The Eastern Continental divide runs along the northwestern border of South Carolina, with all of the water on one side flowing to the Gulf of Mexico and the other towards the Atlantic Ocean. In 2011, in a blind taste test from the American Water Works Association, Greenville, was voted best tasting water in America. I don’t think we’ll ever hear the end of it.
If you’ve been up to Lake Jocassee you realize why. With the watershed nearby and the protection (thanks Duke Energy) of the surrounding lands, there’s no commercial, agricultural, or industrial facilities located near enough to muck it up. Now the Reedy River, that’s another conversation.
Known as the Dark Corner of South Carolina, this is region is where I grew up. Just a mile from Campbell’s Covered Bridge in fact — the first covered bridge to connect the area to surrounding towns, making it a bit less kept in the dark and helping it to more modern times. I think some of the locals wish others never found out about it.
Growing up, I felt like I was deep in the country. Nowadays, everyone in America seems to know about the region’s beauty. Visitors zip up and down Highway 11 headed to their lake houses on Lake Keowee. You have to get to Lake Jocassee at the break of dawn or you won’t be able to get in, the park fills up every weekend starting around this time of year.
In my formative years in those parts, one musician “made it” that I knew of. Blue Ridge High School’s own Aaron Tippin was always on the radio with hits like “There Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong with the Radio” and “Kiss This.” I was constantly surrounded by radio country music. I think that’s what drove me to hate it.
Since then, Marcus King’s made a rise from the area along with several members of screamo band Emery. When I interviewed Marcus a few years back he said “A lot of my family is from the Blue Ridge Mountain area; that’s kind of where my roots are.”
This year, his festival is happening in Simpsonville and includes Band of Horses, The Avett Brothers, and Sierra Ferrell. The top comment on Instagram are handclap emojis from the Albino Skunkfest, of course.
This area nurtures music, and you don’t have to look too far to find a true homegrown festival that’s been putting in the work for decades in bringing new acts and top notch music to the Dark Corner.
What started as some friends getting together with a couple of guitars and banjos 29 years ago has turned into quite a celebration these days, turning Glynn Zeigler’s upstate homestead into the Skunk Farm for several days in the spring and fall.
Since the first Skunk Fest years ago many fine performers have crossed that farm stage, and each year the lineup gets a little bit larger, and the names get a little bit bigger.
In 2004 they had The Avett Brothers alongside The Steep Canyon Rangers, who became somewhat of a staple of the fest. Or the 2005 lineup that included Shawn Mullins and our much beloved Jill Andrews and Sam Quinn when they still performed as The Everybodyfields. Or the next year when Trampled By Turtles filled the foothills air with their upper midwest speedgrass, before they were selling out shows around the country. Then onto Billy Strings in 2016, and the story goes on.
This year’s festival offers up another great lineup with affordable ticket prices that stay true to the tradition. This festival’s always been one of a kind and I’m happy to see it stay true to its roots.
Historical Nugget
The Appalachian people were called “the scum of America,” “victims of heredity and alcohol,” and portrayed by Hollywood as “hillbillies.” Their music, born from Celtic and traditional English ballads has influenced much of what we hear today. Learn more by diving into the Alan Lomax Archive channel.
Upcoming Shows
Upstate
- Artisphere in downtown Greenville | May 10-12
- The Melon Barn | May 11
Midlands
- Mariah Van Kleef w/ WITH HASTE! at The Courtroom, Rock Hill, SC | May 10
- Main Street Jazz Fest, Columbia, SC | May 11
Lowcountry
- All Them Witches at Music Farm | May 9
- Sierra Ferrell at Charleston Music Hall | May 10
New Music
- Subscribe to our South Carolina New Music playlists featuring 50 of the newest songs from SC adjacent artists. Missing a recently released song? Reply and let us know.
Ticket Winner
- Congratulations to Helen S., you won two tickets to see Cloud Nothings at New Brookland Tavern on Tuesday, May 14. Keep an eye on your inbox for details.
Encore
Production of the 2024 SceneSC Sampler is well underway and I’m excited to share the 2024 compilation with all of you. If you’d like to help out, your subscription or donation goes a long way in helping making the sampler happen and helps us help South Carolina artists find a wider audience. Thank you for reading this far. We’ll meet you in your inbox every Monday night at 10 p.m.
