Published Date : January 16, 2012
Author : admin
South Carolina is not exactly shabby when it comes to turning out musical acts.
Not it’s not.
We’ve got a pretty strong history in this state. Even recently, you look at Hootie, you look at Edwin. I can remember back in high school watching Edwin play acoustic, sitting on a bar stool out in front of what was Dempsey’s, across the street from the Hyatt. I mean those guys, they took their lumps and they made it, so we’ve got it in this state, there’s no doubt about that.
Every band has that ONE road story. What that’s one road story for you so far? Because it’s still early. Another one’s gonna come along but right now there’s got to be that one.
We’ve got so many that I can’t even say, but honestly, the best story I could think of was our last night with Dierks Bentley on the Jaeger Tour. We were in Norfolk, Virginia and we played in font of a packed house at the NorVa, and the place — when we got through with our set, obviously we were the first band on — the place erupted because we threw a little shout out to the…we had a song that was a tribute to the soldiers. It’s on our new CD and half of the people there were all military because it was in Norfolk near the air base. Well, it erupted, man, it was crazy. The loudest noise I’ve ever heard for us. So after the show was over, it was our last show for the Jagermeister Tour for everybody, so the Jagermeister people took us out and had way too many Jaegers. I lost my band, couldn’t find them and ended up walking back to the venue where we parked our truck and trailer. It was gone. My cell phone was dead so I didn’t know what else to do but wait there. It was about 2 in the morning, I guess. I sat down amongst several homeless people, and I fell asleep. I got woken up I don’t know how long later by a couple of ladies and they were like, “Hey. Weren’t you the guy that opened up for Dierks tonight?” I was like, “Yeah.” “What are you doing here? You’re going to get killed.” I said, “Well, I lost my band, my cell phone was dead, and I didn’t know where else to go.” “You’re coming with us.” I woke up in a hotel, up on the top floor the next day, buck naked, in this bed with these 2 girls. I don’t know what happened. They told me the whole story. Ended up having to put on Facebook the next day, “Hey, band guys, I’m in room ….” I’d borrowed one of their phones, and sure enough, about an hour later, they called me and came and got me, and we went on home. That was a pretty funny story.
And people say Facebook doesn’t have any use.
Exactly, it saved me that day.
What do you have right now on your iPod that would surprise people or you’ve absolutely embarrassed to admit?
I’m an 80s hair band guy, man. I love Poison Cinderella, Motley Crue. I think that may or may not surprise people, but I’m definitely not embarrassed about it. I love that kind of stuff. I like the old Beastie Boys’ “Licensed to Ill” album. That’s what I used to listen to when I was in middle school. Anytime one of those songs comes on, I’ll listen to it. But as far as new stuff I’m just learning about? It may not be that new to a lot of people. I was out west a couple weeks ago. A guy who was riding me around had a Hayes Carll CD. You ever heard of Hayes Carll? Texas guy, but he is one of the best song writers. His album is amazing. So I’ve been listening to him a lot. It’s really good songs. Good melodies and good musicianship. His songwriting is incredible. I love it. I just got introduced to him. Other than that, man, I’ve always got my Waylon in there, my Willie, my Merle.
Who’s your number 1? If I said you’ve got to pick somebody, who’s number 1?
It would be Johnny Cash.
Hands down?
It’s a tough one to call, but if I’ve got to pick one, he’s the one I relate to most. I used to listen to him when I was a kid. I had a record player next to my bed. I would play Johnny Cash records every night when I went to bed. I just put the needle on there and let it go, and it’d put me to sleep. So I know so many Johnny Cash songs that people have never even heard before. “Did you write that?” “No, I wish I did.” But Johnny is my number one all-time.
And it’s a shame that kids coming up today will never understand what music means when it’s on vinyl and to hear that scratch and pop. It just adds something else to the music.
But a lot of new artists are starting to put out vinyl and it’s starting to make a comeback. You go into any of these old record stores now, these vintage record stores like Horizon in Downtown Greenville, there are a ton of them now. They all refurbish these old record players and sell them. Hank III. He put one out on vinyl. I think Jamie Johnson has his last one on vinyl, too. Obviously they have the CD, but as a side thing, they do vinyl, too. It’s coming back around. My guitarist, every time he runs by a record store, he stops and buys a couple of records. But you’re right and I think people are starting to understand that and starting to get back in to it more.
There’s just something about that sound, that scratch and pop and the needle that added its own, different track. It’s funny you talk about Hank III. The last time I saw something with him, it was doing something with Jesco White.
Uh-huh. Yep, “The Wild Wonderful Whites of West Virginia.” Isn’t that right? I saw that the other day.
What do you hate getting asked, or have I already asked it?
I don’t hate getting asked anything, man. Except that it shows when I get asked to play a Rascal Flatts song or something. I hate getting asked that. But other than that, I guess I never even thought about that question. Maybe that’s the one I hate to get asked.
OK.
Naw, I don’t know, man. I’m just kidding.
Not too long ago, CRESCENT sat down with Aaron Tippin and he discussed the impact that digital recording and distribution have in new artists getting their music heard. He said: “It’s still the same old way. There is still no star ever born without a great song. You gotta have a great song and it always starts there. That hasn’t changed. That’s one thing in the music business that hasn’t changed. You’ve got to have a great song. If you do, then that’s the first step.” The stuff that you guys are putting out could be placed in rotation tomorrow. So what’s the next step for y’all, and do you agree with what Aaron says?
I do agree. There are a lot of people that people put money behind, and I’m not going to name any names, but they are absolutely awful. They’re touring around on the bus, and they’re playing in front of thousands of people every night, but they’re awful, awful, awful. But the cream rises to the top, that’s why those people don’t stay around. He’s right, you’ve got to have a good song. After that, you’ve got to have a follow-up song to stay around. The next thing for us is really is to keep building the fan base, keep getting people to talk about us, making sure we play all of our gigs. You never know who’s going to be at the show. It’s about just keeping forward with what we’re doing and what we have been doing. We’ve got to keep writing songs, like Aaron says. I appreciate what you said. I think we’ve got a lot of good songs, but I’m always looking for that one that just above every other one. I’m not a strategic song writer. I don’t sit around in a group of people and say, “OK, let’s write about this topic.” Songs just come to me out of nowhere. A little melody, a little line or something. I’ve got to keep writing my style and hope that it catches on somewhere. I met…it was funny…here’s another story for you along the same lines. We played a show at the hockey game a couple weeks ago.
I saw that, something about y’all playing in the concourse.
And the after party, a lot of hockey players were at Ford’s Oyster House. It just so happened, there was a song writing forum there. A bunch of guys from Nashville were there…a bunch of girls and guys. One of them had just written “Crazy Town” for Jason Aldean. His name is Brett Jones. There were a bunch of other ones there and the owner of the bar said, “You’ve got to meet these people.” OK, I met a couple. They were real short with me. I came back in the bar…
They’re sitting there thinking “Here’s somebody plugging their CD…”
Some girl, without me knowing, signed me up for karaoke. Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” and so I didn’t know she did it. I went up there, sat at the bar drinking my drink. They said, “Greg Payne, ‘Folsom Prison,’ come on up.” I’m like, “Oh, man, I don’t want to sing right now.” But I go on up there and sing anyway. As soon as I did, the songwriters came over and said, “Who are you?” And I said, “I’m Greg out of The Piedmont Boys.” “Here’s my card. You need to send me what you’ve written. I want to hear everything you’ve got.” I said, “You’ve got it.” I haven’t done it yet, but as soon as I get situated with my move, I’m going to. Little stuff like that. I’m a firm believer of you pay your dues and you keep persevering, you’re going to end up in front of the right people. And I’m not saying that I’m counting on that to even go anywhere, but it could. I could get discovered just like Gretchen Wilson did playing in a… singing in a karaoke bar somewhere. So I don’t know, I don’t have a huge…I’m not smart enough in the business to have this big musical plan. I really don’t. I just want to keep booking gigs and building the fan base. I’m trying to network on Facebook and Twitter as much as I can. I’m just trying to spread what we’ve got, and it’s a slow spread because we’re not on the radio. But every week I see our fan base building up and building up. As long as it doesn’t stall out, that’s what we want.
