Philip T. Parkerson, a historian and retired U.S. Foreign Service official, begins by discussing his early life in Eastman, Georgia, U.S. Navy service during the Vietnam War, and education at the University of Georgia. Parkerson joined the U.S.…
Businessman James E. (Jimmy) Stewart, Jr. discusses growing up in South Georgia in the 1930s and 1940s, attending the University of Georgia, serving in the United States Army in Cold War Europe, and running a family-owned, small business in Waycross,…
Former Administrative Assistant Charles Campbell, former Press Secretary Powell Moore, former Press Secretary Earl Leonard, and former aid Norman Underwood discuss their experiences working with Senator Russell in his Washington office.
Chief Domestic Advisor in 1971. In 1975 Ehrlichman was convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury for his role in the Watergate Scandal. J. Stanley Pottinger served as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the United States…
Richard B. Russell Library Director Sheryl Vogt interviews Kil Townsend about his life as a lawyer, businessman, author, and maverick Republican legislator in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1965 to 1992. Townsend discusses his early work…
Russell Library Director Sheryl Vogt interviews Bobby Rowan about his tenure in the Georgia Senate (1963-1974) and as a Public Service Commissioner (1989-1994). Rowan discusses his early life, including schooling, family, church attendance, and…
Knowa D. Johnson and his wife, Mokah Jasmine Johnson, moved from Orlando, Florida to North Atlanta, Georgia in 2009 to expand their network reach and business experience. After 2yrs of co-producing a magazine, working as publicist and operations…
Knowa D. Johnson and his wife, Mokah Jasmine Johnson, moved from Orlando, Florida to North Atlanta, Georgia in 2009 to expand their network reach and business experience. After 2yrs of co-producing a magazine, working as publicist and operations…
Giffin begins by discussing his early life in Canada before returning to the United States for his higher education. He talks about first interning for Sam Nunn’s office while in law school then permanently joining Nunn’s staff as chief legal counsel…
Evans begins the interview by talking about his childhood and early involvement with politics. Evans then discusses the plans and factors of growing the Georgia Republican Party. He specifically talks about party organization and how that process has…
Barnes and Irvin begin by talking about their early involvement in politics and why they chose to seek elected office. They then discuss their time in the legislature, the focus on national politics during that time, and the history of the Republican…
Lake talks about his childhood and early fascination with politics. Lake recalls moving up the ranks among Republican campaigns. Lake then turns to modern subjects, predicting that the 2018 election will be a wave election in favor of the Democrats…
Nigut discusses his early life in Chicago and his entrance to political journalism through covering Chicago politics. He then talks about moving to Atlanta to work as a reporter for WSB-TV and the bonds he formed with political figures throughout his…
Mattingly begins by discussing his early life in Indiana during the Great Depression and World War II. He then talks about his service in the United States Air Force and why he decided to move permanently to Georgia afterward. Mattingly then covers…
Reed discusses his childhood and describes how he became involved in politics. Reed discusses meeting Pat Robertson in 1989 and being coaxed into writing a memo explaining how to organize evangelical voters. Reed explains that the memo earned him the…
Burkhalter talks about his early life and how he became politically active. Burkhalter then discusses returning to north Fulton County to work in the real estate business and explains why he ran for the Georgia House of Representatives in 1992 and…
Walker discusses his background and childhood, and talks about running for the Georgia House at Sam Nunn’s behest in 1972, winning as a Democrat. He tells of his first few terms in the legislature and his leadership role in the House. Walker…
Lindsey discusses his early life in Atlanta, witnessing the Civil Rights movement firsthand, and details his legal career. Lindsey outlines his involvement with political campaigns in the early 2000s prior to his successful run for the Georgia House…
In this interview, Levison discusses his early life in Georgia and his decision to enlist in the military. He talks about going to college and law school at Emory University and his legal career in tax law. Levison then describes his early…
