V3 October 2021

NWGA'S PREMIER FEATURE MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2021

THE Thunder

Rolls

Local band The Georgia Thunderbolts pair a gritty work ethic with a bold intensity to bring a fresh sound to southern rock

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Please join us for an evening of fellowship as we host our annual

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Popcorn

Raffle

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Fun & Games

Saturday, October 30th 5-7pm 3002 Maple Road, Rome GA 30161

Free Admission! Costumes encouraged!

Event will be held outside, and don’t forget your mask! www.hendersonandsons.com 2

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Chances are, the birth of your baby will be a happy, healthy experience. Still, peace of mind is priceless, and it’s good to know that Floyd stands ready 24/7 with the advanced care necessary should your baby need intensive care following birth. As the area’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, our expert team of doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists provides high tech care with a compassionate touch for the tiniest newborns.

floyd.org/baby READV3.COM | OCTOBER 2021 V3 MAGAZINE

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OCTOBER2021 COLUMNS 10

In the middle of a once-in-a-lifetime chance to build a house, Tammy Barron searches for balance within the stressful details and the will to enjoy the ride.

FEATURES 15

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Kenneth Studdard of Rome’s Dogwood Books pours his literary expertise and love of books into creating a secondhand bookshop that is a bookworm’s escape from the world.

V3 MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021 | READV3.COM

FEATURES 24

Hardy Realty offers a look at a riverside home that feels like a retreat complete with a new saltwater pool, a courtyard, double-decker porches, and room for horses.

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Local southern rock band, The Georgia Thunderbolts, release their full-length debut album, Can We Get A Witness.

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Cartersville’s Pettit Creek Farms celebrates autumn with its annual Pumpkin Fest, complete with hayrides, a corn maze, ziplines, camel rides, and much more.

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4617 Rockmart Hwy Silver Creek, GA | 706-528-4963 | www.acwlandscapes.com | Find us on Facebook READV3.COM | OCTOBER 2021 V3 MAGAZINE

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Publisher's Note As we walk through life on our individual journeys, we are lucky to find the people who walk the path with us and allow us to join them on theirs. Family and friends are what make the bad times bearable and the good times so special.

We find those people at different times along the way and I while I remember crossing paths with Matt Davis in our teenage years, it wasn’t until I got involved with V3 that we crossed paths again and have been friends ever since.

Our editor at the time and a co-founder of the magazine, Neal Howard wanted to run a feature O W N E R & C E O Ian Griffin on the Davis family and the radio stations they owned and operated, 95.7 The Ridge FM and WLAQ 1410 AM. Matt’s sister Elizabeth ended up on the cover of our September 2007 edition and through that process I got to know the entire family.

Matt and I started a weekly college football picks segment on his morning show that very next year that evolved into a regular weekly sports talk segment once the football season had ended. That led to Matt and I calling high school football games on both stations for a variety of teams and an invite to take my best guess at whose team would win on the high school football picks show. On top of those engagements, I had the privilege of being a guest on Elizabeth’s and Randy’s morning shows on many occasions over the years, as they gave me the opportunity to promote my business in fun and informative way that was always appreciated.

Being at the station slowly became a regular part of my life and spending time with the family that poured their hearts and souls into it came with the territory. Their love for sports and music made them easy for me to take a liking to, due to my similar interests, but the way they went about their work made it impossible to not want to be a part of it.

While print and radio are very different animals, our businesses had a lot of similarities when it comes to what make them tick on a lot of different levels. We bonded over our shared issues instead of letting it be a conflict of interest. We established a relationship that was and still is supportive and collaborative when it came to our business efforts. You would have to run a small business to understand just how valuable friends and allies like that can be. That willingness to work together for a common goal is simply a Davis family value.

While Matt became my rolling homie so to speak, regularly going to concerts and ballgames or just going to grab a beer after a long day, I forged a friendship with the whole family. For fourteen years, I’d say with great confidence that they have all been with me on my path through life. Supporting my personal and business endeavors through highs and lows. No matter what, I always felt welcome at 1 Mount Alto Road.

Their love and support is what has made the past few weeks so tough to endure with the passing of their patriarch Randy Davis.

Many a deserving tribute has already been written or given in honor of the life of Randy and his list of accomplishments speak to the passion he brought to his job and this community for certain.

But I’d be willing to bet he viewed his greatest accomplishment as the family that now survive him.

His love for them was evident in every action he took and the pride he had for Elizabeth and Matt shone as bright as his marquis smile. Simply put, my heart is broken for them as they grieve his untimely death.

He had a voice for radio that didn’t require an on/off switch and a natural ability to make people comfortable during on-air conversations. A show with the “Big Kahuna” was always elevated and I thank him for sharing his airwaves and his wonderful family with me. I’m honored I got to stroll down his path with him, if only for a little while.

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OWNER & CEO Ian Griffin MANAGING PARTNER Chris Forino CREATIVE DIRECTOR Elizabeth Childers WRITERS Tammy Barron, DeMarcus Daniel, Ian Griffin, Nina Lovel, Paul Moses AD DESIGN Elizabeth Childers PUBLISHER V3 Publications, LLC CONTACT 417 Broad Street Rome Ga, 30161 Office Phone 706.235.0748 hello@v3collective.com CREATOR Neal Howard

READV3.COM ReadV3.com: Where you can find all the print content from this issue, our archives and exclusive ReadV3 digital features.