To keep up with The Piedmont Boys, visit them at www.ThePiedmontBoys.com.
If you want to hear The Piedmont Boys live, catch them:
Stay Tuned for Part 4. To Read Part 1, Click HERE. To Read Part 2, Click HERE.
Published Date : January 13, 2012
Author : admin
Although video poker was prohibited in South Carolina in 1999, a little known loophole is being used and causing an increase in the operation of similar machines — much to the frustration of law enforcement, prosecutors, and now state legislators.
This morning in front of the Greenville County Law Enforcement Center, Senator Larry Martin (R-District 2-Pickens County) and Representative Phyllis Henderson (R-District 21-Greenville County) announced they are taking steps to eliminate these new machines.
The debate revolves around machines called “sweepstakes terminals” which contain games that allow winners to log on to specific websites and redeem game points for prizes or cash.
Law enforcement sees these machines no differently than the banned video poker games, but attorneys for Play 4 Fun who owns these terminals and conducts “sweepstakes” contests in conjunction with Georgia-based Products Direct contend that the machines do not violate the prohibition and are legal.
On April 7, 2011, Greenville County Magistrate Charlie Garrett sided with Play 4 Fun/Products Direct and ordered that the terminals are legal, barring either an appellate court overturning his decision or the legislature taking action to change the law.
“These machines have been gaining widespread use throughout Greenville County over the past few years,” Representative Henderson said. She added, “Senator Martin and I are here today because the legislative intent of the SC General Assembly in 1999 was clearly to ban all types of video gaming machines in the State of South Carolina.”
Last week, Senator Martin filed a bill (S.1065) that would close what he calls a loophole that allows these terminals. Representative Henderson will file the House version of that bill this coming week.
FOR MORE: State’s Brief * Defendant’s Brief * Magistrate’s Order
Published Date : January 12, 2012
Author : admin
Multiple sources are confirming that Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele has been relieved of his coaching duties for the Tigers.
An official announcement is expected later today, and a team meeting has been called for 6:00 p.m. tonight in the WestZone.
Published Date : January 12, 2012
Author : admin
BMW today announced that the company will expand its plant in Spartanburg County. The $900 million investment is expected to generate 300 new jobs. BMW also commemorated a production milestone today – 2,000,000 vehicles since the company began U.S. production in 1994.
Frank-Peter Arndt, BMW Group Board Member responsible for Production, announced the company’s intention to expand its X-model family. He said that production of the new BMW X4 will occur at the Spartanburg plant, spurring significant investment and job creation necessary to prepare the facility for the new model.
“I am delighted to announce today, over the next three years, we plan to invest nearly $900 million. With this investment, we will be able to produce 350,000 units here in the mid-term,” said Arndt. “This is one reaction to the rising global demand for our BMW X Models.”
With the addition of 300 new jobs, this year the plant will raise production capacities up to 300,000 units. By the end of the year, the plant will employ nearly 7,500 people at its more than 4 million-square-foot facility.
“BMW has once again provided tremendous evidence that South Carolina is a blueprint for significant economic development success. The partnership between this company and our state is an enduring example of how to attract, retain and grow business to stimulate perpetual job creation,” said Gov. Nikki Haley
Since the original decision to build BMW’s only U.S. plant in South Carolina in 1992, today’s announcement brings BMW Group’s total investment in the state to nearly $6 billion and represents its largest, single investment to date in its South Carolina plant.
“Two million vehicles have prepared our team well to meet the new opportunities that lie ahead for our plant. We look forward to a new model with great anticipation. For nearly 20 years, this team has always proven their steadfast commitment to producing quality vehicles for our customers around the world,” remarked Josef Kerscher, president of BMW Manufacturing.
In 2011, the plant produced 276,065 vehicles for over 130 markets around the world representing a 73 percent increase from 2010. Seventy percent of the vehicles produced (192,813) were exported, making BMW the largest automotive exporter to the non-NAFTA countries. Sales of the vehicles produced at the plant have met with continued high demand. According to Arndt, throughout the world, more than 117,000 X3’s were sold in 2011 representing a 156 percent growth of this vehicle versus its predecessor.
“I am thrilled to celebrate the 2 millionth BMW today,” said Bobby Hitt, Secretary of Commerce for South Carolina. “BMW’s impact on South Carolina’s economy and overall competitiveness is always worth celebrating. This new economic investment and commitment of jobs is a testament to South Carolina’s strong automotive manufacturing industry.”
In the past year, South Carolina has recruited more than $2.3 billion in investment and more than 4,000 new jobs in the automotive-related sector.
Since 1994, the plant has undergone four major expansions and produced six different BMW models and their variants (318i, Z3, Z4, X5, X6, X3). Employment has grown from 500 in 1994 to more than 7,000 today.
Published Date : January 11, 2012
Author : admin
With the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary over, all eyes turn to South Carolina. For the next ten days, the Palmetto State will serve as the center of the political universe as Republican presidential candidates stump for votes before the state’s “First in the South” Republican presidential primary on January 21.
Whether you have a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or another political affiliation, you have an opportunity to see these candidates as they crisscross the state.
Here is a schedule of candidates and events as we have them now.
January 11
9:00 AM – Gov. Rick Perry holding a campaign event at Lizard’s Thicket
4616 Augusta Road, Lexington, SC 29073
9:00 AM – Speaker Newt Gingrich at Rock Hill Town Hall
Laurel Creek Club
4017 Laurel Creek Drive, Rock Hill, SC 29732
12:00 Noon – Cong. Ron Paul Campaign Rally
Columbia Metropolitan Airport at the Eagle Aviation Building
2700 Aviation Way, West Columbia, SC 29170
12:00 Noon – Speaker Newt Gingrich Spartanburg Co. GOP Luncheon & Book Signing
Spartanburg Marriott
299 North Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306
1:00 PM – Gov. Rick Perry holding a campaign event at Doc’s Barbecue
1601 Shop Road, Columbia, SC 29201
2:00 PM – Sen. Rick Santorum holding a campaign event
YesterYear Restaurant
140 S. Palmer Street, Ridgeway, SC 29130
2:00 PM – Speaker Newt Gingrich Spartanburg Town Hall
Beacon Restaurant
255 John B White Sr. Boulevard, Spartanburg, SC 29306
3:00 PM – Gov. Jon Huntsman hosting a town hall meeting
University of South Carolina, Moore School of Business
1705 College St., 8th Floor, Columbia, SC 29201
3:30 PM – Gov. Rick Perry Campaign Event
The Gun Rack
213 Richland Ave. West, Aiken, SC 29801
4:30 PM – Gov. Rick Perry holding a town hall meeting
Municipal Building Conference Center
213 Richland Ave. West, Aiken, SC 29801
6:00 PM – Gov. Mitt Romney with Gov. Nikki Haley
The Hall at Senate’s End
320 Senate Street, Columbia, SC 29201
6:15 PM – Gov. Rick Perry holding a campaign event at Al’s Family Restaurant
611 Atomic Road, Augusta, SC 29841
7:00 PM – Gov. Jon Huntsman hosting a town hall meeting
North Charleston City Council Chambers
2500 City Hall Lane, North Charleston, SC 29406
7:00 PM – Sen. Rick Santorum Campaign Rally
Historic Springdale House & Gardens
3150 Platt Springs Road, Columbia, SC 29170
7:30 PM – Speaker Newt Gingrich
Greenville County Republican Party Fundraiser
410 Hudson Road, Greenville, SC 29615
January 12
7:50 AM – Gov. Mitt Romney holding a grassroots rally
Cherokee Trikes & More
1700 Highway 14 S, Greer, SC 29651
8:30 AM – Gov. Jon Huntsman attending Berkeley County GOP breakfast
Honeycomb Cafe
162 Seven Farms Drive, Daniel Island, SC 29492
9:00 AM – Gov. Rick Perry holding a campaign event at Lizard’s Thicket
711-1 University Village Drive, Blythewood, SC 29016
12:00 Noon – Gov. Rick Perry holding a campaign event at Duke’s Barbecue
789 Chestnut St., Orangeburg, SC 29115
12:00 Noon – Speaker Newt Gingrich at Homebuilder’s Association Rally
SC Statehouse, Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201
12:00 Noon – Sen. Rick Santorum Campaign Rally
Westin Hilton Head
2 Grasslawn Ave.,Hilton Head, SC 29928
2:00 PM – Gov. Rick Perry holding a campaign event at Murphy Law Firm
136 West Richardson Ave., Summerville, SC 29483
3:00 PM – Sen. Rick Santorum hosting a town hall meeting
Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club
30 Yacht Drive, Beaufort, SC 29907
4:00 PM – Gov. Rick Perry holding a campaign event at Hiott’s Pharmacy
213 East Washington St., Walterboro, SC 29488
5:00 PM – Gov. Rick Perry holding a campaign event
Fat Jack’s Grillin’ and Chillin’ Restaurant
308 Ivanhoe Drive, Walterboro, SC 29488
7:00 PM – Sen. Rick Santorum hosting a town hall meeting
The Daniel Island School
Multi-Purpose Room, 2365 Daniel Island Drive, Charleston, SC 29492
January 13
6:30 PM – Presidential Candidate Forum and BBQ
Confirmed: Gingrich, Huntsman, Santorum
Fundraiser for Greenville/Spartanburg County Republican Parties
Byrnes High School
150 East Main Street
Duncan, SC on highway 290 off of I-85
Published Date : January 9, 2012
Author : admin
This may seem odd coming from a Democrat who lives in city that led the Confederate Rebellion, but one thing is very clear from the Republican presidential primary – our state and nation desperately needs to see the return of the party of Lincoln. It will be good for Republicans and Democrats, and most importantly, good for our state and country as a whole.