Herman Johnson was born in 1929 in Gilbert, Louisiana. His parents were sharecroppers, and he grew up working on farms. He graduated from Southern University and served in the Army. Johnson worked with Magnolia Mutual Life Insurance Company, taught…
Frank Mitchener was born in 1933 in Sumner, Mississippi. He attended Davidson College before serving in the army for two years. Mitchener was a farmer and agricultural leader in the Delta. He served as the president of the Delta Council and the…
Samuel McCray was born in 1949 near Lambert. He was raised by his grandparents who were sharecroppers on a plantation. He attended Delta State University and he worked for various nonprofits before becoming a Field Representative and Caseworker in…
Wendell Paris grew up in Mississippi and attended Tuskegee Institute where he studied agriculture. During his time as a student, he joined the Student Nonviolence Coordination Committee (SNCC). Paris eventually came to manage the Panola Land Buyers…
Carlton Layne grew up in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He received an education at Clarion State University, leading him to work for the U.S Department of Agriculture and eventually the Environmental Protection Agency. In this interview, Layne talks about…
Eddie Carthan was born in 1949 and was raised by his grandparents on their family farm in Mississippi. He attended college and became a businessman and then a farmer. Carthan was the first Black Mayor of Tchula, Mississippi before becoming the County…
Genether Spurlock was born in 1951 in Enid, Mississippi. She grew up chopping cotton before attending college and becoming a teacher. She served as the mayor of Tutwiler and works as the Education Coordinator at the Tutwiler Community Education…
Mary Mackey was born in 1956 outside Tutwiler, Mississippi. Her father was a farm worker, and she grew up chopping cotton. Mackey works as the Quilting Program Coordinator at the Tutwiler Community Education Center. In this interview, she describes…
Mike Ellis was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1952, and grew up in Webb, Mississippi. Ellis has been in the field of agricultural sales and services for 35 years and has farmed occasionally throughout his career. Ellis has worked at many companies…
James Carter was born in Rolling Fork, Mississippi in 1928. He served in the Reserves during WWII and has been a farmer since he was fifteen. Carter has been a member of the Delta Council, the National Cotton Council and the State-Wide Farm Bureau.…
Kevin Corban was born in 1961 in Tunica County, Mississippi. He attended Mississippi State University where he received a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and a master’s degree in crop pest management. He worked as a cotton scout for over twenty years…
Frank Corban was born in 1934 in Jefferson County, Mississippi. He was raised on the family farm, and he attended Mississippi State University for Animal Husbandry. He worked as a county agent for 55 years in Tunica County, Sunflower County, and…
Harry Fulton was born in Winston County, Mississippi. He grew up on his family’s farm, and he attended Mississippi State University where he earned both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in entomology. Fulton worked as a district inspector…
Clyde Sartor grew up in Water Valley, Mississippi. Sartor worked as a cotton scout before he eventually came to receive a bachelor’s science and a master’s in biology at the University of Mississippi and later, a PhD at Mississippi State University.…
Jabriel Winfrey (Billy D. Brell) was born and raised in Athens, GA. He took an interest in rap and hip-hop at a young age and began writing his own music, becoming a part of the original wave of hip-hop in Athens. In his interview, Winfrey discusses…
Velena Vego is from Atlanta, GA and moved to Athens to pursue success in her sister’s girl band, Mystery Date. After the band broke up, she worked for R.E.M. and Drivin’ N’ Cryin’. She finds her work in booking shows for The 40 Watt CLub, the…
Jason Richardson was born in Waynesboro, Georgia. Richardson is a drummer and has played in bands such as Exit 86, Savagists, and Mandible Rider. In this interview, Richardson discusses performing and touring with various bands, and the differences…
Daniel Ray began playing music at the age of four, switching from violin to drums, then guitar. While taking guitar lessons, he started writing his own songs. After graduating high school in Iowa, he moved to Athens to form a rock band. In his…
