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The E Sho will be shuckin’ and jivin’ May 13 when Mediacom and WKSJ kick off the Fourth Annual Fairhope Music Festival. In just four years, this pet project has evolved into a serious music festival and attracted some commendable musical acts.

What better town to have a music festival than Fairhope? This village on the E Sho has built its reputation over the years for being a haven for various visual and literary artists. So it seems only natural that they should dedicate a full day to music as well.

Something that you may not know is that the Fairhope Music Festival has a very humble-yet-philanthropic origin.

“The Fairhope High School band parents wanted to find an activity that the kids could do that would showcase their talent, but also bring in talent that they could watch and learn from,” organizer Debbie Quinn said. “Instead of selling candy bars or cases of Cokes or something like that, we decided to do this, and it worked out wonderfully. We’ve got tremendous community support on it.”

With a statement like that, I don’t know who’s happier: the citizens of the E Sho or the members of the Fairhope High School Band.

The proceeds from this festival not only go to the Fairhope High School marching band, but also their athletic program and five other music/athletic programs in Fairhope, enabling the schools to buy new equipment and hold musician workshops and lectures.

“A portion of the music fest goes to music in the schools and a portion of the 5K Fun Run goes to athletics in the schools,” Quinn explains. “It’s a wonderful to pull in all the kids from all the schools to support this. Plus, all those kids feed into the high school in Fairhope. It really makes the programs much better, so when they get there, they’re better prepared.”

The day is packed with events.

“We’ve got a 5K Fun Run from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.,” Quinn explanied. “Then the music starts at 9 a.m. and doesn’t end till 8 p.m with our headliner starting at 6:30. We have food and a free children’s area with lots of inflatables. There will be a Home Depot workshop and the U.S. Air Force is bringing in their humvee simulator, so that will be fun for the older kids.”

I think we’ve had enough of the particulars; let’s get to the music! Quinn and the organizers plan on providing that in abundance.

The Fairhope Middle and High School Jazz Bands will kick off the day, with the Daphne Middle School Jazz Band sandwiched in between. Following these acts will be the Rebecca Barry Band and the Alabama Faculty Jazz Sextet.

If you missed out on Eliot Morris at ZEWtopia, then you’ll have a chance to catch him here. Morris got the ZEWtopia-goers on their feet and will do the same in Fairhope. The crowd will also have a chance to jam to the sounds ofNashville-based Triple 40, and the Blue Gill crowd will be appeased with a performance from the Wes-es – Jeans and Loper. Louisiana’s, The Benjy Davis Project is also scheduled to make an appearance.

Another artist set to take the stage is Pensacola jazz sensation Robin Stine. Her voice is reminiscent of Billie Holiday or Etta James. With her debut album “Daydream,” Stine is making herself known, with a dreamy piano and murmuring bass helping her along.

Songs such as “Don’t I know” take listeners to a quiet, Sunday afternoon sipping drinks under the Spanish Oaks while lounging barefoot on the front porch. Other songs emit pure passion, such as “Nature Boy” with its rhythmic jungle beats. Stine promises to give quite a memorable performance.

Another newcomer to the area that is scheduled to perform is the Zac Brown Band. This Jager-sponsored, Georgia-based band is what Quinn would describe as a “country Jimmy Buffet.”

His song “Toes” tells the story of an exodus from Georgia to the tropics in order to lounge around lazily on the beach while lovely ladies bring frozen drinks. Don’t think for one minute that these guys are committing Gulf Coast blasphemy and ripping off Buffet. Zac Brown Band has a sound all their own. “Chicken Fried” takes on a more country sound in the tradition of Steve Earle. I guarantee the Zac Brown Band will make some new fans at this fest.

Rounding out the festival will be Darryl Worley. Worley is currently on the Darryl and Dickel tour, which has taken him all over the United States. He’s been turning heads all along the way with not only his stage presence, but also his fourth, self-titled CD. Worley has another CD in the works called “Here and Now,” and some of you have been turned on by its first single “Nothin’ But a Love Thang.” “Here and Now” promises to be memorable as Worley gets back to rockin’ with his honky-tonk roots.

The Fairhope Music Festival promises to be an event the whole family will enjoy, and the best thing about it is the charitable overtones. It will take place at the Faulkner State Community College, Fairhope Campus in Downtown Fairhope on Bancroft Street and Fels Avenue (behind Greer’s/AmSouth). Tickets are $12 for the pre-sale, but will jump to $18 the day of the show.

So, get your tickets quick, and get there early to get a parking place!

Stephen Centanni is Lagniappe music editor. Contact him at scentanni@lagniappemobile.com.

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