As with so many things in our state, first a little history. Most people think that Lincoln was the first Republican Party candidate for President; in fact, it was John C. Fremont, who first ran on the Republican Party label in 1856. Born in Savannah, Fremont was the bastard son of a socially prominent Virginia planter family. He spent much of his early life in Charleston and was thrown out of the College of Charleston in 1831 shortly before he was due to graduate. Fremont ‘went west’ and became an explorer, early California politician and an ardent abolitionist.
After Fremont’s failure in the 1856 election, the Republicans nominated Lincoln for the 1860 campaign, largely due to his moderate views on the issues of slavery. He urged a pragmatic domestic policy of more ‘internal improvements’ – i.e. government public works projects, and as one born in a log cabin of humble origins, above all else he was for the common man.
Once elected, Lincoln reached out to his political opponents and created a ‘Team of Rivals,’ as noted by the title of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s 2005 book. Lincoln knew that in a divided federal government in a divided country, he had to engage all sides to forge solutions to complex and difficult problems.
Lincoln was pragmatic. Throughout his five years as President, he was not driven by a rigid ideology; he was willing to compromise on political tactics and strategies while never losing sight of his overall goal of preserving the Union.
On a personal level, Lincoln is best remembered for his great compassion for his fellow human beings. ‘With malice toward none, with charity for all…’ Lincoln sought to bind up the wounds of a deeply divided and broken country.
Above all, Lincoln was driven by his sense of national purpose – to preserve the Union above all else. He was willing to make political compromises, endure personal insults and attacks and make any necessary sacrifice of blood and treasure, to ensure the Union prevailed.
How different is the Republican Party today, both nationally and in South Carolina.
Today their presidential candidates are almost all lacking in any serious leadership capacity. Instead of articulating real policy solutions, they fall all over each other trying to get to the most extreme right wing position to appeal to their Party’s ideological base – see immigration, abortion and no tax pledges.
If one of today’s contenders dared to use candidate George W. Bush’s phrase ‘compassionate conservative,’ he would be eaten alive by the likes of Fox News, Bill O’Reilly and Rush Limbaugh.
And what of the Republican Party in South Carolina? The very idea of working across party lines to solve difficult issues is simply anathema to many Republicans.
And a ‘team of rivals’ – not hardly. The very idea of Governor Haley ever appointing a Democrat to a significant position is laughable – see Darla Moore and the whole DHEC Board she fired.
Today, the Republicans’ biggest preoccupation seems to be hunting RINOs, or Republicans in Name Only. Any time a Republican in the state house begins to seriously talk with a Democrat to fashion a sensible solution to difficult issues, like education, they are immediately condemned as sellouts and thus become fair game for the RINO hunters.
And a sense of higher purpose for the good of all – forget it. In both Washington and Columbia, special interest groups with their political action committees and campaign contributions dictate the political agenda. As a result, our government is broken and our politics is corrupt.
Nationally we see this with the dysfunctional debt limit and ‘super committee’ fights and in the next few months we will see this played out here in the statehouse battle over tax reform. In South Carolina, there are countless special tax exemptions and loopholes in our current law that cost taxpayers billions of dollars each and every year. Watch closely and see who prevails – our state’s larger interest or the narrow special interest.
Where is Honest Abe and his Republican Party when we need them?
Phil Noble is a businessman in Charleston and President of the SC New Democrats, an independent reform group started by former Gov. Richard Riley. Contact Mr. Noble at phil@SCNewDemocrats.org or www.SCNewDemocrats.org.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the author are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of CRESCENT: The Magazine.
To submit an op-ed for CRESCENT’s “Your Turn” section, please email it to input@crescentmag.com.
Published Date : January 9, 2012
Author : admin
South Carolina has the license plate “First in Golf.” When GOLF magazine published its “Country’s Best Courses” list, only 4 South Carolina courses made the list – Kiawah Ocean Course (which will host the 2012 PGA Championship), Harbor Town was 45th, Yeamans Hall in Hanahan was 67th, and Long Cove at Hilton Head was 94th. Do you think that number is right, or are there other courses that should have made the list…or should have some of those courses been taken off?
Great question. I’ve played 3 of the 4 South Carolina courses. I haven’t played Yeamans Hall, though. All of them are just burned into my memory. That’s how good they are. They’re all very deserving to be on that list. I can think of a multitude of golf courses…I mean, Tidewater should be on that list. It’s breathtaking, and it was the #1 public golf course for at least a year that I’m aware of, when it debuted. There are quite a few others that could and should be on that list on a private level, but there’s a lot of competition in this country. Four out of 100? 4%? Yeah. There should be more, definitely. When you’re looking at golf courses like Pebble Beach and Pine Valley and Augusta National, you’ve got some stiff competition and I’d like to see more majors come to the state of South Carolina which might give us the boost that we’d need. It’s tough to break into that major rotation. We have a long way to go in that department, don’t we?
I think so. Which is actually a perfect lead-in because of something you did last April. You, your Golf Channel broadcast team, and the CBS broadcast team, essentially did a week-long commercial for Hilton Head.
It worked!
It was unbelievable, not only to keep The Heritage on the schedule, but to keep its place on the schedule. That traditional date right after the Masters. What did that mean to you as a broadcaster, as a golf fan and as a native South Carolinian as we talk about bringing about bringing more majors to South Carolina.
It meant the world. This is a tournament that my friends go to every year to socialize. My mother and her friends have gone 2 or 3 years to socialize. Her mother and their friends. You get the idea? It’s been handed down over the generations. To think for a minute that that tournament was going to go away, not only for an economic standpoint and what it can do for the state of South Carolina and the whole area there of Hilton Head Island, but just for morale’s sake, you want to keep it. You want this state to be a part of the PGA Tour schedule. You want it to be a proud part of the PGA schedule and you want to have strong advertising for the state of South Carolina. Hilton Head can do that. It was the first time I had called a tournament in a year that it needed to be “saved,” for lack of a better term. I was really proud to be involved with it. Also, I’d like to congratulate Governor Haley for what she was able to do, to be able to keep it alive on the PGA Tour schedule, and I have a feeling this tournament is going to be around for a very, very long time. The players will do…they’ll almost do anything.