Killick Hinds was born in 1972 and spent the first three years of his life in Japan before returning to New Jersey with his mother. Hinds went to college in Maine and moved to Athens in 1995. He performs Appalachian Trance Metal Music and manages a…
Bob Fernandaz was born in Germany and came to Athens in 1977 nearing the end of high school. Fernandez plays the drums and guitar and has played in many bands including Flaming Chopsticks, The Fit, Stellas Fellas, Three Walls Downs, and the Star Room…
Gordon Lamb moved to Athens, Georgia and began his studies at the University of Georgia in 1989. He taught himself guitar and currently writes for Flagpole magazine In his interview, Lamb shares his experiences of the Athens music scene while playing…
Todd McBride grew up in Griffin, Georgia and attended Gordon State College, and the University of Georgia. He was a singer and guitarist in multiple bands including Random Factor, the La-Di-Da’s, Liquor Cabinet, and The Dashboard Saviors. In this…
Ben Spraker was born in Atlanta, and moved to Athens in 1990 to attend the University of Georgia. Spraker has played as the guitarist and songwriter for many bands including Ancient Odis, The Arcs, NSM, and Don Condescending. In this interview,…
Rob Veal was born in Athens in 1969 where he grew up listening to local music. In this interview, Veal talks about playing as the drummer for the La Di Das and the Dashboard Saviors. He also talks about his interactions with Vic Chesnutt and other…
Ballard Lesemann was born in 1970 in Charleston, South Carolina. He played drums from an early age, and he joined his first band when he was thirteen. Lesemann moved to Athens, Georgia to attend college at the University of Georgia; however, he left…
Chris McKay was born and raised in Camden, South Carolina. He began playing music at an early age and joined his first band when he was sixteen. He moved to Athens, Georgia in the early 1990s and played in numerous bands including Q-Sign, Tanjent,…
Cindy Wilson was born and raised in Athens. She was a founding member of the B-52s along with her brother, Ricky Wilson. In the band, Wilson was a vocalist, songwriter, and percussionist. During the interview, Wilson talks about her brother,…
Daniel Horowitz grew up in Norway during the 1960s, before he moved to Athens where he spent his teenage years. Horowitz has played as a guitarist and bass player for many bands including The Reasonable Men, Five Eight, and Klezmer Local 42. Daniel…
Mamie Fike moved to Athens to attend the University of Georgia on a music scholarship. She played violin in numerous bands including Long Low Rumble, WET, Jackpot City, Toast, Hetch Hetchy, and the Athens Symphony Orchestra. She currently works as a…
Don Chambers came to Athens, Georgia from Atlanta where he has played in many bands including Black Crows, Mudpuppies, Cursing Alice, Vaudeville, The Fountain, and Don Chambers and the GOAT. In this interview, Chambers talks about his experience…
Vernon Thornsberry was born and raised in New Orleans. He taught himself to paint and play several instruments. He moved to Athens, GA in 1986 where he has become a local legend and familiar face, especially around The Grit and Jittery Joe’s. During…
Kathy Kirbo moved to Athens and attended the University of Georgia where she graduated with a degree in psychology. She has been part of numerous bands including Greenhouse and Jackpot City. She currently works as the executive director for the Reef…
Dr. Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje grew up in Jesup, Georgia, learning piano from an early age. She attended Boggs Academy, Fisk University, and the Hampton Institute. She is currently a professor and the Chair of Ethnomusicology at the University of…
Sylvanus Zeke Turner was born in Clarke County, Georgia, and has lived in Athens his entire life, currently performing as a solo Gospel singer. In this interview, Turner shares his experience with music in Athens and popular places in the black…
Sylvanus Zeke Turner was born in Clarke County, Georgia, and has lived in Athens his entire life, currently performing as a solo Gospel singer. In this interview, Turner discusses the details of his early life, including his participation in choirs…
Russell King moved around frequently as a child but eventually settled in South Georgia. He attended the University of Georgia for undergraduate studies and law school before working as Herman Talmadge’s Senior Legislative Assistant. In this…