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Is Now:

Serving Our Community Together Heritage First Bank is now First National Community Bank. For us, Local Bank. Local Decisions.® is more than just our slogan, it’s a way of life. We pride ourselves in our experienced staff of familiar local Bankers, Commercial Relationship Managers and Mortgage Lenders that collectively bring over 340 years of banking experience to serve you and understand our community better than anyone else.

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Have Fun With It opened doors

By Tammy Barron

456 days and counting; “How’s the house coming along?”

IS A QUESTION MET WITH VARYING DEGREES OF STRESS. Before we broke ground in July of 2020, our dream home had been frozen for nearly six years in its conceptual stage. My husband, George, and I spent thousands of hours ruminating over the finest details to get it right. Like chiseling out our farm from raw land, we wanted to design our house from a blank page, drawing carefully and with purpose a home that would one day be a reality. I’ve been surprised to discover how emotional the experience of building can be. Once the construction began new pressures began to mount, and my underlying 10

V3 MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021 | READV3.COM

insecurities surfaced. “How do I decipher everyone’s expectations of the new house?” “There are too many details.” “I can’t possibly pull this off.” “I have no experience; this is going to be a disaster.” These doubts double every other lie I tell myself, and I feel on the edge of creative burnout. 456 days and still there is no end in sight.

At times when these pressures seem to mount with a weight that promises to crush me, I take a step back and remind myself to enjoy the moment.

As masochistic as that may sound, there is so much to gain when the stakes are high. I look with appreciation to the past when at times my life was flipped upside down. Although I may have been convinced, I would fail, I lived through it; grew from it. When my children were small every day was a battle. I crumbled with self-doubt as I toed the line of perfect wife, perfect mother, and perfect teacher. I was new to all three and scrutinized every detail of my performance in each arena, all the while scrambling

to work harder or do better. Striving for perfection day in and day out depleted me; I vanished before my very eyes, and I struggled to find joy in any of it.

Years ago, I was rushing my then toddler and infant through the grocery store on a typical harried afternoon. Exhausted from work and desperate to make an easy go of groceries, I was stressed to a boiling point as both kids were screaming and knocking products off the shelf left and right in utter chaos. An older woman paused her shopping to strike up light conversation. She spoke gently to each of the children gaining smiles and giggles, then turned to me and patted my hand gripped white on the cart.

“The days are long, Dear, but the years fly by. Try to hold these times tight in your heart, before you know it, they will be grown and gone. Stay strong, Mama, you’re doing a good job” she winked at me and went on her way. The wistful sadness in her voice shook me from my stupor. I saw this grocery trip in a new perspective. Seeing Emma and Broc

so young, pudgy faced, and expectant; bored out of their minds. I found ways to engage them as we took to our shopping list in at an easier pace. I don’t know who the woman was that took the time to talk to my family, but her kind honesty changed my life—certainly the way I look at it.

I wish I had appreciated more of my awkward adolescence, experiencing a more mindful comingof-age. Fear, doubt, and depression clouded my perspectives. There were so many years I took for granted: yearning for the end of school, hoping for a better job, looking for healthier relationships, or beginning the rest of my life, whatever that meant for my early twenties. A lot has been lost, like sand through my fingers as I grasped for anything other than what was in front of me. Always in such a hurry to get something done or start something new, there is a blind restlessness about it. I don’t want to miss any more. I want to be engaged as my kids’ world expands. I want to take every opportunity to hold

my husband’s hand. Never let a sunset pass by to finish the dishes and always give pause to whisper small prayers of gratitude whenever my spirit moves.

Three hours into searching lighting fixtures to find the right fit for the bathroom, and I want to tear out my eyeballs. Lights, tile, flooring options, and cabinets—don’t get me started on toe-kicks—there are so many details big and small to hammer out. I am swimming in facts and gallery shots for trim designs and grout colors. Do you think I have ever noticed any of these features before? Now, the decisions to-be-made appear to be looming over head. My palms get sweaty as my builder looks for an answer and I feel the anxiety set in. When I give my order at a restaurant, most often I change my mind in the twenty minutes it takes to make the dish. The meal is delivered, and I chew regretfully as I fantasize about the other dish. How can I in good conscience be trusted to make decisions for our house; decisions to last a lifetime. Cue the sleepless nights. Then I

remember to cherish the moment. The experience of building a custom house is extraordinary, and perhaps we will never again have this opportunity. “Have fun with it. Don’t let this pass you by without relishing the experience for what it is,” I mutter to myself.

As the foundation was dug and the roofing laid, the walls were painted, and the tile floor sealed I captured the project diligently in photos. I am embracing the journey as it unfolds around me. I dare not dream it will be finished soon. I can’t bear to allow disappointment to shadow this time in our lives. The days are long, but the years are short, and I want to live it all as it comes.

*The views expressed in this column are those of the writer, and do not represent the opinions of V3 Magazine READV3.COM | OCTOBER 2021 V3 MAGAZINE

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Poor Spinal Health is All Trick and No Treat

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A Bookish Life

Text: Paul Moses

Dogwood Books caters to both the avid reader and the casual browser, offering new and used books that are must-reads and books that are a pleasant surprise.

