Fester Hagood's Mojo Confessional Songwriters Showcase Dodd Ferrelle and William Tonks Potluck at 6 pm Sunday, September 10, 2023

Fester Hagood organizes what he calls "Fester Hagood's Mojo Confessional Songwriters Showcase." It builds on Mark Wilmot's "Mojo's Sunday Afternoon Songwriters' Revival" which brought two singer/songwriters to No. 3 Railroad Street each month. We look forward to hearing both new and familiar voices and stories about their songs under Fester's direction. Please read about Fester on the bottom of this page and about both series of concerts on the Songwriters landing page. Fester brings Dodd Ferrelle and William Tonks to No. 3 Railroad Street this September! Winterville Mayor Dodd Ferrelle was born in Wilson, North Carolina. Shortly thereafter, he moved back to Savannah, Georgia, where his family has lived for five generations. He moved to Athens in January 1993. Though he lived in the area for several years, Dodd has officially called Winterville home since December 2005. He was elected Mayor of Winterville on November 4, 2015. He was re-elected for a second 4-year term. Over twenty years ago, Ferrelle began working in Athens as a driver for Hagemeyer North America. Today, he is an Account Specialist for that same company, where he manages a multi-million dollar territory spanning several counties. He has been awarded President's Club five years in a row. In addition, he is a musician, artist, and children's book author. Mayor Ferrelle wrote the interactive children's book "If You Were a Jellybean," which features beautiful illustrations by his wife, the artist Cameron Bliss Ferrelle. The book was a 2014 Georgia Writer's Association Author of the Year Award nominee. Since moving to Winterville, Mayor Ferrelle has been an active member of the community. As a member of the Civitan Club, he worked to bring Christmas Tree Sales to Winterville. He is also a member of the Winterville Elementary School PTO, the Winterville School Council, and the Winterville Library Board. Since 2009, Ferrelle has hosted a fundraiser to benefit the Athens Banner-Herald's Empty Stocking Fund, which helps struggling Athenians make ends meet during the holiday season. The event features a showcase of local musicians, many of whom are residents of Winterville, and an art auction. - Above, in large part, from cityofwinterville.com/mayor, accessed in January 2019 (subsequently taken down) Today's visit to No. 3 Railroad Street will be Dodd's second, and again in the Songwriters series. On January 20, 2019, Mark Wilmot brought Dodd (with Jason Elder on violin) and Liam Parke as his two songwriters of that month. The first set of images below are from that visit. Artist Websites: facebook.com/doddferrellemusic; and doddferrelle.com (no activity since 2018). William Tonks has also been to No. 3 Railroad Street. William Tonks played one of the first concerts at No. 3 Railroad Street, along with Tommy Jordan as MrJordan MrTonks, way back in March 18 2016, and he then joined Cody Landress-Gibson as the two monthly songwriters in the Songwriters series back in August 19, 2018 hosted by Mark Wilmot. The second set of images below are from these two events. After moving to Athens, Tonks became involved in the band Gravity Creeps, recording an album with John Keane. He at this point began to write more music and was introduced to the dobro, which he taught himself to play. Over the years, he also has been a member of bands such as Redneck Greece Deluxe, Workhorses of the Entertainment and Recreational Industry, The Hot Burritos, Barbara Cue and Bloodkin, all local bands around the Athens music scene. More recently he has played in groups such as Romper Stompers, with Todd Nance of Widespread Panic and MrJordanMrTonks, an Americana style music group. He has also performed on albums by Jack Logan, another Athens musician. In 2007 Tonks released his debut solo album, Catch, with Ghostmeat Records. It features Athens musicians such as John Neff of Drive-By Truckers. The album has several original songs as well as covers. Tonks has also had a project, a "Concerto for Rock Band with Strings," with noted R.E.M. bass player Mike Mills featuring violinist Robert McDuffie. They have performed in venues all around the world such as Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto and one in Rome, and recently traveled in a tour of the states. Tonks, McDuffie, and Mills have also worked together on "A Night of Georgia Music," performing a set of songs by Georgia artists or relating to Georgia. The show was augmented by Chuck Leavell of the Allman Brothers Band, Sea Level, and The Rolling Stones on piano. A performance of the show filmed at The Grand Opera House in Macon, Georgia, aired on Georgia Public Television in July 2022. - From Wikipedia Artist Websites: facebook.com/william.tonks.18; and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tonks. Fester Hagood has been a staple of the Classic City's music scene for over a decade. Hagood began writing music at the age of 16 and has been performing as a solo act in the Athens bar scene since early 2000. In 2015, Fester produced the Redstone Ramblers CD, "Graveyard Gospel." He hosted The Tuesday Night Confessional at The Nowhere Bar in Athens from 2013 onwards which was the inpsiration for Mark's Songwriters Revival. Fester is one of the pillars of original music in the Athens Area and an especially good citizen. Fester's websites include Facebook, Reverbnation and Fester Hagood's Tues Night Confessors Songwriters Dodd Ferrelle and William Tonks, Sunday, September 10, 2023. Potluck at 6 pm. Suggested Donation of $10-20 Above are from the January 20, 2019 Songwriter event with Jason Elder on violin, Dodd Ferrelle in the red scarf, the Ferrelle's son Lucas,and host Mark Wilmot. Photos by Glenn Galau © 2019. Visit the Photo Gallery for the complete set of images. Above are from the March 18 2016 performance of MrJordan MrTonks, with William Tonks and Tommy Jordan, then William Tonks, and finally Tommy Jordan. Photos by Glenn Galau © 2016. Visit the Photo Gallery for the complete set of images. Above are from the August 19, 2018 Songwriters events showing Mark Wilmot, Cody Landress-Gibson and William Tonks, and finally William Tonks. Photos by Glenn Galau © 2018. Visit the Photo Gallery for the complete set of images. Modified 02 September 2023 by Glenn Galau   |   Web Design by Glenn Galau