James Hamilton was born in South Carolina. Hamilton has worked in many sectors of litigation, and on many famed cases including as the assistant to chief council in the Watergate Committee. Hamilton represented Senator Herman Talmage in the Watergate…
Gary Bertsch was born in Vallejo, California in 1944. Bertsch received a PhD in political science at the University of Oregon. Bertsch created the Center for East-West Trade Policy at the University of Georgia, which was later renamed the Center for…
Igor Khripunov was born in the 1940s and works at the University of Georgia’s Center for International trade and security as a Distinguished Fellow and professor. Khripunov began his career as a translator for the Soviet Union. Previously, Khripunov…
Bill Talmadge was born in 1941 in New York City. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He attended law school at the University of Georgia before clerking for State Supreme…
Tom Johnson, from Macon, Ga, earned an MBA from Harvard University and worked in politics alongside Lyndon B. Johnson before working in professional journalism. In this interview, Johnson details his experience of the White House Fellowship Program,…
Frank Barron was born in Rome, Georgia and graduated from Darlington School in 1948. Barron worked at Coca Cola 1956 before retiring from his executive position. Barron supervised many projects throughout his career and in this interview, he talks…
John Vaughn was born in Rome, Georgia during the 1930s. Vaughn attended Morris Brown College and served in the Korean War as a battalion engineer. Vaughn taught in Summerville, Mississippi and has participated in the civil rights initiatives of…
Jim Grimsley was born in 1955 in North Carolina. He worked as a playwright for 7 Stages Theater for over 20 years and has written numerous semi-autobiographical novels including Winter Birds and Dream Boy. He is a Professor of Practice in the English…
General Eugene “Gene” Habiger was born in California in 1939. He attended the University of California before enlisting in the Army. He then returned to school and graduated from the University of Georgia. In 1996 he became the Commander and Chief…
Linda Fuller Degelmann co-founded Habitat for Humanity International with her husband Millard Fuller. Through her work at Habitat for Humanity she has helped create initiatives such as the Carter Work Projects, Women’s Builds, and mental health care…
Jerry F. Franklin has a bachelor’s and master’s of science in forest management along with a PhD in botany, which he received from Washington State. Franklin has worked in many organizations, including the United State's International Biological…
Joshua Dillard was raised in Snellville, Georgia. He joined the Army and was stationed with 461 Human Resource Company in Decatur, Georgia before entering the ROTC program at Georgia Gwinnett College. He then transferred to the University of Georgia.…
Brian Hwang was raised in Marietta, Georgia. He has been a member of the Georgia National Guard since April 2014. He completed Infantry One Station Unit Training (OSUT) before joining the ROTC program at the University of North Georgia. He then…
Jeremy Reynolds is from Jonesboro, Georgia. He served for four years in the United States Marine Corps, enlisted as an electrician and later assigned to Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command. In this interview, Reynolds discussing his…
Philip Young Choi was born in Los Angeles, California but grew up in Costa Rica. He is a Captain of the United States Army, and enrolled at the University of Georgia. In his interview, Choi explains how and why he joined the Army, as well as his…
Kate Dahlstrand is from Tennessee. She is a PhD student at UGA and served in the Army and the National Guard from October 1998 to October 2008 as a field medic. In this interview, Dahlstrand explains why she joined the Army and tells her experiences…
Tommy Coleman was born in 1948 in Albany, Georgia. He served as the Mayor of Albany for ten years and continues to practice law in South Georgia. In this interview, Coleman discusses his role in Albany politics and the various tensions that were…
Cornelius Wadsworth Grant was born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1932. He attended FAMU College of Law after serving three years in the U.S. Army. Grant went on to teach at FAMU and Albany State. In this interview, he discusses the racial limitations…
Yaz Johnson was born in 1967 in Albany, Georgia to Johnnie Johnson Jr. and Thelma Johnson. He resided in Albany his entire life, working as a full-time pastor, businessman, and non-profit director. In this interview. Johnson discusses the role of his…