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B

BOOK LOVERS KNOW THAT ENTERING A GOOD SECOND-HAND BOOKSHOP is like setting off on an

expedition, a literary treasure hunt. It’s the thrill of the pursuit. For them, the only thing better than finding exactly what they’re looking for is stumbling across a book they were not looking for at all but cannot, suddenly, live without. That is exactly the feeling one gets when crossing the threshold of Dogwood Books in downtown Rome, Georgia.

Often the reputation of a used bookshop is tied to the personality and character of their owner. That’s certainly true here. Kenneth Studdard, Dogwood’s owner, is who a bonified bookworm might hope to meet while trawling the stacks. Studdard is the definition of a book man, someone with a breadth of knowledge based on a lifetime of broad reading and lengthy conversations with other literary-minded people.

He is a far cry from the ill-informed “booksellers” one is likely to come across — if such people can be located — in the average big-box bookstore.

For Studdard, this has been a lifelong educational process, from reading his first childhood novel, Mystery of the Haunted Mine by Gordon Shirreffs, to the modern mysteries by Martha Grimes. And he’s still learning.

Bookish Beginnings To understand how Dogwood Books became a fixture among the stores on Rome’s Broad Street, one needs to take several steps back in time. Before Studdard plied his trade in the traditional brick16

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and-mortar fashion, he sold books online for ten years. He says, “That was my way of learning the business and trying to decide if I wanted to own a store.” After that exploratory decade, he rented space at the Roman Antique Mall on Broad Street (now the location of John Henry’s Grill). “The antique mall was like an apprenticeship where I was learning about what people buy,” Studdard says, “and I always questioned people who had bookstores, about pricing and where they got their stock.” He stayed there from 2004 until the antique mall closed in 2007. That same year, Dogwood Books opened its own storefront on Broad Street. The business remained in that location until Studdard rented a space across the street and moved his inventory in February 2020. Like many buildings in downtown, this one had served as home to many different businesses over the years, most recently a clothing store. “Originally, this building was a machine shop,” Studdard says, “so the floors were heavily reinforced to hold the weight of heavy machinery. It’s perfect now for supporting so many shelves of books.”

Filling the shelves One of the biggest differences between owning a used bookshop and owning a typical retail store can be summed up in one word: stock. When the proprietor of a retail store needs inventory, they can go online and order from a distributor, and soon UPS wheels the books through the door. That’s how it goes when selling brand new products. It’s not quite so simple at a secondhand bookshop. “The vast majority of our stock,” Studdard says, “is stuff that either people bring to me or things I go out and find, whether it’s estate sales or thrift stores.”

Studdard points out that estate sales are a hitor-miss proposition. It all depends on whether or not the deceased person was a book lover.

“More often than not, estate sales are not worth your time,” he says, “but enough of them are that I don’t mind going. All of this is part of why we do these things.” On a positive note, Studdard can sometimes get the same experience from these sales that his customers get when they come to Dogwood Books: “When you’re out looking — that’s the fun of doing this — it’s a treasure hunt,” he says. “You have things in your mind that you’re

looking for, a certain area of your store where you need more books, so you’re always looking.” He says that there are many times he goes to estate sales and strikes out. “But,” he adds, “there are also times you find treasures. That makes it worth it.”

According to Studdard, the first thing a bookshop owner must learn in this business is what does not sell. Shelves packed with books that will never move is a recipe for financial disaster.

So, encyclopedias and Reader’s Digest condensed books are to be avoided at all costs, as are self-help books and textbooks. “You don’t want anything that deals with a fad,” Studdard says, “because they become quickly dated.” He also stays away from book club editions, which tend to be smaller, cheaper printings with smaller type. He’s picky about what he takes in. Even when people want to donate books, Studdard is very careful; books that are free to him do no good if they just sit on the shelf. Ever the pragmatist, he says, “Every bad book you take in is taking up shelf space where you could have a better book, so I’m always looking to improve my stock and increase the quality.”

The relative value of old books When discussing the monetary value of used books, Studdard is adamant on the point that a book is not valuable just because it’s old. “It may be old and have no value at all,” he says. “Besides,

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in the book business old books is a relative term.

Some people come in with books from the 1950s, but that’s not old for books. I have books in this store from the 1600s.” He says that people bring in their old, gigantic family Bibles, thinking they’re worth a lot of money, but they’re usually not valuable because they’re not rare.

The most important issue in determining the value of a used book, according to Stoddard, is condition. He says, “People who collect are really picky about condition.” He illustrates this point with a story about an estate sale he attended on Lookout Mountain a few years ago. When he got back to Rome and was unloading the boxes of books he had purchased, he found a first edition of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The book was not on the seller’s inventory list, and it was missing its dust jacket. “I put it online and it sold it in two days to a book dealer in California for $2,000,” Studdard says, “but if it had still had its dust jacket, it would have gone for $30,000.” Yes, condition is king in the rare book trade. Age isn’t everything.

What the reading public wants There’s a reason why the children’s book section is the first thing shoppers encounter when they

walk through the front door at Dogwood Books.

