Thumbzilla
A music festival benefit will be held starting from 7 to 10 tonight at The Farm, 19234 Lake Lindsey Road in Brooksville. Many local musicians from Hernando and Pasco counties will be playing at the festival.
More than 35 musicians, many of them folk singers from all across Florida, will be performing to benefit their friend Jak Kelly.
Kelly is a prominent folk singer/songwriter in Spring Hill who makes beautiful custom dulcimers and ukuleles. He recently underwent surgery for an accident that cut off part of his thumb while he was building an instrument.
His friends decided to organize a benefit to help out with the medical bills. There will be a special raffle for an Epiphone acoustic guitar signed by the performing artist. There will be raffles, prizes, 50/50 and more at the festival.
“I am frankly amazed and totally blown away, I never knew I’d made so many good friends,” Kelly said. “It’s going to be the third or fourth largest festival in the state. I am just a simple songwriter and many of the musicians are coming from Miami, Fort Myers, St. Augustine and Gainesville.”
Frank Julian, who helped organize the benefit for Kelly, had help from many other friends, including E.T. Morris, Steve Meyer and many more singer-songwriters in and around Hernando County, including Rod Sillars, Louie Palma, Mike Boller, “Barefoot” Bill Manley, Tom Scudiero and Mike Jurgensen.
The lineup includes Hudson Creek, Brian Smalley, Carly Bak, Fla Cracker Cowboys, Lee Paulet, Doug Spears, Joe Virga, Ally Smith, Key of Life, Bill and Eli Perras, Carl Wade, Charley Groth, The Promenade Action, Big Bear and Red, Ken and Trisha Brooks, Gail and the Carsonettes and Wendy Rich. Tom Ellis will man the sound board.
Kelly has played with the Kingston Trio, and opened for Bob Seger, Jimmy Buffett, Leon Russell, Steve Goodman and John Prine, along with many other musicians over his lifetime.
“I learned to play music near where I grew up in a place called The Raven Gallery in Detroit, Mich., where some of the best folk acts of the ’60s could be heard,” Kelly said. “It was the best learning ground anyone could dare to ask for.”
You can listen to Kelly’s songs on CDs that will be sold at the festival or go to www.reverbnation.com/jakkelly to preview his music.
For those who plan to go out and support this cause, there is a $5 suggested donation per carload, and $10 per night donation for primitive camping out at The Farm.
Event times are 7 to 10 tonight; noon to 10 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to
5 p.m. Sunday in open jam or until the music ends.
For more information contact Sande Metcalf (352) 597-1458 or email [email protected].