Shirley Sherrod was born and raised in Baker County, Georgia. She was formerly the Georgia State Director of Rural Development for the United States Department of Agriculture. Sherrod married Charles Sherrod and built New Communities, Inc. alongside…
Frank McGill talks about growing up on a family farm in Tifton, Georgia. He also talks about his career with the UGA Extension Service, becoming a specialist in peanut production. He talks about the effect of the peanut economy on small towns in…
Bob Brussack interviews Seth Hendershot about Seth's involvement with the music scene in Athens in the early '90s, jazz in Athens, and Seth's experiences in the business world including founding Hendershot's Coffee Bar. This interview is part of the…
Jenniffer Jones interviews her mother, Dawn Bennett-Alexander, about her early life in Washington D.C., including Bennett-Alexander's experiences during segregation and her memories of attending the March on Washington in 1963. Bennett-Alexander also…
Skip Hulett talks with Dana Miller about his relationship with Mitchell Terry Mincey, a death row inmate who was executed in Bibb County in October 2001. Hulett, a newspaper reporter before coming to work at UGA, had known Mincey since covering…
Walter Allen Jr. has lived in Athens his entire life, graduating from Cedar Shoals High School and attending the University of Georgia for two years. He left the university to work full-time for a local radio station and later started a successful…
Harry Sims grew up in Athens, Georgia and received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. He taught at David C. Barrow Elementary before retiring and served as Athens City Commissioner before running for mayor. In this interview, Sims…
Linda Davis was born and raised in the Brooklyn Community of Athens, Georgia. She is president of the Bethlehem Cemetery Society and has been honored by The Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation. In this interview, Davis details her experience growing up…
James Holland is the retired Altamaha Riverkeeper. Holland grew up in Cochran, Georgia, where he first began hunting and fishing. Holland enlisted in the armed forces and became a Marine at age 17. After his service he moved to Brunswick and worked…
Daniel Parshley was born in Niagara Falls, New York, as the son of an aeronautical engineer. His childhood was spent in California and Connecticut where he graduated from high school and attended college. Brunswick, Georgia, has been Parshley's home…
David Kyler is the executive director of the Center for a Sustainable Coast, a non-profit membership organization he co-founded in 1997. The Center works to protect, preserve, and sustain the vital natural, cultural, and economic resources of coastal…
Born in New York, Nancy Thomason is the proprietor of Beachview Books on St. Simons Island. Thomason first opened a bookstore on the island in 1976. Since moving to the Georgia coast, Thomason has been involved with various grassroots efforts to…
Ben Slade was born in Savannah, Georgia, and lived in several coastal towns during his childhood. He graduated from North Fulton High School in Atlanta and Vanderbilt University. He returned to St. Simons in 1961 and began a 36 year career at First…
A resident of Brunswick and Glynn County since 1973, M. H. “Woody” Woodside has served as president of the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce since 1985. He previously spent 11 years on the congressional staff of “Bo” Ginn and 3 years with…
Lydia Thompson is a naturalist and artist. She was born in Natchez, MS, and moved to the Georgia coast in 1985. Thompson currently lives on St. Simons Island is a columnist for the Jekyll Golden Islander. Thompson's primary focus is on the…
Jean Poleszak interviewed by Betsy Bean. Jean Poleszak discusses how she and her husband first became acquainted with Jekyll Island after stopping over on their drive down to vacation in Florida from their home in Kenmore, N.Y. After moving full time…
Former President of the United States Jimmy Carter was born in Plains, Georgia. In this interview, Carter talks about historic preservation in Plains, his childhood during the Great Depression, his grandchildren and family events, and reflections on…
Geneva Johnson Blasingame discusses the Linnentown, also known as Lindentown, community and Black neighborhoods in Athens, Georgia. She recalls the University’s efforts to push out black communities in 1962. Blasingame comments on the children…