They were as vocal as the broadcast teams. Every time somebody got a mic in front of them, the mantra was, “Keep this on the schedule.”
I think Stewart Cink put out a Tweet. He’s got like 1.2 million followers, and he said, “If I can get $7 for every one of my followers, we’ll call it the “@StewartCink Invitational.”
I remember that.
I loved it. These guys will do short of anything to save this golf tournament. I’m right there in the mix.
2007. Masters Week. You were on Arnie’s bag for the Par 3 tournament. That trio included Nicklaus and Player, which is a huge dream come true for anybody who has ever watched the game at any point. In your dream round, who’s on your bag, and who are you playing with?
Well, my dream round instantly includes my grandfather that I mentioned, Melvin Hemphill and my great aunt, Katherine Hemphill. Because I never got to play golf with them and that’s something I really, really, really wish I could have done. My Pops got to see me hit some golf balls when I was a kid, and he encouraged me but he never got to play a round of golf with me so those two are instantly in there. And the fourth member of that group would be my late brother. I lost him at a young age, and me and my youngest brother Drew love the game of golf. Both of us avidly pursued the game of golf and my brother Philip, who’s no longer with us, was picking it up. He was frustrated with it. His brother and sister were always better than he was at it. He was on the verge of quitting constantly, and I was always encouraging him to get back out there. We just didn’t get to play enough rounds of golf together. So my dream round is my grandfather, my Pops, my great aunt Katherine and my brother Phillip. Who is on my bag? Never, ever, thought about that. I’ve never been asked “Who would you like to have as your caddy?” I probably….
It’s truly an underrated position.
Yeah, it is, I’d probably have to put my Dad on the bag because he’s the driving force behind why I played this game. So it would be a family affair from start to finish.
Personal preference. Full hat, cap or visor?
Cap, baby. I’m a baseball cap girl.
What’s on your iPod right now?
Everything. I’ve got classical piano. I’ve got some Josh Groban. I’ve got electronic dance music because I work out constantly, and that keeps me going. Love a little bit of alternative rock. I need some jazz for that glass of red wine when the sun sets, and I need some hip-hop when I’m out on my boat and I’m wake surfing behind the boat. So I like to shoot the gamut, but honestly, if I can only listen to one thing for the rest of my life, it’s probably going to be something R&B because that’s just me. I’m an R&B girl. I need a little B…
Old school?
Old school R&B. Old school, 80’s. I love it. Absolutely love it.
Like?
Oh, give me a little Keith Sweat. Give me a little Jodeci.
I didn’t know if you were going the Al B. Sure route…
Oh, my gosh. Al B. Sure. “Night and Day.” All-time favorite. Love you for that. “Night and Day.” Al B. Sure. I could listen to that the rest of my life. Wore that cassette out when I was in high school to say the least.
Dumbest question you’ve ever been asked — and feel free to include any of the ones I just got finished with?
Good gosh, dumbest question I’ve ever been asked. Thankfully, I haven’t been asked many dumb questions. “Do you like your job” is probably the dumbest question I’ve been asked. Yeah, I like my job. Love my job.
That’s probably the dumbest question I’ve ever been asked.
Has there been a time when you sat down for an interview, you really, really wanted them to ask you something, but they didn’t ask it? If so, what’s that question, and what’s the answer to that question.
You know, I wish I could come up with something great for you there, but honestly…
You don’t want to be prophetic?
You know, I’m a really out-going person. I’m a really … I love what I do. I love the success that we’ve all had on the Golf Channel and the fact that I’ve been able to tag along for that ride. Like I said, I crave a challenge. But, as extroverted as I can be, I’m really not that socially aggressive. I’m kind of an introvert at times. I tend to shy away more from jumping in the middle of the media limelight. So I don’t think I crave too many probing questions. I don’t crave any attention for …I think you can see what I do, and you can kind of draw your own conclusions. So in that sense, I don’t think there is anything I’ve wanted to be asked that I haven’t been asked. Boring as that may seem, it’s the truth.
To Read Part 1, Click HERE. To Read Part 2, Click HERE. To Read Part 3, Click HERE.
Published Date : January 9, 2012
Author : admin
It’s interesting that you talk about, let’s call it “the process,” from the first record because the second does sound like you really worked hard to refine the songs. It sounds tighter. It sounds like you really…you can hear that conscious effort in there.
The first album was recorded basically in a bedroom at somebody’s house. A beat machine, a little drum machine…
Really?
Yeah, and it was very quickly done. Man, we didn’t take any time.
It was a fun record, though.
It was fun. That’s the thing. I don’t have any regrets over it. That’s the record that got our name out. That got us out West. And Sunny Ledfurd’s the one that produced it. He did the whole thing. He actually played bass on it and did all the little lead stuff because it was very raw, dry and just throw it out there. Because, before that, we didn’t have anything. We didn’t have a whole band, still. We didn’t have a fan base like we do now, so that introduced people to who The Piedmont Boys were. So I don’t have any regrets over it.
I liked the way y’all did the old Piedmont Airlines logo and kind of tailored that. I thought that was kind of cool.
Yeah, because where I’m from in Greensboro, that’s their hub up there in that airport so I always like that. But then, the second album, I did want to make it a more of a country sounding album. I know the first album we had like hip-hop beats on it, which was fun and it’s cool to play on the boat and at parties and stuff but I wanted to get more toward the old school sound so I went to Whitestone Studios, which is right downtown Greenville. Edwin McCain owns it so went in there and recorded the second one “Walking Pneumonia” and it came out really polished and really good and we were happy with it. There’s always…you always like the album when you put it out, in your mind, as an artist, there’s always room for improvement. I don’t care what you do, you’re going to look back and say “Man, we should have done this, that.” But for the most part, I love the way it came out. That’s the difference between the first 2.
I mean, that’s also your baby. Whenever you have something like that come out, there’s a certain amount of pride that comes along with it. I mean, you created it and you never want anybody to start saying anything about your baby. That leads to where we’re going. You’ve got the 3rd CD that just came out a couple of weeks ago, “All On Red.” What are the differences between the 1st, 2nd and 3rd? How would you compare the last one to this one?
This one was, first of all, produced by Tim Lawter, who played bass with Marshall Tucker Band for 20 years. He’s been around the block. He knows the sound I was looking for before I walked in the door. He’s played with Hank, Jr, Charlie Daniels, .38 Special, and toured with all those guys for years and years. I went in there and told him, “Tim, I want an ‘old school’ feel to this record. We’re going to bring in some musicians, we’re going to bring in some steel guitars and stuff.” I think, first of all, he knew from the get-go what we kind of wanted. As far as the recording goes, he did a great job with it. Like I said, you always look at it and say that something else could be done but I’m thrilled with the way it came out. As far as the song writing goes on it, like I said before, I went from the first one to the second one with a conscious effort not to throw out all the subject matter but sometimes I listen to them and think “Aw, that’s too pretty an album.” So this time, I said I’m going to get back to my roots of song writing but I’m going to Hendrix it down a little bit not, like we talked about earlier, where it’s not blunt, in your face.
But you still get the drift.
You still get the drift. It’s more of an outlaw album when it comes to the writing on it which is what I wanted and the sound on it is what I wanted and I’m thrilled with how it came out and I think everybody will like it. I’ve heard a lot of good feedback so far that it’s by far our best album. I think it intertwines the first 2. We spent more time in the studio but we didn’t milk down the songs too much to get our point across.
With Tim, obviously having a vast amount of experience with MTB, he brought something to the table that y’all hadn’t had before. Even though you worked with Edwin’s studio on the 2nd record, you were working with a different guy with different experiences. What did he really bring to the table that y’all didn’t have before?