“Children’s books are always popular,” Studdard says. Many customers want to share their own childhood reading experiences with their children and grandchildren, and Studdard is happy to oblige, keeping this section well stocked. He adds, “The Harry Potter books are still selling well.

Usually, those kinds of series run their course, but Rowling’s work keeps selling and selling. It’s amazing. People just love it.”

Theology is a steady seller, which makes sense for a town with so many churches and a Christian University. Also, the literature section is particularly popular at Dogwood. “The classics are always big sellers,” Studdard says. “Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Austen, Dickens, the Bronte sisters — I can never have enough of them.”

What a book man reads It seems counterintuitive, but a common complaint for many bookshop workers is finding time to read. This is a challenge for Studdard as well, but he makes the time. He says, “For pleasure, I read mysteries.” As mentioned earlier, he likes Martha Grimes, but he is also a huge fan of the late Erle Stanley Gardner, the prolific

Kenneth Studdard 18

V3 MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021 | READV3.COM

“Every bad book you take in is taking up shelf space where you could have a better book,” Studdard says, “so I’m always looking to improve my stock and increase the quality.” author of the Perry Mason novels. He has a private collection at home of all the Perry Mason books (yes, in their dust jackets). “I like Gardner’s books because he keeps the action moving along, he develops his characters well, and his mysteries are good,” he says. “And I just like that old style of writing.” Studdard is also a fan of the Belgian

mystery writer Georges Simenon, author of nearly 500 novels and creator of the fictional French police detective Jules Maigret.

When asked why he likes mysteries, Studdard says, “I think it has something to do with the way my mind works. I like puzzles.” He goes on to explain that it all goes back to that first novel he read, Mystery of the Haunted Mine. As a boy, it captured his imagination. He was hooked. After that, he began reading mystery series like the Hardy Boys and The Three investigators, both young reader classics that Dogwood still sells.

Studdard is a fan of reading books more than once. “I’m a big re-reader,” he says. In adulthood he’s even re-read that childhood favorite about the haunted mine, of which he now owns an autographed copy and a first addition. Smiling, he says, “It’s still good. It holds up.” This proves right the words of C. S. Lewis on the subject: “No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally — and often far more — worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.”

Mystery isn’t the only genre Studdard enjoys, however. His tastes are varied. He likes history, biography, and theology, all of which Dogwood carries. And he has a special interest in books about books.

In the company of books Shaun Bythell, author of the charming, sarcastically hilarious book Confessions of a Bookseller and owner of the The Bookshop in Wigtown, Scotland, said, “The pleasure derived from handling books that have introduced something of cultural or scientific significance to the world is undeniably the greatest luxury that this business affords, and few other walks of life — if any — provide such a wealth of opportunity to indulge in this.” Bythell, who is arguably the world’s most famous bookshop owner, knows something that Studdard also knows: the books themselves make coming to work a privilege rather than a drudge.

President John Adams, a famous bibliophile, referred to the books in his personal library as “my friends.” Kenneth Studdard understands that.

He says, “At home I have about 4,500 books, give or take. The rule is they have to stay in my office downstairs.” As Bythell noted, bookshop owners are surrounded each day by volume after volume that have quite literally changed the world. Books matter. That makes working and living in the company of books both a privilege and a joy. “I never dread coming to work,” Studdard says. “I always look forward to it. I like what I do.”

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Riverside Retreat This Hardy Realty home offers the ideal setting for new homeowners who love indooroutdoor living and need room to grow.

photos KEITH BEAUCHAMP text PAUL MOSES

E

lbow room. That is what a buyer will get with the purchase of the property at 9 Angeo Road in Rome, Georgia. Both indoors and outdoors, this is the ideal place for a family who needs room to grow, to spread their wings, and to explore new interests, hobbies, and possibilities.

The home sits on twelve sweeping acres along the Coosa River. In a real estate market where location is everything, it’s important to point out this property is in the desirable Rivermont subdivision, just off Horseleg Creek Road. Here, the lots are large — many in the tens of acres — so it is a wonderful neighborhood for those who value their privacy but do not wish to live in total isolation.

Making a good first impression

Upon first approach, one of the striking features of this home is the deep, doubledecker porches that stretch across the front of the house and down one side.

The elevation of the second story porch makes it a great place to sit, have a cup of coffee, and take in the impressive vista. This 5,800 square foot home has six bedrooms — two of which are masters with private access to the outside — and five and a half baths.

26 | HARDY REALTY | HOME FEATURE

Entering the foyer, a visitor is greeted with a high ceiling, a staircase, and double French doors leading to a seating area and a formal dining room. Visually, the living room is the focal point of the home. A wide stone fireplace reaches to an exposed wood beam ceiling.

The height of the ceiling gives the alreadyspacious room the appearance of being even more so. The room also has hardwood floors and its own wet bar. This room, though large, feels somehow cozy, welcoming to family and friends alike.

The kitchen is not only huge, it’s also a chef ’s dream workspace. State-of-the-art appliances are showcased among gleaming wood cabinets and hardwood floors. A large eat-in island provides ample room for preparing a simple meal or a feast. With a nod to Italian architecture, the gas range is inset within an arched brick alcove. Glass doors and large windows at one end of the kitchen allow plenty of space for a breakfast table for more intimate, casual dining.