James Francis “Jim” Martin drafted legislation as part of the legislative council before joining Legal Aid, an organization representing low income families. In 1983, he ran for office, and was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives as a…
Elizabeth “Betty” Vandiver and Jane Kidd are the wife and daughter, respectively, of the late Ernest Vandiver, governor of Georgia from 1959 to 1963. In this interview they recall memories of the former governor, focusing on topics such as the…
Nathan Deal worked as a lawyer, assistant district attorney and judge, before being elected to the Georgia State Senate in 1981. He served until 1993, and was president pro tempore in his last term. Deal was elected in 1992 as a Democrat to the U.S.…
Bert Lance was Georgia’s highway director during Jimmy Carter’s term as governor. He ran an unsuccessful campaign to succeed Carter as governor in 1974. In 1976, Lance began his term as president of the National Bank of Georgia and became director of…
Lauren “Bubba” McDonald was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1971. He served on various committees throughout his political career, including his five-year chairmanship of the Industry Committee and, later, the Appropriations…
Carlton Colwell was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1964. He represented several North Georgia mountain counties for thirty years. Colwell served on various committees, including Appropriations, Ways and Means, and Fiscal Affairs.…
Roy Barnes was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 1974, serving for eight years. In 1990 he made his first run for governor, but lost to Zell Miller. From 1992 to 1998 he served in the Georgia House of Representatives, followed by a successful…
Joe Frank Harris served as governor of Georgia from 1983 to 1991, and is remembered for creating and implementing the Quality Basic Education Act (QBE), overseeing the building of the Georgia Dome, creating the Technical College System of Georgia,…
Ed Jenkins was elected to the U.S. Congress as a Democrat in 1976. While in Congress, he was active in the Ways and Means Committee, passing and supporting bills involving taxes, trade, and land and mountain preservation. In this interview he…
Carl Sanders served as governor from 1963 to 1967 and had a successful law career with his firm Troutman Sanders, LLC. In this interview, Sanders discusses his rise to governor of Georgia, the 1970 gubernatorial race, and his career after politics.
William “Bill” Shipp worked as a journalist in Georgia for fifty years. Shipp began his career as managing editor of the University of Georgia’s Red and Black newspaper. In 1956 Shipp began to write for the Atlanta Constitution, covering topics such…
Bob Short moderates a panel discussion on the relationship between religion and politics in the United States. Panel members are Dr. Fred Craddock, Dr. Charles Gillespie, Dr. Jim Hale, and Dr. David Franklin. Topics covered include the role of…
T. Rogers Wade served as chief of staff to Senator Herman Talmadge from 1973 to 1980. He returned to Georgia to practice law and was active on many boards and foundations. In this interview, T. Rogers Wade discusses the career of Herman Talmadge.
In this interview Bruce Russell and Earl Leonard discuss Richard B. Russell, Jr. Bruce Russell is the nephew of Richard B. Russell, Jr., and has worked as a school teacher, lawyer, and judge in various parts of north Georgia. Earl Leonard served as…
Carl Sanders served in the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate and served as governor of Georgia from 1963-1967. Norman Underwood was a partner in Sanders’ law firm Troutman Sanders, LLP, in 1973, managed George Busbee’s campaign for…
Bob Short worked in various capacities in the administrations of Georgia governors Marvin Griffin, Ernest Vandiver, and Carl Sanders, served as the coordinator for President Jimmy Carter’s 1966 campaign for governor of Georgia, and was press…
Bob Short worked in various capacities in the administrations of Georgia governors Marvin Griffin, Ernest Vandiver, and Carl Sanders, served as the coordinator for President Jimmy Carter’s 1966 campaign for governor of Georgia, and was press…
In this interview Bob Short discusses the Three Governors Controversy. Short worked in various capacities in the administrations of Georgia governors Marvin Griffin, Ernest Vandiver, and Carl Sanders, served as the coordinator for President Jimmy…
In this interview Pete Wheeler discusses his career as Commissioner of Veterans Services. Wheeler began this career during the Herman Talmadge administration in 1949.
