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THE HIGH STRUNG STRING BAND
Hinrthis one time.', at band camp: I rocked
I 'out like Jimi Hendrix!" A special place
X. for children as much as participating
musicians, Pepperland Farm Camp combines
an idyllic setting with a musical mission
that becomes lodged in the hearts of those
it touches. Athens-based artist and inter
nationally touring performer Caroline Aiken
articulated the strong appeal of PFC to her
personally. "Where would my life have gone if
I had this kind of positive one-on-one with
an adult who was already doing music, help
ing me discover myself and telling me it was
OK, and that I wasn't going to hell for playing
rock and roll? I can't imagine how much fur
ther along I'd have been at that age if I had
that kind of support."
While generational evolution has led to a
more tenuous relationship between rock music
and hell, Aiken's point about the importance
of nurturing young musical talent remains
culturally relevant. The Pepperland Cabin Jam
benefit will expose Athens families, musicians
and potential supporters to this uniquely dedi
cated non-profit organization.
Located in Murphy, NC, on 64 acres of
Mother Earth, PFC offers a two-week music
camp for youths ages 8 to 16, of all ability
levels and cultures. Supported by a mix of
volunteers and paid staff, PFCs vision is to
give children the opportunity to experience
the wonders of nature, music and a culture
of extended family. According to PFC Director
Khalisa Taylor, "At Pepperland, we cook
together, play together and deal with any
problems together. Living as a family helps
build a strong bond between us, and that
bond spreads beyond the borders of camp and
into the community." Started in 1974, PFC
originally focused on environmental educa
tion, Native-American games and crafts, and
primitive living skills. Building on this founda
tion, PFC added a music focus in the last five
years, although no experience is necessary to
enroll
Taylor describes the power of the musical
engagement of youths. "Music enriches our
lives, builds character, sparks creativity and
allows us to come together and share our
selves on an even plane. All kids are drawn
to music, even the nonverbal and shy ones.
Even if you don't want to play an instrument,
you enjoy listening. So, when a child finds an
instrument that is right, all the possibilities
the world of music offers open up."
While PFC relies on charitable donations
and fundraising events to provide financial
assistance to children who would not be
able to attend otherwise, the purpose of the
upcoming benefit is to raise funds to rebuild a
cabin destroyed by a fire last March. According
to PFC co-director Corey Walker, "The loss of
the cabin meant that Pepperland had to cut
admissions by five children." The idea for this
particular benefit was spawned by Pepperland
parent and music enthusiast Kathleen Layson
(formerly O'Brien, as in the instrumental link
among R.E.M. bandmates 30 years ago). "As
a parent I wanted to give back to the camp.
So I thought for my 50th birthday, I'U throw
this huge party and accept donations for
Pepperland. The timing didn't work out, but
when I went to get my son this summer, again
I was so impressed. I was like, Ya know, I still
want to help make this benefit happen.'"
Witnessing her son's experiences over the
last two years, Layson has strong feelings
about Pepperland. "I think it's a really good
camp for kids. They're exposed to musicians
and volunteers. It's such a great concept, and
it really gave my son an outlet when he was
experiencing a difficult transition at school.
Being with other kids and having the perfor
mance at the end of camp was awesome. As
a parent, this has brought such great sub
stance into his life and mine." Working closely
with event co-coordinator Karyn Hegrenes,
Layson's vision to expose PFC to a new area
and esteemed music community will unfold on
Nov. 13.
The Pepperland Cabin Jam starts at 5 p.m.
at Last Call, featuring performances by the
Pepperland Kids, Caroline Aiken joined
by Carly Gibson and Diane Dunrett, The
High Strung String Band, Glenn Phillips
Band, Green Bracelet, Copious Jones, The
Squirrelheads and Carla LeFever & the
Rays. The event will offer a range of music
spanning folk, bluegrass, blues, zydeco. rock
and funk. A sneak preview of some of the
performances—including Caroline Aiken, Carly
Gibson, and the Pepperland Kids—can be seen
at the Farmers Market at Bishop Park earlier
that day. The silent auction portion of the
event at Last Call will provide an opportunity
to bid on local art, goods and services, as well
as a number of musical items and artifacts
with historical significance, including auto
graphed rock and roll memorabilia.
Aiken summarizes what the camp means to
those directly involved and well beyond: "The
more this model happens in the country and
around the world, the better we'll be. The par
ents get a safe place for their kids, learning
to give and take. It's a positive place for kids
to be and for musicians to have a paying gig
where they can invest their input and wealth
of knowledge... a win-win for everybody."
For additional information, visit www.pep-
perlandfarmcamp.org.
Sarah Savage
Last Comic Standing
Round Three
Eliot Upp and Dank Sinatra
EARLY: Bertold Brecht's
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Glitch Mob
wmi DubConscious 2.0
Adv. tickets are available onfine and at
Schooikfds Records, Blue Girl Boutique ]
and 42 Degrees • downtown Athens, GA.
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* Nucis SpaceJam
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November 12 *
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