New Harmonies rolls out in Calhoun

The city of Calhoun kicks off the Georgia tour of New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music on April 14, 2012. 

The traveling exhibition is on display through May 24 at the Harris Arts Center on 212 South Wall Street.  The exhibition coincides with the sixth annual Georgia String Band Festival and Gordon County Fiddlers' Convention, held during the second week of May at the Harris Arts Center and the Cherokee Capital Fairgrounds. 

Calhoun has a rich history of roots music performers that includes 1920’s era old-time string quartet The Georgia Yellow Hammers and their Afro Cherokee counterparts, the Baxters.  Both acts were forerunners of the region's earliest country music stars.

Like most Georgia cities, Calhoun also has a lengthy history of sacred and church music. These traditions were introduced to "higher-brow" audience by Roland Hayes, an iconic 1920’s concert performer with ties to the county. 

Folk music traditions and roots revival efforts found near Calhoun include field musicians at Resaca’s Civil War Reenactments, the Cherokee Indian traditions found at New Echota, and the numerous traditions found in nearby Rome, Georgia.

Learn more about New Harmonies events and activities in Calhoun.

Pictured above are the "Freight Hoppers", a musical group that performed in the 2011 Georgia String Band Festival.  Photo is courtesy Paul Shoffner, Calhoun, GA.