Tim would…for example. I’ve been singing these songs that we recorded for a year now. We’ve had them written for a long time. I was set in my ways of singing a particular song a certain way and I go in there and I start singing it and Tim’s, “Hey, man. Hey, man. How about instead of staying low there, come up with the pitch. Let’s try it.” I’m like, “All right.” So I did it. He goes, “There you go. That’s the way it should go.” So I listen to it and think, “Man, that’s exactly right.” Another good thing about Tim Lawter, I think, he just said “Dude, just sing it, just sing it.” We did it like two or three times a part. He said “Man, it sounds good, don’t over think it.” That’s one thing he brought to the table. You want to keep a raw aspect to your album if you’re playing the kind of music we are. It doesn’t need to be polished and pretty. It needs to be polished enough that it sounds good and that we’re not out of pitch or out of key or anything. He just let us run through it, play it, sing it. He would change us and tell you certain things, always for the better. You know, with somebody like that, if he says something, you’ve got faith in what he said. You don’t question him too much. He’s been around, he’s heard it, he knows what we’re looking for so it was good to work with him.
You guys are having experiences that have taken you past the local bar scene. It’s not just Main Street Downtown Greenville anymore. You’re getting exposure outside of the region and you’re doing it with some national acts. What kind of fun has that been? And how has that changed the way you’re looking at the band’s future.
It’s been a lot of fun. Too much fun. I’ll tell you what it does, man. Once you get a taste of the big stage and the big crowds, you want to get back there as soon as you can. And how you do that, I don’t know, besides maybe going to Nashville and working to get on somebody’s label. I like to do it the old fashioned way, I guess. I like to do the grass roots. I like to build a fan base up and not rely on some big executive to throw us in front of an audience. Getting in front of those crowds, in front of those people, has taught me a lot. Like, the first time I got front of Eric Church, for example, I walked on stage with the music for him, and the place, you couldn’t move in there. My knees were shaking so bad, I thought I was going to fall down. I’d been playing for 3 or 4 years, so it wasn’t my first show, but it was my first big, big performance in front of this thousand people in the Music Farm. And, man, I got up in front of the microphone and my knees are shaking, I don’t even want to move. I thought, “If I take a step back or a step over, I’m going to fall down.” And that’s how it was. I got through the 20 minutes we had on there, and I walked off that stage thinking, “That wasn’t so bad, I’m ready to do it again. I’m ready to go back.” Not too long after that, we played with Gretchen Wilson a couple of times, and immediately I was comfortable from that first experience. And you have to remember it doesn’t matter if there are 50 people there or 5000, they’re just people. They’re still going to have the same…your sense of humor is going to be the same with them as it is with 50 people in a bar, so just be yourself. So I’ve learned a lot about how to entertain a bigger crowd and especially with Dierks Bentley and Josh Thompson, those shows were amazing. We got to do 6 with them. The first couple were a little shaky, but after we got comfortable, and the last show in Norfolk, Virginia was incredible.
How’d you come up with those guys and get on that bill?
We’re sponsored by Jagermeister and they put on a Jagermeister country tour every year in the Spring. Actually, it lasts for most of the year and they call us when they’re in this region and they look for local support. They actually sent about 30 or 40 bands to Dierks and said choose the band you want. And they chose us. They chose us over whoever those 30 bands were. Yeah, they said that was more the sound they were looking for.” We had the fiddle because he’s more a bluegrassy guy now. He’s doing a lot of bluegrass stuff. So we just got lucky. We fell into it. And when I got the call that day, they said, “You’ve got 6 shows to choose from, which one do you want?” I said, “Well, can I take all six?” He said, “Yeah.” So that’s what we did. It’s been a great learning experience. The fun we’ve had, being on the road, being in front of those crowds. And after the shows, going out and signing autographs thinking that we’re somebody…we’re just a bar band from Greenville, but they treat you when you’re on those tours like you’re on the CMA Awards. You’re signing autographs, you’re signing everything. It’s fun. It’s a good time. And it really make you say, “Hey, I belong there. I belong in front of those crowds. I know I can do it.” It’s what we’re trying to get to on a more consistent basis. In order to do that, you’ve just got to be in the right place at the right time and have somebody believe in you and say, “We’re going to put you on tour with Dierks Bentley for six months and see what you can do. See how many CDs you can sell.” That’s what we’re looking for. Ultimately. We’ve still got a ways to go with a lot of different stuff but I think we’re getting close to where we can do that.
I’d be nice if Dierks could put in a word.
He liked us. He’d come and hang out with us. He actually wore a Piedmont Boys hat one night. The thing is, what I learned to, though, those guys have just as many, if not more problems, than I’ve got. You know, as far as him putting in a good word, it would be nice, but I think we’d have to be around him for a few more times. Like I said, he’s…it’s a job. He’s not just back there hanging out, partying. He’s got all these other things on his mind. He had his wife and his kid with him for most of the shows we were there, but it would be nice. Even Gretchen Wilson, she loved us. She started her own record company, “Redneck Records,” and it would be nice for her to remember us, but the thing is we’ve got to stay in their circles. You hit ‘em one time and they like you, but you hit ‘em again and they’re like, “Yeah, I remember you, what’s going on?”
You want to stay top of mind with them.
Yeah, yeah. I do And I think if we’re around them more often, I think that they would see what we’re all about and get to know us and once they got to know our personalities, hanging out, I think they would like us. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time. I believe that in about anything you do in life. It’s all about hard work and dedication, but you gotta get lucky a lot of time. You’ve just got to get lucky. And I think that the harder you work, the luckier you are but that’s where we are right now.
To keep up with The Piedmont Boys, visit them at www.ThePiedmontBoys.com.
If you want to hear The Piedmont Boys live, catch them:
Stay Tuned for Part 3. To Read Part 1, Click HERE.
Published Date : January 9, 2012
Author : admin
For eleven nights in January, food lovers in South Carolina can dine in style at some of the state’s best restaurants for a fraction of the cost of a regular meal. Restaurant Week South Carolina will be held January 12 – 22, 2012.
This is the third year Restaurant Week South Carolina has offered consumers great values and helped fill restaurants, who prior to Restaurant Week, were normally slow during the month of January.
From fine dining to casual, participating restaurants will feature special menu items, promotions and discounts. Diners can sample new restaurants or dine at old favorites while tasting a variety of exceptional dishes being prepared by chefs at a great value. The event is a reminder that South Carolina is a culinary destination with top chefs, farm-to-table dining, wonderful wine and a lot more to discover and explore.
Restaurant Week South Carolina is an exciting event developed to showcase the outstanding culinary scene throughout the state. The South Carolina Hospitality Association in partnership with its local chapters and partners (the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association, the Greenville Hospitality Association, the Columbia Restaurant Association, the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association and the Spartanburg Area Restaurant Association) have come together to create this event, which will showcase South Carolina as a premiere dining destination for local, regional, and national food lovers.
Restaurants suggest making reservations in advance as seatings fill up quickly. To learn more about Restaurant Week South Carolina or to view the individual restaurant menus visit www.restaurantweeksouthcarolina.com and become a fan on Facebook to keep up-to-date with the event.
On the website, you can search by region of the state, by city, or even by cuisine type to find the list of restaurants that are participating. By clicking on the name of the restaurant, you will see their Restaurant Week menu and information about how to make a reservation or where they are located. You can even click on a link to their website to see their regular menu.
“With more restaurants participating, Restaurant Week South Carolina 2012 helps break the January doldrums with exciting values at a diverse group of restaurants. From some of the finest in the state to casual dining, there are options available to satisfy everyone,” commented Douglas OFlaherty of the SCHA who orchestrates the event for the association.
NOTE: To see which of these restaurants uses locally grown or raised ingredients, visit the South Carolina Department of Agriculture’s “Fresh on the Menu” program.
Published Date : January 5, 2012
Author : admin
BY: Taft Matney
As the dust settled from the Iowa Caucuses and before Clemson shocked the world coming out on the short end of a 70-33 Orange Bowl game against West Virginia, I had an opportunity to chat with Shawn Drury, editor of Mauldin Patch about the caucus results.
