8 Phil Campbells attend festival

PHIL CAMPBELL — Eight Phil Campbells from seven states gathered for this year’s annual festival, continuing a tradition that continues to bring namesakes from across the country and around the world.

Those attending included Phil Campbells from Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Alabama; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Springfield and Zanesville, Ohio; a fatherson duo from Decatur, Georgia, making their first trip; Harwinton and Hartford, Connecticut; and Brooklyn, New York.

Visiting Phils have become attached to the Franklin County tradition over the years.

Tuscaloosa Phil said he grew up fascinated by the town that shared his name.

“As a child, I loved telling people that I had my own town,” he said.

He said he always felt a connection to the community because of that shared name.

Years later, that connection evolved into friendships with other Phil Campbells from across the country.

“To us, it’s kind of like going to a family reunion,” he said.

Springfield, Ohio, Phil Campbell said his connection to the tradition dates back more than 30 years.

Phil Campbells junior and senior from Decatur, Georgia, stand with Tori Campbell (junior’s wife) and the couple’s sons, Miles and Grant, all of whom helped attach the sign for their town.

He said he received a letter from Brooklyn, New York, Phil in 1994 inviting him to attend the 1995 Phil Campbell Festival.

Although he and his wife, Terri, were unable to attend that first gathering, he later made his first trip to Phil Campbell in 2011.

The couple returned this year in part because it marked the 15th anniversary of that visit.

One of his favorite parts of visiting, he said, is seeing his name throughout town and reconnecting with friends he has made through the gatherings.

“I have the joy of a fouryear-old seeing my name everywhere when I visit Phil Campbell, Alabama,” he said.

He said he is continually surprised by the number of Phil Campbells he has met through the tradition.

“I’m surprised that of the 44 Phils that I have met so far that I am not related to any of them,” he said.

His family and friends, he said, remain fascinated by the unusual connection.

“My family and friends are bemused and envious that they don’t share their name with a town full of such nice people,” he said.

For Birmingham Phil, the tradition carries a personal connection.

He said his father, whose name was also Phil Campbell, told him about the town when he was a child. The two never made the trip together.

Birmingham Phil attended his first gathering in 2011 following the tornado and has returned for most festivals since then.

Asked what his father might have thought of the tradition, he said he believes he would have enjoyed meeting both the residents of Phil Campbell and the other Phil Campbells who gather each year.

Five new signs were added during this year’s festival — signs recognizing Phil Campbells from Harwinton, Connecticut; Zanesville, Ohio; and Decatur, Georgia.

Another sign honored Phil Campbell, guitarist for the rock band Motörhead, who donated to local tornado relief efforts following the April 27, 2011, tornado but never visited the town. The memorial sign represents the lone Phil Campbell with a sign that has not visited the town.

For Zanesville, Ohio, Phil Campbell, the trip marked the end of a wait that stretched more than 15 years.

He said Brooklyn, New York, Phil first contacted him through Facebook years ago. At first, he thought the idea of a town named Phil Campbell was a joke, but he soon learned it was real and hoped to visit.

“It had been over 15 years of several attempts to come and now was finally the time,” he said.

As one of the Phil Campbells receiving a sign this year, he said the marker represents both himself and his hometown.

“It shows that I am leaving a piece of me to show the great folks of Phil Campbell that we do care about your town, and we had a great time being here,” he said.

Brooklyn Phil said he has designed all but two of the signs displayed in the park. The collection now includes nearly 60 signs representing Phil Campbells from around the world.

Birmingham Phil said the sign display represents something larger than a collection of names.

“I think it’s really moving to see the sheer number of people who share a name and a desire to gather in a place together,” he said. “There is a lot of power in names and it’s an emotional symbol for me seeing those signs.”

Brooklyn Phil said many participants stay in contact throughout the year and have supported community causes, including Christmas assistance efforts for local children.

Birmingham Phil said the hospitality shown by local residents remains one of the most memorable aspects of the tradition.

“We are all beyond grateful and amazed at the hospitality we’ve been shown, year after year,” he said. “It’s just a lovely community.”

Brooklyn Phil’s connection to the town dates to July 1994. He said his first trip to Phil Campbell was also his first visit to the South.

“This June marks the 32nd year of my relationship with the town,” he said.

Brooklyn Phil said one of the most encouraging developments is that new Phil Campbells continue discovering the tradition on their own.

“I love the fact that the history can continue,” Brooklyn Phil said, “and that if you’re a Phil Campbell, somebody’s going to tell you about it.”