Athens is known for its music scene, and is most famous for being the home of the bands REM and the B52’s. The clubs and bars of Athens are alive with new music, fueled by audiences filled with students from the University of Georgia. But if you’re hanging with my brother and his wife and their friends, you don’t need to hit the bars to get a taste of Athens music.
Megan Baer
We were privileged to listen to Rachel’s friend and fellow-Philly suburbs gal Megan Baer sing at a wine-tasting and book signing party at the Georgia Botanical Gardens. Megan has a soulful and sultry voice, and sings her own stuff, plus some really nice covers. I really like her sound, and wish her great success!
Check out Megan on her my space or head to CD Baby to hear samples from her CD Out of Place.
Betsy Frank and the Bare Knuckle Band
Betsy is yet another friend of Joe and Rachel’s. We didn’t get to hear Betsy in person, but she was featured for a full hour on It’s Friday, WUGA’s end of the week music show, while we were there. This is the kind of music you’d love to hear in a bar on a Friday night with a beer in your hand and good friends around to dance with. You can hear Betsy on her MySpace. Be prepared to get up and move!
Cyndi Lauper
Well, technically, Cyndi wasn’t singing in Athens. But she was singing on Dan’s widescreen TV, and Dan lives in Athens, so I’m counting it. This performance of Cyndi singing “Carey” is one of the most incredible covers of a Joni Mitchell song I have ever heard (or seen). It won’t have the same impact if you’re not sitting on Dan’s sofa late at night after a few glasses of wine, but do click on the YouTube player below and witness this new standard.
I have to thank Dan again and again for sharing this incredibly special music video with us. Although I think next time he should move the TV out onto his new back porch so we can watch it while sitting in the hot tub. I think Cindy would like that, don’t you?
Next Up: Rachel’s Crab Cakes