According to the piece that appeared today:
Now that the dust has somewhat settled on the Iowa caucuses we asked our team of pundits for their thoughts. They’re joined this go-around by Taft Matney.
We’ll start off with Taft, a public relations professional and Mauldin resident. You can follow him on Twitter @TaftMatney or @CrescentMag.
“There’s no doubt that even with Governor Romney’s eight vote victory, the night’s real winner was Senator Santorum who showed that pavement pounding and personal touches still work in an era where so much communication is electronically driven. It gives him a big boost going in to New Hampshire, but with the other candidates having purchased most of the available TV time, wearing out that shoe leather over the next week becomes even more important to him.
“Iowa’s results illustrate the divide in passions of Republicans on the evangelical right who supported Santorum versus those with more of a focus on jobs, the economy, and beating President Obama in November who supported Romney, and there’s still a fluidity that will keep a clear frontrunner from emerging right now. We’ll start seeing candidates suspend their campaigns after receiving underwhelming results. With media markets that level the playing field for candidates with smaller coffers, South Carolina remains a major player in the primary process over the next few weeks.”
If you’re unfamiliar with Patch, add it to your list of regularly visited media outlets. It’s is a division of AOL with more than 800 separate editorial units in small/medium-sized towns, cities, and communities across the country. Much of Patch’s hyper-local reporting is then fed to another AOL news division, The Huffington Post.
South Carolina’s eleven Patch outlets, that stretch from the Upstate to the Lowcountry and are led by veteran reporters and editors, do a great job embedding themselves in their communities and reporting news and information that other outlets are missing.
One of Patch’s most interesting projects this election cycle is a joint effort with its sister outlet The Huffington Post. Their “Power Outsiders” series conducts weekly surveys of political consultants, activists, and elected officials in the early primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida. While I’m proud to be a “Power Outsider,” I also recommend it as an interesting read.
Published Date : January 2, 2012
Author : admin
CRESCENT congratulates the University of South Carolina Gamecocks for their 30-13 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Orlando’s Capital One Bowl.
We also congratulate Gamecock Junior WR Alshon Jeffery for earning the game’s MVP trophy.
A great way to represent your state, Carolina.
Published Date : January 1, 2012
Author : admin
From everyone at CRESCENT, we wish you a happy, healthy, and safe 2012 that lets you keep all of your resolutions.
South Carolina still has a lot of stories to tell, and we’re glad you’ll be here to share them. Thank you for an amazing 2011. We can’t wait to see what the new year brings.
Published Date : December 29, 2011
Author : admin
As swimmers prepare for the Hilton Head “Polar Bear Plunge” this Sunday, many of them are uneasy about the annual ocean dip due to a large number of Portuguese Man-of-War that washed ashore Beaufort County’s beaches over the past few weeks.
Though not a jellyfish because it is a collection of organisms instead of a single being, the Portuguese Man-of-War delivers a powerful sting from its venomous tentacles and can cause the need for medical attention in those who fall victim to its whip.
According to the Hilton Head Island Packet, “Al Stokes, manager of the Waddell Mariculture Center in Bluffton, says that while they die shortly after drifting ashore, their venom remains potent for two or three days.”
The Island Packet added, “Stokes says winds from the south are probably why so many Portuguese Man-of-War are washing ashore.”
As far as Sunday’s Polar Bear Plunge is concerned, organizers who want people to have a good time, are first concerned with swimmers’ safety and are unsure of what they will do about the swim.
Published Date : December 28, 2011
Author : admin
Nicknamed by comedy dinner theater Café and then Some as “the road that connects the old K-Mart to the Mauldin K-Mart,” the Southern Connector will increase its rates effective next week.
Drivers of the 16 mile toll road in Southern Greenville County that connects the I-385/US Highway 276 interchange to I-85 near the Greenville/Anderson county lines will see rates rise at 12:01 a.m. on January 2, 2012.
The road’s casual 2-axle automobile users will see a rate increase of $0.25 per toll plaza, for a total increase of $0.50 (going from $2.50 to $3.00 to drive the toll road from start to finish).
Regular users, those who use the road’s Palmetto Pass, will see a rate increase of $0.35 per toll plaza, for a total increase of $0.70 (going from $2.00 to $2.70 to drive the toll road from start to finish).
The move is a planned part of the Southern Connector Association’s efforts to bring the road out of bankruptcy and was approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in April 2011. Another rate increase is planned for January 2016.
Published Date : December 25, 2011
Author : admin
Oysters roasting on an open fire, sweet tea nipping at your lips…
CRESCENT wishes you and your family the merriest of Christmases.
Published Date : December 22, 2011
Author : admin
BY: Taft Matney
We encouraged people to participate in “Small Business Saturday” right after Thanksgiving as a way to promote local businesses. As a result, we got more than a few questions from people asking where they could get some of the things we’ve highlighted in CRESCENT.
Truthfully, it’s not something we really considered. We just assumed people would Google whatever it was they were interested in and get the contact information that way. Apparently not.
To make things simpler, we added another component to our social media arsenal to help give that information. Our new Pinterest pinboards let us post where you need to go to find those things of interest, things we’ve talked about, or things we’ve just mentioned.
So, if there’s something you liked and wanted to take home with you, just go to one of our new pinboards, click, and go. You won’t just be supporting small business. You’ll be supporting South Carolina business.
Published Date : December 22, 2011
Author : admin
It’s true. We as a state have an extra $1 billion dollars more in state tax revenues than we thought we did just a few weeks ago, and it gets even better. This includes $519 million in recurring revenues — money we will get annually from now on…or until the economy tanks again.
The question is: What will we do with this money? Will we be smart or just revert to politics as usual?
Everyone in Columbia has their opinions as to what we should do. Gov. Haley says use it to pay some of the shortfall in the state’s pension fund and refund some of it to the taxpayers. The various state agencies and their friends in the legislature all have their long list of special projects and needs. They can all make a good case as we have lots of real needs and most of the agencies have suffered from horrendous budget cuts.
But left to politics as usual, the money will simply get spent by the same old people in the same old ways, based on which group can best mobilize their lobbyists and friends to get what they want.
Let’s do something different this time. In fact, let’s start by doing something really radical: let’s ask the people.
The money is tax money and people should be asked what they want. There are various ways to get real and honest input from the voters, such as unbiased opinion polls, asking for people’s suggestions via special websites and new online tools, or holding town hall meetings around the state. The media would be happy to help in promoting the idea and taking feedback from the voters.
Politicians say they know what the people want, and cynics will say that this won’t work as all the special interest groups will just organize their folks to game the process. Maybe, but if Gov. Haley and the leadership in the legislature make a sincere and honest attempt to use some new ideas and new technology to ask the voters, people will honestly respond. My guess is that our so-called leaders will be surprised by the thoughtful and earnest responses of the people of our state.
We are not just a collection of special interest groups but a state with people who care about each other and our future.
Second, let’s agree to not just keep funding a failing system. Let’s fund success for a change. Government is broken, politics is corrupt, and the last thing that we should do is just pour more money into an already leaky bucket. Let’s fix the bucket.
Throughout this state there are lots of examples of things that are working well– public schools that are doing a good job in educating our children, job training that is teaching people new 21st century skills, community health projects that are both reducing costs and meeting people’s needs. We need to focus on replicating these successes and not simply funding something because it was a line item that was cut the last time around.
Finally, let’s make a meaningful commitment to funding the kind of innovation and technology that will pay real dividends in the future. There are too many politicians in this state, of both parties, whose attitude seems to be ‘to hell with the future, let’s keep fighting about the past.’ Innovation is how we succeed long term and we should set aside a big portion of the $500 million in recurring revenues to fund some long-term projects that may take a few years to pay off but potentially have a big return of 10 or 20 to 1.
