Friday, July 5, 2013

Eddie's Attic - Decatur, Georgia

 
What fun!  My friend Mary took me to Eddie's Attic in Decatur to see a special performance by someone we have both known for years.  Eddie's Attic is a venue for acoustic music and quite famous for the people who have made a name for themselves in the music business.  I think that John Mayer is one of the most well known.  For years, Dusty Gillham has been playing with a band (Assembly Required) but he is also an award-winning songwriter and for this show, he sang his songs and played the guitar and harmonica.   I worked with Dusty at the travel agency in Conyers for many years and he is such a funny, talented guy.  (The stories I could tell you from the agency! You would be rolling with laughter!)   Great show, Dusty, I enjoyed it immensely!
 
Also, on the billing was a singer/guitarist by the name of Hunter Callanhan.  Even at the young age of twenty, he reminds me very much of John Mayer!  If  WHEN he becomes famous, you can say you read about him here for the first time!
I really enjoyed two songs that he did as a duo with a young lady named April Hardin. They did the Leonard Cohen song "Hallelujah" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean".  They were both very good but the "Billie Jean" song was just amazing, I had never heard that arrangement before.  I looked it up and found it sung the same way by a duo called "Civil Wars".  (Apparently, "Civil Wars" won a Grammy in 2012.  I had never heard of them until I just found them on Youtube!)  So, I have the video of them singing "Billie Jean" and I hope you like it as much as I do.  Imagine hearing this live and in a very intimate setting, it was incredible.  (I must tell you, I thought Hunter and April were even BETTER than "Civil Wars".  Honestly, I truly think they were!)
 
It was great to see Dusty Gillham perform his own songs and to see his ease in front of a live audience.  He is hoping to come and see Christopher (my son) when he plays on July 18th at Smith's Olde Bar in Atlanta.  I am hoping that Christopher will be as comfortable on stage as Dusty was at Eddie's Attic!  (C's band is called GIMME 7's, there will be three bands performing that night and his will be the middle band.  He told me that that they might change the name of the band to simply "The Sevens", but for now," Gimme 7's"  is how it is billed on the calendar for Smith's Olde Bar).
 
Now, after Hunter Callahan finished his set, he reminded everyone to come and see him later in the month at Smith's Olde Bar! And Mary and I cheered and perhaps his friends around us wondered why, but we were excited since we knew that is where my son will be playing one week after Hunter is there!



 

Decatur is a lovely place with pubs and cafes and a nice wide plaza in the heart of the downtown.  There are hardly any people here just before the concert because it looked as if it was about to pour with rain.  



 

 
Hey! That's me on the far right, Dusty in the middle and my very good friend, Mary!  Notice the sign, it says that on the door that it is a LISTENING Room and if there is any talking, it needs to be done by the PERFORMERS.
(I think I am going to instruct all photographers to take only one half of me from now on!)
 
Okay now, please let me know if you love this "Billie Jean" as much as I do.  April Hardin, the young woman who sang with Hunter Callahan said before they sang, "You might not recognize this song at first, and if you don't know who wrote it... WE did!"    (She was just kidding, of course.) Great respect to Michael Jackson, a true genius, I think he would have approved of it myself. I am certain of it.
 
 
 

34 comments:

  1. Well, Kay, for what my opinion is worth I was very impressed. I'd have gone to listed to them. I don't say that about very many performers.

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    1. I am glad you liked this too! The singers that did this at Eddie's Attic sounded very much like this, and I would say that April was just as good as Joy from The Civil Wars.

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  2. Billie Jean is one of my all-time favourite songs, Kay! I am not a huge Michael Jackson fan, but he truly was a genious when it came to music and dance. I, too, think that he would have approved of this very unique way of performing his song.

    Since you love music so much, I hope you'll like a guest post that is soon going to appear on my blog, by guest blogger Marcela DeVivo (she has guest-posted before). It's titled "Musical Destinations You Must Visit".

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    1. Glad you like Billie Jean too! I love it so much, I was surprised that I liked this arrangement, but I did!

      I will look forward to your guest blogger writing about music. Thanks for telling me! :-)

      (I wonder, can you moon walk like Michael Jackson? Go on, Meike, you know you could!!)

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  3. Very nice indeed! Maybe you should retell some of those old stories from your agency days, with names changed, of course. You could probably write a book!

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    1. HA! This is too small a town, even the names changed, I am sure someone would try to sue either me or Dusty!!

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  4. Sounds like a great time, Kay! I would love to hear some of those agency stories.

    The downtown area looks very interesting. I love the old buildings. They add character to the area. We have a lot of those here in Kingston because the city is quite old. Makes it much more attractive.

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    1. Hey Martha!
      Working with the public is always interesting and I suppose anyone who has ever done so knows what I mean! (I love mankind, but people are crazy!)

      Decatur has some old buildings but just like everywhere in Atlanta, a good many have gone the way of the bulldozer. Like you, I love the old buildings the best!

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  5. Loved this post, Kay! Thank you for sharing that incredible version of "Billie Jean." I really enjoyed your recounting of your time at Essie's Attic. I love listening to real, live music at small venues. If your son Christopher could sing Christmas songs Acapella in a store while people shopped around him, then he certainly can handle a music venue! He'll be great. I'm sorry that I haven't been visiting your blog regularly, because I enjoy it so much. It's been a crazy~busy summer. I'm hoping things will calm down a little. I hope all is well with you and your family.

