sons Moving and Storage, First United Methodist Church, Planet Fitness, Roland Advertising, Patti and William Clark, Will Roberson, and White Plains Golf Course help us with items for the festival. Food Donors — Last, but not least, the following food donors help feed all the 200+ volunteers: Blue Coast Burrito, Char, Charity’s Bake Shop, Chick-Fil-A, Chili’s, Coca-Cola, The CookeHouse, Firehouse Subs, Great Harvest Bread Co, Jimmy John’s, Papa John’s, Ralph’s Donuts, Sam’s Club, Stroud’s Barbecue, and Walmart in Algood and Cookeville. Food Vendors — Some of the food vendors which will be featured during the weekend: All American, Autumn Acres, Go Greek, Vinie T’s, Ears & Spuds, Country Boy Kettle Corn, Yard Birds, Helen’s and Chili’s.

FunFest TShirts Fall FunFest T-shirts are available for $10 at the CityScape office on the 3rd floor of the First Tennessee Bank Building on Jefferson. Pictured wearing this year’s design are Board Vice Chairman Jim Woodford, and his daughter and grandson, Jenna and Leo Hillis.


12 —HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 6, 2015

Fall FunFest Judah and the Lion returns to Cookeville COOKEVILLE — “Friend of a friend” is the way it all came together, three very different people from very different places, united by a shared love of music. As a band, Judah & the Lion owes much to fate and to the small town feel of Nashville, the city that brought the trio together from scattered parts of the country. The three met while attending Belmont University in the city, introduced to each other through music and mutual friends. “We all had similar stories, despite the fact that we’d grown up in different places,” explains mandolin player Brian Macdonald, “Judah is the Southerner, I’m the Chicago city slicker, and Nate is the laidback, bearded Rocky Mountain guy.” One listen and you can hear the influence of each of their youths. Judah Akers in his Tennessee hometown, listening to the soulful crackle of Ray Charles records, Nate Zuercher, a Colorado kid into rugged rock’n’roll, Macdonald driving through the suburbs of Chicago, blasting everything from Frank Sinatra to Billy Joel. Somehow, all these sounds have come together in Judah & the Lion – the old school sincerity of Southern gospel and soul, the

energy of rock and the time-tested pop of classics and hits from the past. And through it all, there is the sound too – of their shared obsession, the feverishly nostalgic twang of bluegrass, country and traditional folk music. Judah & the Lion is a modern pop band

with a feel as old as hills and holler, Akers’ topical lyricism matched with the familiar feel traditional instrumentation – mandolin, banjo and the kind of vocal harmonies that make the heart ache. That resulted in two successful EPs, First Fruits and Sweet Tennessee. The latter

blasted onto the Billboard charts, hitting the Top 20 in a variety of genres – No. 2 on “Bluegrass,” No. 9 on “Heatseekers” and No. 15 on “Folk.” Sweet Tennessee also made it to #1 on iTunes “Singer/Songwriter” chart and broke into the Top 25 overall albums chart. The band has hit the road repeatedly in support of both releases, making the cross-country trek for extensive national tours and playing to sold-out crowds throughout the South and (of course!) in their Nashville hometown. Whether you’ve heard the band play live or merely listened to those first two releases, you can feel the growing connection between the trio, a musical bond of true and deeply felt emotion. Judah & the Lion possess a resonance beyond their years and a sincerity of feeling that comes in part from childhoods spent performing at youth groups and at Sunday worship. And while their debut EP was a collection of worship songs, the tracks on their fulllength album are inspired by a wide variety of themes, narratives eloquently reflecting the trio’s continually evolving lives… and sound.


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