And, in the short term, the pay off is in technology. My company has been fortunate enough to do a bit of work over the years with Microsoft and other major tech companies in both in the US and globally, and the industry consensus is that simply installing the best current off-the-shelf technology in most government agencies would save anywhere from 15-20% of operating costs. This is not some pie-in-the-sky speculation but a hard projection based on countless examples from state governments across the country.
None of this is earth-shaking stuff. It’s really just common sense. It only seems radical to those who have a stake in the failed status quo and refuse to move beyond simply playing politics as usual.
A billion dollars now and half a billion annually is a lot of money – a whole lot, in fact. The last thing we need to do is simply spend it in the same way that we have in the past and get the same result.
It’s our money and we should demand that it is spent smart, for a change.
Phil Noble is a businessman in Charleston and President of the SC New Democrats, an independent reform group started by former Gov. Richard Riley. Contact Mr. Noble at phil@SCNewDemocrats.org or www.SCNewDemocrats.org.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the author are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of CRESCENT: The Magazine.
To submit an op-ed for CRESCENT’s “Your Turn” section, please email it to input@crescentmag.com.
Published Date : December 19, 2011
Author : admin
Upstate Insurance Professional Earns Certification
Michael Herlong, president of Herlong Bates Insurance, has been awarded the designation of Certified Insurance Counselor after the completion of an insurance education program sponsored by the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors.
Herlong completed five CIC institutes and comprehensive written exams focusing on all major fields of insurance, insurance management, and agency options.
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BI-LO and Winn-Dixie Agree to Merge
Mauldin, SC-based BI-LO and Jacksonville, FL-based Winn-Dixie today announced that the companies will merge to create an organization of approximately 690 grocery stores and 63,000 employees in eight states throughout the southeastern United States.
Under the terms of the definitive agreement, BI-LO will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Winn-Dixie stock in the merger. Winn-Dixie shareholders will receive $9.50 in cash per share of Winn-Dixie common stock, representing a premium of approximately 75% over the closing price of Winn-Dixie common stock on December 16, 2011.
A Special Committee of the Winn-Dixie Board of Directors, comprised of eight independent directors, and advised by independent financial and legal advisors, negotiated the transaction and recommended it to the full Board. The full Board unanimously approved the agreement and recommends Winn-Dixie shareholders vote in favor of the transaction.
“We are very excited about the merger of BI-LO and Winn-Dixie,” said Randall Onstead, Chairman of BI-LO. “With no overlap in our markets, the combined company will have a perfect geographic fit that will create a stronger platform from which to provide our customers great products at a great value, while continuing to offer exceptional service. BI-LO and Winn-Dixie are both strong regional brands with similar heritages, compelling customer connections, and outstanding employees. Both have been an important part of the communities and families they serve, and we look forward to building upon these two iconic brands and serving loyal customers for years to come.”
“This transaction with BI-LO provides Winn-Dixie shareholders with a significant cash premium for their shares. We believe this transaction is in the best interests of our shareholders,” said Peter Lynch, Chairman, CEO and President of Winn-Dixie. “By combining BI-LO and Winn-Dixie, we anticipate building a company that is stronger than our individual businesses and creating opportunities for continued advancement through the cross-pollination of our people and the sharing of ideas across our organizations, all to the benefit of our guests, suppliers, team members and the neighborhoods that Winn-Dixie serves.”
The transaction is currently expected to close in the next 60 to 120 days, subject to the approval of Winn-Dixie shareholders and other customary closing conditions, including expiration of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. The transaction is not subject to any financing condition. Following the completion of the merger, Winn-Dixie will become a privately-held, wholly owned subsidiary of BI-LO and Winn-Dixie’s common stock will cease trading on the NASDAQ.
Until the merger is complete, both BI-LO and Winn-Dixie will continue to operate as separate companies.
Following completion of the merger, it is anticipated that the companies will continue to operate under the BI-LO and Winn-Dixie banners that their customers have come to trust.
BI-LO and Winn-Dixie do not currently expect any store closures as a result of the combination. The combined company’s executive management team structure and headquarters location will be decided as the companies move closer to finalizing the transaction; however, it is expected that the combined company will maintain a presence in both Greenville and Jacksonville.
NOTE: BI-LO is one of the largest taxpayers in the City of Mauldin. Crescent is trying to get a statement from city leaders about what this merger could mean to the municipality’s coffers and to other taxpayers.
UPDATE 12/26/11: City of Mauldin officials never returned CRESCENT’s request for comment regarding the BI-LO’s future in Mauldin or what it means for taxpayers.
Published Date : December 19, 2011
Author : admin
Over the past several years, The Piedmont Boys played audiences from the East Coast to the West Coast. They’ve opened for Dierks Bentley and Gretchen Wilson. They played at a rally for the South Carolina Energy Forum. They’ve played dive bars, music halls, and everything in between, but for some reason, they still aren’t signed by a record label. That’s a shame. In a state that produced Hootie and the Blowfish and Edwin McCain, The Piedmont Boys are positioned to lead a new class of musicians to the top of the charts…if only we didn’t keep them a secret in South Carolina.
TPB frontman Greg Payne opens up about how a career playing minor league baseball and Arena (af2) football led him to real estate sales and eventually to his love of music — old school, David Allen Coe, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, country music.
I guess the first piece would be how did you get from NC to SC?
After college, I played minor league baseball for 2 years and …
Who were you with?
I was Independent League. It was kind of funny because now I’m still an independent artist. I never got drafted. I was told I was going to get drafted by the Royals and White Sox but they never drafted me, but I got picked up by the Independent League in Glens Falls, NY. I’ve had 3 loves my whole life: football, baseball and music. So I wanted to play pro baseball, so I went and did that. Got hurt after my 2nd year, came back home and actually went and played Arena League football for the Greensboro Prowlers up in North Carolina. After that…that didn’t last too long. I got hurt again and I just sick of the whole hustle and bustle of it.
Long story short, I quit, but I felt like I gave it a good shot in both baseball and football. I got into real estate and I was in real estate in Salisbury, NC.
Because that’s just like baseball and football.
Exactly. Just alike. A buddy of mine hired me as a sales rep and I started making money for the first time in my life and I got the fever of having a lot of money. So a couple of years later, I started my own real estate and construction company and moved to Greenville because, the research that I did, this market was hopping. And it was. That was back in ‘03, I guess. I ran that for 5 years and, you know, I turned 30 years old and, a few things happened. I met some people. I had a breakup back then, with a girl, and I had a buddy of mine pass away and I said, “Man, I’m 30 years old, I don’t want to regret not trying music.” I’d never been in a band before. I always just played in the dorm rooms in college in stuff. So I called a buddy of mine in Florida, who I went to college with and said, “Come on up to South Carolina and let’s start a little band and write some songs.” And he did so it started there. Started as a 2-piece and we wrote some songs and added a couple of band members and the next thing you know, we’re a 4-piece. The next thing you know, we’re playing bars in downtown Greenville every week, packing them out. It was fun, I just got the fever for it. That’s where it started.
You went to the 2-piece to the 4-piece to the 5-piece. How did the band’s evolution take place? Because you started out with your buddy and it’s, “Hey, we’re going to write some songs and see where we go.” How did it pick up after that?
We started going to a place called The Pickin’ Parlor, which is not there any more. It was below Gypsy G’s Roadhouse out on Rutherford Road (in Greenville, SC). It was a cool little place, man. They had open mic night every night. Anybody could come in there and bring their instruments and generally there were 10 or 15 musicians in there from drummers to guitarists to bass guitarists to mandolin players. Everybody would just sit in with each other and so I started going…
You’re always playing with different people. You never know who’s going to be there. You just show up and see what you can put together. So I did that a few times and there was this drummer there, Brian Kennedy, who’s still with us. He started playing a little drums with us and I said, “Man, that sounds good, that’s a good feel.” I wanted to add more to the sound so we started bringing Brian in. Then my buddy I started the band with, he left the band. Met a girl and got married, so I hired, just through a mutual friend, a bass player, Ronnie Gunter, and then a fiddle player Matt Parks, from Spartanburg. Looking back on it, I don’t know how all the details worked out but it just came together pretty quick and the next thing you know, we had a 4-piece and we’re in the studio recording our first album.