The master bedrooms feature large bathrooms with built-in wooden cabinets and walk in showers. In one of the masters, double doors lead to a walled-in gated courtyard with

HARDY REALTY | HOME FEATURE | 27

a bench, table and chairs, a tranquil getaway. As a bonus feature, a coffee bar sits right off this bedroom. The other bedrooms are all generous sizes; one presently serves as a game room.

Off the kitchen, there is a cozy keeping room where one can relax before a large brick fireplace and read a book or visit with a friend (ideally, while someone else does the cooking).

In addition, there is a workshop/storage room, a laundry room right off the kitchen, a sun porch, a two-car garage, and loads of outdoor space for parking.

A picturesque view

Outdoors, the property is a mixture of manicured lawns, a field, and woodland. The entire stretch of the riverfront is wooded, providing additional privacy for the home. There are seven acres of fenced pasture, which includes a stable for three horses and a tack room for the storage of riding gear. Though the present owners don’t keep horses, this property is primed and ready for equestrians. Direct access to the Coosa River is convenient for the outdoor enthusiast, offering opportunities for canoeing, fishing, and kayaking. Also, of special interest to nature lovers, the expansive property is frequented by various kinds of wildlife, including deer, geese and wild turkeys.

The home’s backyard is well designed for outdoor living. Everything about this large entertainment area is new, including the wooden fence that surrounds it. There is an oversized deck, perfect for grilling out, hosting parties, or just lounging about, and a beautiful, brand new saltwater swimming pool. Also, a sturdy, lighted poolside cabana offers shade and plenty of room for seating. The gently sloping elevation of the home gives a panoramic view of the field below from the backyard.

Indoors and outdoors

When asked what her favorite part of the property is, current owner Michelle is at a loss to decide. She says, “It’s one of two things, I think. It’s either the view of the outdoors from the deck, or it’s the view of the rock fireplace in the living room. I could just sit for hours and stare at them both.” Both of these beautiful, relaxing views can be enjoyed for years to come.

There’s room to wander, room to grow. Michelle and her family hope the next owners of 9 Angeo Road will love the place as much as they have.

For additional information about the property or to schedule a showing, please contact Hardy Realty at 706-291-4321.

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Like A

BOLT

from the

Georgia Sky Text: Paul Moses Photos: Jim Arbogast

The Georgia Thunderbolts take the next big step in their ever-accelerating career: a debut album that is true to both the traditions of rock and roll and the band’s southern roots.

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L-R: ZACH EVERETT, TJ LYLE, LOGAN TOLBERT, BRISTOL PERRY, RILEY COUZZOURT

If ever a band was aptly named, it’s The Georgia Thunderbolts.

THEIR SOUND STRIKES LIKE LIGHTING from a clear blue sky. Hearing them for the first time, it’s easy to blink-blink and ask, “Now…where did that come from?” This is legitimate, hard-driving rock and roll, old school style. With a southern drawl.

These guys are the real deal.

The band is made up of five young men: TJ Lyle (vocals, harmonica, piano), Riley Couzzourt (guitar), Logan Tolbert (guitar), Zach Everett (bass, keys), and Bristol Perry (drums). Ranging in age from 22-25, Bristol and Riley hail from Rome, and TJ, Logan and Zach from nearby Taylorsville, Georgia.

Rome remains true to its roots as a blue-collar town. For the most part, the locals are working class folks. More blue jeans than suits and ties.

Lots of pickup trucks and American flags. But it’s 32

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an ever-changing town, too: demographically, economically, socially. This band’s music reflects the richness of the region’s heritage, while embracing openness, optimism, and fresh ways of thinking. This is the New South, and it sounds good.

From football to footlights

The origins of The Georgia Thunderbolts can be traced back to the football team at Armuchee High School, where Riley Couzzourt and Bristol Perry were teammates. In the weight room, most of the other guys played rap music while they worked out, but Couzzourt says, “I would play a lot of rock music, metal and stuff. Bristol and I were the only ones who liked it, so that’s what brought us together.” Before long, they were playing music

with Zach Everett, practicing, honing their skills, performing at open mic events around the area.

One of those open mic nights took them to Sixes Tavern in Cartersville, Georgia. That was the first time they heard TJ Lyle’s powerful rockanthem voice. They were floored. Couzzourt says, “TJ has some pipes on him, man, no doubt about it. Everybody knows it.”

Perry says, “When TJ and Logan came along, that’s when everything took off.” The first song the band played together was Stranglehold by rock legend Ted Nugent. It was a watershed moment for everyone involved. About TJ’s vocals on that song, Couzzourt says, “We all heard him and said, ‘Yeah, this dude is what we’re looking for’.”

The combined talents of Lyle, Couzzourt, Tolbert, Everett, and Perry make for a great sound. It’s a big sound that pays tribute to the lords of rock they grew up listening to, but it’s also uniquely theirs. In one press release, Lyle says, “We’re going for that timeless and classic sound with a twist and newer attitude.”

over and the band came off stage, Young said, “Hey, y’all wanna come up to Kentucky and make a record?” No one had to think about that; the answer was Yes! “The two bands got together for a photograph,” says Couzzourt, “and from then on we were one big family.”