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    1. Hey Louise!
      Thanks so much for your comment! Yes! I am glad you remembered C. singing those songs at Belk, just his voice trying to sing over the clamour of the people.
      I know you have had some health issues (I read a comment from you on Audrey's blog), so I hope you are much better now! Take care of yourself and have a great summer!
      Visit me when you can! We are good blogging friends and can pick up again with each other at any time! :-)

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  6. Well, I don't like The Civil Wars' version of Billie Jean, but I do like several of their other songs. I sure hope your son does well, and I will be expecting a full report!

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    1. I didn't think I would like this song either since I am so familar with Michael Jackson singing it...but I do!

      Thanks for your well wishes for my son. I've never told you how brilliant he is, but the whole world is about to find out!

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  7. This sounds just wonderful, Kay! What a great experience, and then to hear that this performer will be at the same venue where your son is going to be. Super!

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    1. Hey Kristi!
      This was wonderful! And YAY for Smith's Olde Bar who has the good sense to have C. play in his band there! :-)

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  8. I do like this rendition, but wow! I would have a hard time recognizing it from the Jackson arrangement.

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    1. I think that is one reason that I love music so very much. A good song is a good song, and you can arrange it every which way, and it is still a good song. Full stop. (Or Period, as we say in America!)

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  9. Kay - It sounds like you had a wonderful evening. Wishing your son every success with his upcoming performance. Hope you enjoyed your 4th of July celebrations.
    All the best,
    Mairead

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    1. Hey Mairead!
      Thanks so much! And I hope that YOU had a great July 4th celebration too!! Thanks for your comment and your well wishes for Christopher! xx

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  10. Hi Kay! Alain and I were just listening to a Leonard Cohen song earlier tonight so I was so surprised when you mentioned him. I can't wait to hear about Chistopher's performance. I SO WISH I were just a little bit closer so I could come listen in person!!! Hope you're having a beautiful weekend!

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    1. We have a friend in England who is a big Leonard Cohen fan, and oddly enough he is a vegetarian too! (Henry, I am talking about you!)
      Oh, don't worry about hearing C. perform, I am hoping and he is too, that this is the beginning of his musical career!
      If you are going to dream, might as well dream big, right?

      (You can say that he is your honorary brother since you are my honorary daughter!!)

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    2. That's right!!! Like I always say GO BIG OR GO HOME!!! I mean that. Tell Christopher I'll catch him on the Charlotte leg of his tour.

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    3. You could carry a sign, "I HEARD YOU SING AT BELK ON YOUR MOM'S BLOG"!

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  11. Hi Kay, great post, a very exciting time and the music is wonderful. I also wish your son every success, it is an exciting time for him.

    Thank you for stopping by with and leaving such a sweet comment. I have found out about so many places from other bloggers, I am happy to pass along the few places we've been to. We only found out about Antelope Canyon through a very nice British tourist we met at Monument Valley. His name was Brian and he came from Manchester. If it wasn't for Brian we would never have known that we were so close and would have missed a terrific experience.

    Have a great week Kay :)

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    1. Hey Denise!
      Thank YOU for YOUR sweet comment! That photo of Kay and her mother holding that light in their hands while they were inside Antelope Canyon just blows me away! And I don't even use that expression!!
      The best things we do in life is to share the wonder and joy of what we have seen and heard. Thanks to you and to Brian from Manchester! Hope you have a wonderful week too, with lots of flowers!! xx

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  12. You do gad about enjoying yourself, don't you! Good luck to C. when he's on at Smith's Olde Bar.

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    1. Hey John!
      So nice to see your comment on the same post with your brother! Thanks for the well wishes for our son!!
      I have to laugh as I am typing this to you... I had never been to Eddie's Attic before and the last time I was in Decatur was in 1980 and I remember going to the post office there for my job and I had on a dress with very high heels!
      That was a long time ago!!

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  13. Looks like you had a great time. Your enthusiasm shows in your writing.

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    1. Oh, I had a really great time, it's true.
      And I don't think too many people have ever commented on my writing before, THANK YOU!

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  14. Kay, allow me to say that this was the best piece I have heard in a long while!! I was mesmerized by their synchronicity and timing!! It must have 'taken you away' hearing it live. Thanks for this and good luck to your son's concert/appearance coming up soon.
    Please excuse me but I want to hear it again.....

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    1. Hey Jim!
      It pleases me so very, very much that you love this too!

      Thanks so much for your well wishes for Christopher.
      Hope you have a great week!

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  15. Wow that looks like a fun excursion. Best wishes to your son on his performance--I am sure he will do great and have lots of fun with it.

    Also, just listened to the Billie Jean clip. I can see why you liked it--I can't get enough of acoustic stuff. I hope you enjoy your day Kay.

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    1. Thanks for your well wishes for the lad!!

      I am glad you liked this too.
      So happy to see your comment here! Hope you have a great week ahead.

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  16. Decatur seems like a nice place. And the song is lovely !

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    1. Hey Jenny!
      I can't do travel posts like you, but you get the idea of the place, right?
      Glad you like the song too!
      When C. makes it big and is at the Royal Albert Hall, make sure you go to see him!! ;-)

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