Bob Short worked in various capacities in the administrations of Georgia governors Marvin Griffin, Ernest Vandiver, and Carl Sanders, served as the coordinator for President Jimmy Carter’s 1966 campaign for governor of Georgia, and was press…
Bob Short worked in various capacities in the administrations of Georgia governors Marvin Griffin, Ernest Vandiver, and Carl Sanders, served as the coordinator for President Jimmy Carter’s 1966 campaign for governor of Georgia, and was press…
In this interview Zell Miller discusses his early life and political career. Miller served as lieutenant governor of Georgia from 1975 to 1991, was elected governor of Georgia in 1990, and served as a United States senator. As governor he founded the…
George Berry discusses the political career of James Carmichael, including the 1946 governor's race against Eugene Talmadge and three governors controversy. Berry served as deputy chief administrative officer in Mayor Ivan Allen's administration and…
In this interview Bob Short discusses Lester Maddox. Short coordinated the campaign of Jimmy Carter when Carter ran for governor of Georgia in 1966, and then worked as press secretary for Carter's opponent in that race, Governor Lester Maddox, in…
Edwards was born in Florida, where her first introduction to music was her father’s love of jazz. In high school, Edwards played the guitar and occasionally sang in a small band. Edwards eventually moved to Athens in the early 1980’s where she played…
Bernard Anderson aka Pharaoh Gottie grew up in Athens. He became involved with hip hop at a young age, and he helped manage various artists. Anderson has owned numerous businesses in Athens including a record store, beauty store, and restaurant. In…
Patrick Ferguson grew up in Columbus, Georgia, where he was exposed to a number of punk rock bands. When Ferguson moved to Athens, Georgia to attend UGA, he played in a variety of bands including Five-Eight, Southern Bitch, and Teenage Math Lab. In…
Vic Varney was born in Georgia but grew up in Chattanooga, TN. He moved to Athens in 1975 and earned two degrees from the University of Georgia. In this interview, Varney discusses his experiences in The Tone-Tones, The Method Actors, and Go Van Go.…
Rick Stanziale grew up in Athens, Georgia during the 1980s, during which he was an avid skateboarder. Stanziale later joined his first band, The Problem Children during the late 1980s. James Greer was also involved in the skating scene and punk rock…
Peter Fancher grew up in New Jersey and moved to Athens, Georgia in 1975, where he attended the University of Georgia. Fancher performed as the guitarist in Club Gaga, and has additionally worked as the audio engineer at Elixer Recording and Intense…
Michael Lachowski, born in Norfolk, Virginia, moved to Athens, Georgia after enrolling at the University of Georgia as an art major. He was the bass player for the Athens band Pylon. In his interview, Lachowski discusses his time at UGA, forming…
Dan Nettles grew up in Athens, Georgia and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Nettles worked at the Banff Center and Nuci’s Space, located in Athens, Georgia. Nettles has also performed in several instrumental bands including Kenosha…
Roland McElroy was born in Quitman, Georgia in 1945. He began working as a disc jockey for the local radio station when he was fourteen. He continued working in radio when he was a student at the University of Georgia and later became a freelance…
Claire Horne moved to Athens, GA from Atlanta as a freshman at the University of Georgia. During her time in Athens, she played guitar in alternative band the BBQ Killers. In this interview, Horne discusses performing with the BBQ Killers and working…
Pat Shields grew up in Athens, Georgia, as his father was the recreational director of the city. Shields, as a teenager, grew up playing folk music and has worked at many cultural institutions in areas including Keyser, Virginia and Australia.…
Bielle grew up in Roswell, Georgia. He learned how to play the guitar and bass as an adolescent and came to Athens in 1979 where he later played bass and sang with the heavy-metal band Hayride. After the breakup of Hayride in the mid-1990s, Bielle…
Rodger Brown came to Athens, Georgia in 1979 as a University of Georgia student. Brown worked as an editor of the magazine Line of Sight while in school and also published the book Party out of Bounds, which retold stories about the music scene of…