Richard Young’s influence on The Georgia Thunderbolts cannot be overstated. Young, who has been with The Kentucky Headhunters since its inception in 1986, brings with him a wealth of expertise and insider know-how. He’s been a mentor and has helped the Thunderbolts navigate the treacherous waters of the music industry. And now, even better, he’s the band’s manager. Perry says, “We wouldn’t be where we are without Richard. He knows everybody in the business.

If you don’t like Richard, that’s your problem, because everybody else likes him.”

The group’s publicist, Jon Bleicher, founder of Prospect PR, based in Maplewood, NJ, says, “The Georgia Thunderbolts are one of the most exciting bands I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with in the past 15 years. They are raw artists, powerful performers, and all-around great guys.” More and more fans of rock are beginning to come to same conclusion as Bleicher. The fanbase is building, the band is steadily gaining momentum.

Stepping from the stage to the studio

Taking Young up on his offer, The Georgia Thunderbolts eventually headed to Glasgow, Kentucky, where they learned by first-hand experience what it took to make an album. They

traveled back and forth between Rome and Glasgow as their schedules and their finances allowed, a few days here, a weekend there. They found the whole process fun, exhausting, and sometimes, admittedly, quite stressful.

The result of all that work is The Georgia Thunderbolt’s full-length debut album, Can We Get A Witness, due for release by Mascot Records on October 15th.

Can We Get A Witness is not the product of a group of image-obsessed record executives who want to shape a new rock band according to some prescribed entertainment formula. This album is personal, an authentic representation of who these young men are, where they came from, and where they fully intend to go. The band penned the lyrics of eleven of its thirteen songs. Only two of the album’s songs are covers; and those two are rock classics worthy of covering: Midnight Rider by The Allman Brothers Band (lyrics by Gregg Allman and Robert Payne) and Be Good To Yourself by Frankie Miller (lyrics by Andy Fraser).

“We write music that’s real,” Perry says. “The way we write a song is we all get in a room together

Finding fate at the fair

In 2017, The Georgia Thunderbolts were stoked about opening for the iconic southern rock band The Kentucky Headhunters at the Chattooga County Fair. While the Thunderbolts were playing, a long-haired man chewing an unlit cigar sat in a chair by the stage, watching and listening.

This was Richard Young, famed vocalist and rhythm guitarist of The Kentucky Headhunters.

Spotting Young sitting there, the guys were both nervous and excited. As it turned out, they had plenty to be excited about. When the show was READV3.COM | OCTOBER 2021 V3 MAGAZINE

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and write. It comes from us; it’s not about outside influences.” Understandably, the only exception to this no-outsiders rule is Richard Young, who is co-writer on five of the band’s songs. “Richard is about the only person who comes in on the process,” Couzzourt says. “He’s got number one hits and Grammy-award winning hits, so if he wants to sit in, we say ‘Sure! Come on in and write with us!”

One of the album’s stand-out songs, Spirit Of A Workin’ Man, might just as well have served as the album’s title cut. It is, perhaps, the most autobiographical offering. From the driving cadence of its rhythm to its honest lyrics, it tells the story of who these five musicians are. They’re writing about a man who will do what he needs to do to get where he wants to go, and who will help others along the way. It’s about the kind of man who can drive a bulldozer or fix the plumbing, and then write a song about it. Spirit Of A Workin’ Man is a song about being steadfast, not looking away from challenges but taking them on headfirst.

The song says, “Though he’s young he still wants to succeed.” That’s The Georgia Thunderbolts.

Young, hungry, and talented. And they have the work ethic to succeed. The song goes on to say: “If

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you wanna make a difference don’t you know you can in the spirit of the workin’ man.” That’s good advice, and advice the band is, apparently, both giving and taking. It is the spirit in which Can We Get A Witness was made.

About the band’s song writing, Couzzourt says, “We try to write about real-life scenarios.

In a lot of popular music out there today you’re hearing the same thing over and over again. We’re not hating on those guys — they’re making lots of money, and that’s great, we’re happy for them — but for us, that’s not what it’s about. We want to make a connection with people.”

More than a lucky break

It is important to point out that this debut album hasn’t happened just because The Georgia Thunderbolts are lucky. Sure, they’ve had lots of help — indispensable help — from Richard Young, Mascot Label Group, PR guru Jon Bleicher, and many others. However, the primary engine pushing Can We Get A Witness into the public is the sweat equity the band members have put into it.

This has happened because five young men have consistently crawled out of a van — bone weary — after traveling halfway across the country, got up

on stage and performed like they had just enjoyed eight uninterrupted hours of soulful sleep. True, like the Beatles, they’ve done it “with a little help from their friends,” but in the dark hours of the night, burning up the miles of asphalt, they’re the ones pushing ahead.

Here, the old proverb holds true: “A man’s gift makes room for him.” The Georgia Thunderbolts’ substantial musical gifts are making room in the marketplace for them. Prolific novelist Neil Gaiman (creator of American Gods) puts it another way: “Often you will discover that the harder you work, and the more wisely you work, the luckier you get.” So, the work is the key; the luck is the result. And these Georgia boys know how to work, and their work ethic is creating its own luck. That is precisely why it is a safe bet that the public is going to hear a lot more from them for many years to come.