The music that you guys put out has a lot of, “outlaw country” in it. You’re the one who writes most of the songs. Does that outlaw appeal come more from the love of the sound or the love of the lifestyle.
Both. But more the sound. When I write songs, 99% of the time, it’s something I’ve lived. Sometimes you can make up a story…you think “This is could be a good story, I’m going to put it in a song.” But for the most past, what I’ve written has been real-life experience. On the same token, though, I have people come to me and say “Hey, what are all your songs about alcohol and drugs and, you know.” And I’m like, “That’s not what we’re all about.” And I hate that it comes across sometimes to people like that. We’re not all about that. When I started listening to Johnny Cash and David Allen Coe, there’s just something about those old outlaw songs that say…people aren’t singing about the real stuff in the world today. If you hear anything on Nashville radio, it’s all about things just hunky-dory perfect and about love and all that. And all that’s good, that’s fine but, you know, I grew up on the Waylons and Johnny Cash and Billy Joe Shaver and they’re topics for songs back then are a lot different. That’s what I grew up on listening to, so I guess that I’m not afraid to put certain things in my songs, whereas Nashville radio’s not going to say, “Oh, we’re going to put this on the radio.” I understand that. But I’m not writing geared to what the radio execs want to hear, I write what I feel first and also what I feel will appeal to our fan base. We’ve got some rowdy fans, man, and they come out in numbers. They support us so when I sit down to write a song, I keep them in mind, first and foremost.
There’s a lot difference between the first and second records. You were talking about how you write and about how some of the songs are perceived and I think the drug and alcohol use was pretty prevalent in the first record, but you didn’t really have that in the second. Was that a conscious effort or did it just happen that way?
It was conscious. Bottom line, I’ve got a Mama and Grandma at home that I’ve got to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with. I love ‘em (the songs on the first record), don’t get me wrong, but when I put them down on the album and when I come to see my Grandma who goes to church every Wednesday and every Sunday and I hand her a CD saying, “Here you go, Grandma,” I mean, I’m human, man. I knew I had to do something a little bit different (for the second album). There are ways to say things without saying them and being that blunt about them. And I knew that going into it, but the first album, it is what it is. I listened to a lot of the old Waylon songs and they were saying stuff that…you knew what they were saying, but they didn’t come out and say them. I said, “I’ve got to get my song writing a little bit better, I think.” And stop all the reference of everything being so brutally honest. So, yeah, it was a conscious effort. I don’t want to conform too much, so after the second album, the third one, it just got out, it’s almost in the middle of that, but it’s not that blunt with references like the first one. I still want to be edgy, a little raunchy, a little hard core, but again, I want to be able to take it home and give it to my Grandma, and my Mom would be proud of it. The first one…I think they just threw it away. They didn’t give it to any of their friends. The second one they loved.
If you want to hear The Piedmont Boys live, catch them:
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Stay Tuned for Part 2.
Published Date : December 19, 2011
Author : admin
When you do get home, what are your musts? You must see, you must eat, you must go, you must…
Calabash typically is a must. Sneak up there and eat some good old fashioned seafood. I must take runs on the beach. I must take runs along that section between Cherry Grove pier and Ocean Drive — Main Street, North Myrtle Beach because that is the strip I grew up on, right there. I must also take a run through my neighborhood, which is 11th Avenue kind of winding around the elementary school and the kindergarten, all through that, those streets back there. Jordan Road, Tillson Road, all that. Those are kind of my musts. Occasionally, I’ll swing by the high school, take a peek, see how it’s doing, but it doesn’t look much different. I never get home during basketball season. If I could do that, I must go catch a girl’s basketball game. And that’s something I really do want to do in the near future. Gonna put that on the list.
You said the high school hadn’t changed that much. How has North Myrtle and the Grand Strand itself changed from your childhood to 2011.
Dramatically. I’ve lost all my landmarks. When I wanted to give somebody directions on how to get to my house, I’d say “Turn right at The Pantry. Turn left at the church.” A lot has changed. Gator Hole golf course, for example, my old stomping grounds. It’s just off 8th Avenue. There’s a Home Depot there now. There’s a housing development and I’m struggling to remember where the par 4 6th was. It’s hard for me in that sense to go back. It’s a little heartbreaking at times to see that. But I’m also happy for the city that it’s bustling. Tourism is the driving force there and it’s a retirement community of sorts now. It’s becoming more and more that so it’s a place for people to live and I don’t want to begrudge them that. It’s sad for me to see things that a lot of those things I loved aren’t there any more, mainly the golf courses. Still, I’m happy the town continues to grow.
You majored in history and poli-sci at Duke. It’s safe to assume, coupling that with your upbringing, that there’s some political interest.
Absolutely.
What’s your affiliation?
Well, my father was city council for years. I was really young and then he went on to county council and, of course, became mayor of my home town. In North Myrtle Beach, it is basically a part-time job. I don’t know about today, but certainly, when my dad was serving, it was a part-time job. I was pretty young, so I really can’t say I was really involved with his management style. I don’t know how he ran the city. My father is a conservative by nature. A lot of that has been instilled in me. We’re both very open-minded in some areas in life, liberal in some senses and conservative in others. I’m definitely a daddy’s girl. Very close with my mother, best friends with my mother. But growing up, I was a daddy’s girl. He took a lot of interest in my sports and I spent a lot of time with him as a result. His influence rubbed off on me. So I guess it just kind of started there so when I got to college…History always came easier to me than math, that’s for sure. So took a ton of history classes when I got there and realized I’d already completed my major practically before my sophomore year when I had to choose one. So I thought I’d take on another one and political science was the next obvious step. Because if I wasn’t going to continue playing golf. Golf was tougher for me in college than when I was a junior. I think I peaked a junior. When I started drifting from golf in college, I wanted something to make sure I had something to fall back on and I was determined that I was going to be a lawyer if I wasn’t going to be a golfer, so I was going for pre-law. That’s kind of how that came about.
Your old stomping grounds are now going to be the anchor of the all-new 7th Congressional District. What will its own voice in Washington do think will mean for the Grand Strand?
I would hope that our voice is strong. We do a lot for the economy. We have a getaway that is affordable for a lot Americans when other places might be too expensive, so hopefully we can continue to pump people throughout the Grand Strand and keep some form of economic flow going for the country and also provide people with an escape when they need to get away from the stresses that are going on in the country right now. With all the things we have to offer there, I think we can do that.
There has been a lot of work over the past several years by the Horry legislative delegation to get work on I-73 completed which would connect Michigan to North Myrtle. What do you see that kind of thing meaning to the economies of North Myrtle, Myrtle and the rest of the Strand?
Like I said, Myrtle Beach has always been considered an affordable getaway. Our airport is living proof of that. It’s not the biggest airport in the world, that’s for sure. That said, it’s got a decent amount of flights coming in and out. I’ve always said our road system needs to be better. They’ve taken small steps locally, by putting in Highway 31, the Socastee Connector, which has allowed you to bypass all that main artery traffic there on 17. I think that’s fantastic. A couple of other roads like 22.
All of that on a local level that serves the people that live there. We need to think bigger that than. We need to go to the 30,000 foot view. I-73 is just that. People that don’t want to fly. They want to save money, drive down to Myrtle Beach. That’s a prefect idea to encourage more tourism to come our way because if it is supposed to the be affordable getaway, a whole family of 4, 5 or 6 don’t want to drop 2 or 3 grand on plane fare when they can drive down. More roads like that would be fantastic and when you’re reaching all the way up to Michigan, that’s a large tentacle. I’d like to see them reach even farther. You don’t have to reach into the Northeast, but if you could get a little bit further to the Midwest, I think that’s a great call.
Stay Tuned for Part 4. To Read Part 1, Click HERE. To Read Part 2, Click HERE.