2012 Watermelon Festival entertainment bios
Cody Bowen
Cody Bowen is a Nashville singer-songwriter and recording artist from Russellville. He has played live in venues across the Southeast and his songs have been on radio stations in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi.
Cody has had the pleasure of playing live with some of the South’s finest performers as well as recording with Billy Sherrill, who won a Grammy in 1999 on the Dixie Chicks Album “Fly,” at Cartee-Day Studios. This studio boasts several stars on its past recording roster, such as: Alan Jackson, Leanne Rhimes, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Zakk Wylde & Black Label Society, Trace Adkins, Keith Urban, Montgomery Gentry and Vince Gil to name a few.
Cody’s original songs are based on stories and every day life in small town America. With a style that is a mix of country, soul and folk rock. Live performances seem to have an eclectic mix of new country, 90’s and classic rock, folk, and pop that make for a performance that truly has something for everyone.
Dixie Mafia
With a wide range of musical tastes and backgrounds ranging from classic rock to blues to country and everything in between, the band “Dixie Mafia” shows no limitations with their ability and style.
This current group with a solid four-piece line-up, has done nothing but try to break the mold of today’s current bands. The vocals are a mixture and blend that will tickle the ears.
This quartet of singer/guitarist Randy Hartsfield, singer/bassist Steve Vickery, singer/keyboardist Marty Lewis and singer/drummer Stuart Mills has been making music for more than 30 years collectively.
This collective group has also had the honor and opportunity to open up for and share the stage with such acts as The Marshall Tucker Band, Steppenwolf, Mark Chestnut, The Bellamy Brothers, T. Graham Brown, Cleodis Ealy, Ruben Studdard, The Commordores, Brad Paisley, and many others. They bring their own flair and taste to the music they play and love to entertain the masses.
Joseph Baldwin
Joseph Baldwin grew up in Vina. He still lives there today right beside his Grandpa’s old home-place. He learned to play piano at an early age and by the time he got his first guitar as a teenager, he had already developed an ear for music.
Joseph also learned another talent at an early age, the art of farriering (shoeing horses). He has been shoeing horses for more than 20 years. Joseph states “Being a farrier actually presented me with a great opportunity in the state of Florida. I went to Florida on a horse-related trip and entered a contest there in Panama City called the Panhandle Star.” Joseph ultimately won the contest, which allowed him to be the opening act for country artist Jason Aldean.
He has also performed many times at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in Nashville, Tenn. Since then, Joseph has been very busy working the local venues and promoting his songs.
Joseph is also the winner of the 2011 Year of Alabama Music Songwriters Competition with his song title “I’m Alabama.”
“I want to share my songs with the world and along the way make a difference in the lives of people,” he said. “No matter how the music business changes in this age of technology, the one thing that will remain the same is the relationship between the fans and the artist.”
Rewind
Rewind of the Shoals is a ten piece oldies / R & B band which prides itself in providing quality entertainment for all occasions. The band is a very versatile and multi-talented group, performing the most requested hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s as well as many other top 40 hits from yesterday’s charts.
Rewind features local artists including: Paula Lindsey, Tim Townley, Gary McNutt, David Goins, Dan Terry and Kim Clonts,
Rewind also features a multi-talented horn section from North Alabama.
The Flashbacks
“The Flashbacks” is a complete showband that brings back music’s greatest hits, from 60’s pop bands to 70’s rock and roll to disco and much more. With many years of performances, “The Flashbacks” have performed all over the Southeast, including many appearances at the Big Spring Jam in Huntsville. Their professional quality show, crowd interaction, and continued support of worthy local benefits have made them one of the most popular groups in all of north Alabama.
The Flashbacks have fronted many big name acts such as Blood, Sweat & Tears, Percy Sledge, Ty Herndon, Aaron Tippin, Michael Murphy, Martina McBride, Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits, 38 Special, and the Commodores.
The Flashbacks were honored to be the only band selected to play at Alabama Governor Robert Bentley’s Inauguration Celebration at River Walk Stadium home of the Montgomery Biscuits baseball team on Jan. 17, 2011.