The band can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Their debut album can be purchased through the website georgiathunderbolts.com

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THE LAWNS OF HOMES IN FLOYD, POLK, BARTOW, AND GORDON COUNTIES ARE BEING POPULATED BY BRIGHT PURPLE YARD SIGNS WITH JACK-OLANTERNS ON THEM.

The slogan above the smiling pumpkins says: “GET PUMP’D!” Each of these signs is both a gift and an opportunity.

This is all part of Get Pump’d for Kids, an initiative providing a fun, safe way to celebrate Halloween while supporting the children of Rome and its surrounding counties.

Harbin Clinic has partnered with the Rome-Floyd County Commission on Children and Youth (RFCCCY), Polk Family Connection, Bartow Collaborative, and Gordon County Child Advocacy Center (GCCAC) to make this a reality.

The holiday fun works like this. Members of the community go to www.harbinclinic.com/ getpumpedforkids and purchase a Pumpkin Pal (a GET PUMP’D yard sign), place the sign in a friend’s yard,

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Dr. Karen Eberhart, Family Medicine physician at Harbin Clinic Family Medicine Cedartown

and leave a surprise Halloween treat at the door. Signs can be purchased through the website through October 30th. Proceeds from the Pumpkin Pals go to help the child/ family advocacy nonprofits mentioned above, allowing them to continue their good work. Also — and this is the best part — for every Pumpkin Pal purchased, a special Halloween treat (a family-friendly activity kit and candy) will be delivered to a child in foster care. So, each Pumpkin Pal is a gift that gives, then gives again.

This initiative is the brainchild of the executive director of RFCCCY, LaDonna Collins, who came up with the idea last year when children couldn’t go out for treat-or-treating. “The idea came from me being a mom,” Collins says. “Harbin Clinic graciously got involved and helped make it happen.” She adds, “We are so excited

to partner with Harbin Clinic again this year to provide a COVID-safe Halloween to a wonderful group of kids who deserve this and much more!”

Emily Earp, Harbin Clinic marketing manager, says, “A key part of our mission is to work alongside local organizations and invest in building healthier, happier communities. It’s exciting to see so many community members, families, and physicians having fun while supporting these important organizations.”

“We were so excited to be part of this last year,” says Rhonda Heuer, of PFC, “and this is a great opportunity to give back to well deserving children in our community to let them know that their community cares.”

“I love the excitement that Get Pump’d for Kids brings,” says Joshua McClure,

corporate communications & patient experience manager at Harbin Clinic. “Not only does it create a little fun for families for Halloween, but it also has a purpose and a significant meaning.”

Cindy Gregg, executive director of GCCAC, says, “This is a neat way to trickor-treat and give back to the community.

We are hoping to give all 120 kids in foster care a treat for Halloween!” Doug Belisle of Bartow Collaborative agrees: “Any little thing we can do to help the kids have a sense of normalcy helps. We want them to know their community is rallying around them.”

Summing up the hopes of all involved, Emily Earp says, “We hope this is something that continues for years to come.” It’s a safe bet that the foster children of Rome’s surrounding counties would agree.

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From Cotton & Corn to Kids & Camels Pumpkin Fest at Pettit Creek Farms combines traditional fall fun with exotic animals that are sure to wow one and all.

Text: Paul Moses

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A guest might do a doubletake

WHEN GREETED BY A JOLLY, WHITE-BEARDED MAN

driving a golf cart tricked out like a Christmas sleigh, and a glance to one side reveals a pasture populated by antlered reindeer. That man is not who they think he is; it’s Scott Allen, owner of Pettit Creek Farms of Cartersville, Georgia.

However, like Santa himself, Allen presides over a sort of magical land of his own, a place that brings joy to the hearts of young and old alike, not just at Christmas, but all year round.

The farm’s Pumpkin Fest, going on through the month of October, is like a rural fair, but with plenty of eye-popping surprises. With exotic animals at every turn, this is not what one might expect to find in Bartow County, but here it is, in easy driving distance of most Northwest Georgia locales. During Pumpkin Fest, an array of festive events and games are available. Besides a corn maze to explore, there’s a petting zoo, scarecrow building, haybale steer roping, and games like corn hole, ring toss, duck races, a stick pony race, 42

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and stump tic-tac-toe. Customers can also try their hand at clay crafts at the potter’s studio or pounding a hammer at the blacksmith’s shop.

For the more daring souls, there are adventures to be had overhead. The farm has a state-of-the-art aerial course through the trees.

This gives customers a chance to view the farm from above. There’s a swinging bridge, cargo nets, a log bridge, and thrilling ziplines. All the necessary safety protocols are observed, and instructions are given by fully trained guides before visitors ascend into the trees.

From farm to flood to farm again

For generations, the Allens have been farmers.

Sadly, the original family farm, like many others, is now sitting at the bottom of Lake Allatoona, courtesy of the Flood Control Acts of the 1940s. After the government gave Scott Allen’s grandparents, Raymond and Fannie Mae Allen, no choice but to move, they bought acreage along Cartersville’s Pettit Creek and reestablished their agrarian life there. At first, the farm produced mules, cotton, and corn, then later, cattle.