Arthur Johnson attended the University of Georgia and played drums in numerous bands including the Bar-B-Q Killers and Come. He appeared with the Bar-B-Q Killers in the 1987 music documentary, “Athens, GA: Inside/Out”. In this interview, he talks…
Deonna Mann moved to Athens, GA as a young adult and got involved in art and music. She is best known for her 1990s experimental performances with local bands. In her interview, she discusses her puppet shows, art exhibitions, and performing with…
Kelly Noonan came to Athens, Georgia during the early 1980’s, where she performed as a guitarist in the band, A Few Good Men. Noonan has performed in many other bands including Billy James and Jackpot City. Noonan currently works as a dog groomer at…
April Chapman moved to Athens in 1965 as a student at the University of Georgia. During the 1980s, Chapman was involved in the art scene and interacted with the members of bands such as R.E.M, the B-52’s, and Pylon. In this interview, Chapman talks…
Dana Downs is a bassist in Athens, Georgia. She has played in many bands over the years including the Tone-tones, Go Van Go, and Vietnam. In her interview, Downs discusses her experiences in several of her bands and her opinions and experiences of…
Bryan Cook came to Athens to attend the University of Georgia as a film major. After leaving the institution due to financial constraints, Cook played in many bands including Is/Ought Gap, Club Gaga, Time Toy, Hindu Love Gods and Oh-Ok. In this…
Terry Allen moved to the University of Georgia in 1973 as a music enthusiast. While in Athens, he watched and photographed many bands including R.E.M. and the B-52s. Allen later went to New York for a year before he came back to Athens to work as…
Vanessa Briscoe Hay, born in Atlanta, Ga, was the singer for the Athens band Pylon. In this interview, Hay discusses her experience of Athens during the 1970s and performing and recording with Pylon, before and after their break up.
Fancher came to Athens in 1978 as a University of Georgia student majoring in journalism. Fancher has worked as an artist and has hosted art shows around Athens. Fancher was also the guitarist for the band, El Caminos. In this interview, Fancher…
Bob Hay arrived in Athens, Georgia in the late 1970’s, where he worked at the club El Dorado shortly after graduating from college in Michigan. Hay has played as the guitarist in The Squalls and The Jolly Beggars and has written many songs throughout…
Jeff Walls was a guitarist from Marietta, Georgia and was a member of numerous bands including Guadalcanal Diary, Hillbilly Frankenstien, and the Woggles. In this interview, Walls discusses his involvement in the Athens music scene and his experience…
David Hannon Pierce arrived in Athens, Georgia in 1976 after he left the Air Force. Five years into his stay in Athens, Pierce joined the band Oh-OK as the drummer. He later left the band in 1982 to perform with fellow musician Matthew Sweet. Later,…
Arthur Johnson arrived in Athens in 1982 to attend the University of Georgia. While in Athens, Johnson attended many concerts from bands including Pylon, R.E.M, and the Kilkenny Cats. Johnson later formed the band Bar-B-Que Killers with Laura Carter,…
Julie House came to Athens, Georgia after she left Auburn University. During the 1990s, House attended many concerts including R.E.M, Flat Duo Jets, and Oh-OK. In this interview, House talks about her experience at concerts, fashion in Athens,…
Barry Marler came to Athens in 1983 from South Carolina. Shortly upon his arrival, Marler joined Buzz of Delight with Matthew Sweet and David Pierce. After leaving the band, Marler played in Dreams So Real, a band which gained national recognition.…
Bill David grew up in Comer, Georgia during the 1960-70’s and as a child he played the guitar and occasionally visited Athens, Georgia. Eventually, David came to live in Athens where he performed with the Squalls as the band’s guitarist. David has…
Mark Cooper Smith came to Athens, Georgia to attend graduate school in 1982 from Cartersville, Georgia. Smith performed with the Squalls as the band’s drummer shortly upon his arrival. After leaving the Squalls, Smith played with the band 28 Days,…
In 1985, Curtiss Pernice moved to Athens, Georgia from New York. There, Pernice lived with Ted Hafer, and eventually came to start the band Porn Orchard with Hafer and Sam Mixon, which lasted from 1985-1992. In this interview, Pernice talks about the…
Alan Flurry grew up in Savannah, Georgia. In high school, he moved to Athens, Georgia and has played as the drummer for many Athens bands since, including Mr. Right Now, SNAIL, and for the David Marr Album. In addition to drumming, Flurry is a writer…