Recently inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame with a Musical Achievement Award, The Flashbacks are a musical entertainment group providing quality musicianship with excellent vocals and showmanship. The musicians in the group come together from a wide array of musical backgrounds. The band consists of Russ Griffin, David Higginbotham, Mike Gunner, Mike Chapman, Tom McCown, Felice Payne and Gordon Franklin.
The Kellys
Jon Kelly has been the lead vocalist for The Kellys since 1980. He is also the only original member of the group still traveling. He began as the drummer for The Kellys at the age of five, and after 15 years he began singing the lead part with the group. Jon and his wife Joni make their home in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., and have two daughters, Jenna and Jantzen.
Paul Walters sings tenor and became a Christian at an early age and has been singing since he was six years old. He joined The Kellys in 1988.
This marked a new era for the group as a male quartet, since for many years they had been a mixed group.
Paul is a prolific songwriter and has had many songs recorded by the group. Paul and his wife Melinda reside in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., and have one daughter, Jaclyn.
Eric Harvey joined The Kellys in January of 2001 as the group’s bass vocalist. He has been singing since he was 15 years old. He had five years of formal training in voice from various noted college professors and professional vocal coaches. He soon became a Minister of Music at Providence Baptist Church in Hatton. Eric holds a degree in elementary education from UNA. Eric married his best friend, Melanie Stutts, and they now make their home in Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
Keith Wortham is the youngest member of the Kellys. Keith is 21 years old and a Senior at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. He is an active member of North Fork Baptist church, Shelbyville, Tenn. Keith first met the Kellys when he was five years old and at that time had the privilege of singing with the Kellys.
He had been singing gospel music ever since and thinks “Southern gospel music is the greatest music there is.” Before joining the Kellys, Keith sang tenor with the Cavaliers quartet for about 1 ½ years. With his voice changing he is now singing the baritone.
Billy Ferguson better known by his nickname “Fergy,” has been the bass player for The Kellys since 1993.“Fergy” started playing bass guitar in 1971. He studied under noted Gospel and Grand Ole Opry bassist, James Gordon Freeze, the record producer for The Kellys. “Fergy” started playing Gospel Music in 1981. “Fergy” makes his home in Prospect, Tenn., with his wife, Carol.
The KGB
Out of Northwest Alabama come The KGB entertaining crowds all around the Southeast with talented vocalists covering every genre of music.
A KGB show is so diverse that it pleases all ages and all musical tastes with powerful ballads, tight harmonies and a lot of laughs. They are currently working on their first all original album which will be released soon.
Kerry Gilbert is a native of Russellville and in 1986 played his first Watermelon Festival with a local band called Mountain Breeze.
The KGB consists of: Kerry Gilbert, Randy Kimbrough, Mitchell Curtis, Shane Goodson, Hugh Banks, Byron Jamerson and David Jones.
Tremayne
Tremayne is a band that always gets the crowd going and ready to dance and have fun with their high quality sound! Tremayne has excellent lead vocals and harmony, along with great music played from the heart. One of their biggest assets is their extreme versatility, which is sure to please, as they usually wind up playing to a packed house on most gigs.
They are one of the hottest bands in North Alabama and have built quite a large following! Tremayne plays : Country, Classic Rock, R&B, Funk, Soul, Southern Rock, Blues, and a few fiddle tunes.
Mike Mayhall from Double Springs is currently touring with the superstar Jeff Cook and the Allstar Goodtime Band. Jeff Cook is with the Grammy winning, entertainer of the year, and band of the decade Country Super group “Alabama.” Mike is the guitarist for Tremayne and is the group’s founding member. He has also worked with Pat Upton.
The lovely Lauren Stroud on vocals from Fredericksburg, Va., fronts the band “Tremayne.” She won the WQLT 107.3 Quest for Fame and has recorded in most of the studios in Muscle Shoals and some in Nashville, Tenn.
N.C. Thurman from Pulaski, Tenn., on keys has worked with Little Richard, Hank Williams Jr., etc. James Counts on drums and percussion has worked with Percy Sledge and Steve Vickery on bass, has worked with Freddy Fender, Johnny Lee, and Mark Collie.