These days, combines and farmhands have been supplanted by hayrides and gawking children.

Rows of cotton have been replaced by loping camels and grazing zebra.

Adapt or die

When the baton for running Pettit Creek Farms passed to Scott Allen, he knew he had to diversify his family’s means of income. Considering the uncertain varieties of weather and produce prices, traditional farming was becoming more and more of a gamble in the region. The first indication that things could change came when Allen started taking a trailerful of ponies to fairs to give pony rides to children. At first, that failed to prove lucrative — the ponies tended to eat into the profits, literally — but the day he added a zebra to the mix, the tide began to turn. People were fascinated with the zebra and would pay to see it.

A lightbulb came on in Allen’s imagination. A variety of animals: that’s where the money was.

He began assembling a menagerie, a traveling petting zoo: sheep, goats, mules, etc. The petting zoo continued making the rounds of county fairs and other outdoor events until it occurred to Allen that it would be far more cost-effective to draw the customers to the farm rather than driving the farm to the public. That is when Pettit Creek Farms began the slow transformation to the funfest attraction it now is.

Lying in church

When asked how he first came to own camels, Allen confesses that it came from a lie he told in church. Some thirty years ago, a local congregation was planning a Christmas pageant and wanted a Nativity scene that pulled out all the stops. They hired Scott Allen to provide all the requisite manger scene animals: sheep, goats, donkeys, and even (oddly) a llama. Someone at the church mentioned in passing how much she wished they had a camel for the show. Allen asked her how much she would pay to rent one. She named a price that he liked, then she asked, “You don’t have a camel, do you?” Allen did not own any camels — not one — but when he thought about how much the church would pay to rent one, he said, “Sure, I have a camel!” It took him several months to find one, but he finally succeeded.

After Allen procured the promised camel, he only had a few weeks before the Christmas program would be performed. The problem was, he had no idea if the animal could be trained to do what it needed to do, safely. The pageant was going to be inside the church sanctuary, so the last thing anyone needed was a giant, ungainly animal galloping down the aisle, out of control.

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The camel had to be trained and tested, in short order. Inspired with an unconventional idea, Allen took the camel to his grandmother’s house, which was still fully furnished, though no one lived there. Allen and a few young men walked the camel, carefully, slowly, all through the house to make sure it could navigate an interior space without an unfortunate incident. When the camel, at last, was in the yard again, the interior of the house was still perfectly intact. The giant beast had passed the test, and it went on to perfectly perform in the pageant’s Nativity scene. There were no stampedes, no ladies’ hats were eaten, and no one got kicked or spat upon.

That Christmas camel three decades ago was the first of many. At present, Pettit Creek Farms has about eighteen camels in its herd, and new calves are born now and again. They are a favorite attraction at the farm. At one point in the farm’s lengthy hayride, the wagon stops and customers are invited to disembark and hand-feed the camels. For those who want an even more up-close-and-personal experience with the huge animals, camel rides are available.

A day out, fun for everybody

Whether it’s a school field trip, a family outing, or a fun date for two, Pettit Creek Farms offers plenty

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to see and do. The best way to see the whole farm is to take the 110-foot-long double trailer hayride that circumnavigates the property, giving guests a full guided tour, and it’s a great way to see all the animals. Besides the typical farm animals such as sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, and donkeys, the farm has lots of creatures not often seen in Northwest Georgia. There are kangaroos, zebra, llamas, reindeer, and, of course, camels. Living on a little peninsular hill that juts out into a pond is a family of South American capybaras, which look like hog-sized guinea pigs. There are huge flightless birds, too: emus and rheas. Watching over all this is the star of the show, a giraffe named George.

Some of the animals can be rented. Reindeer, for instance, are a great addition to Christmas events. Also, Pettit Creek Farms rents out all the stable animals requisite to bring any Nativity scene to life (and the camels are still exceptionally well-behaved).

Ingenuity and reinvention

Driving his Christmas sleigh golf cart past a corn maze, sunflowers, zebra and a giraffe, Scott Allen seems to be a combination of Santa Claus, Noah and the proverbial Farmer Brown, but in the final analysis he’s a businessman. He’s someone

who can see an opportunity and give it a try. If it works, great, if it doesn’t, that’s okay too — he just moves on to the next challenge. When asked what his plans are for the future of the family farm, Allen smiles and says, “Whatever people will pay for.” And whatever that is, he will try it.

Allen is a blacksmith, a potter, a welder, a sculptor, a zookeeper, a storyteller, a tour guide — the list goes on. He is not afraid to try anything.

He loves learning new skills. Allen says, “Anything one man can learn to do, anyone can learn to do.”

He and his family know how to adapt to survive, even finding a way to continue operating through the hardships of a global pandemic and coming out the other side stronger than ever. One step at a time, the farm keeps reinventing itself.

As with Noah, the story of Pettit Creek Farms began with a great flood, and like the legend of Father Christmas, the story continues by bringing wonder into the lives of countless children. Now that the next generation of the family, Scott Allen’s children Chris Allen and Candace Hillhouse, are taking ever-increasing leadership roles in the farm’s operations, Pettit Creek Farms is sure to provide exciting outings for the public for many years to come.

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