4 Things We’re Thankful For
‘Tis the season to count your blessings and not your calories, at least that’s what we tell ourselves as we reach for one more Good Company pastry.
2020 has been a wild one, but we’re here to say that it hasn’t been all bad. Even in the bleakest of times, we’ve found some key things to be thankful for, from quirky new jams to multi-million dollar developments.
We are thankful for…forward motion
While so many cities have come to screeching halt amid the uncertainty of pandemic life, Huntsville has continued to gain momentum. The Rocket City has taken the time to innovate and reimagine, and because of that we are seeing live music return with safety measures in place. From Mars Music Hall’s local series to Humphrey’s patio shows, Huntsville venues are bringing your favorite Huntsville faces back to the stage for live performances all across town.
But we’re not just returning to the typical — we’re also making moves. And excitement for a big move, the Huntsville Amphitheater, is palpable.
At the start of the pandemic, the fate of the amphitheater, a large-scale project, seemed to be up in the air. But we’re happy to report that Huntsville’s amphitheater-slash-park-slash-community-mecca is right on track for a 2022 opening and slated to give 8,000 music lovers perfect acoustics and uninterrupted views.
We are thankful for…new tunes
Many artists have taken time during quarantine to perfect a plan for releasing new music, and we are loving the additions to our playlists. In the last few weeks alone we’ve been graced with Live Local alum Preston Watts’ long-awaited release, Distractions from the Truth, a new single from beloved duo The Beasley Brothers, and a full-length album from Huntsville transplant Andrew Loehr.
Plus, there’s even more to come in November. WANDA is releasing their debut record this month, with first single Lazy Susan already out and garnering rave reviews. Fans are encouraged to pre-order now and celebrate the milestone release of their album, One-Hit, this Saturday, November 14th at Gold Sprint for their release show.
We are thankful for… tireless supporters:
It would be impossible to have a collaborative music effort in Huntsville without the constant support of community members who work tirelessly to build up musicians and venues. These busy hands are often working long hours behind the scenes with very little personal payoff.
Huntsville locals like Judy Allison, Huntsville Music Board member and Founder of Purple19, which hosts Music Biz Mondays, education for musicians on how to navigate the music scene and SheWrites, a songwriter showcase for female writers.
We also want to mention our friend Tim Miller, who has been busy promoting local artists on his podcast In Tune with T-Mill and has spearheaded many community projects during 2020.
And of course, Mario Maitland, who founded Maitland Conservatory to ensure the future of musicians themselves, helping children pursue their dreams and passions while also cultivating a knowledge and education that assists them in actually achieving their goals.
Of course, Huntsville has many more faces that deserve a full-blown Beaches moment where we sing Wind Beneath My Wings as the sun sets, though this article would go way off the rails if we tried to fit them all into it. Please know that we see you and we are thankful for you.
We are thankful for… deserved recognition:
It’s no small feat to carve out a place for the Arts in a city built on science and technology, which is why it feels like a massive victory to be acknowledged. This is why we are overjoyed that Huntsville just won the national Scout Guide Campaign’s Top Artistic City.
We were placed in this category alongside major locations such as New Orleans, Memphis, and Richmond, so earning the top spot is something that should not be taken lightly. This further proves that Rocket City is on the rise, quickly becoming a destination for arts and music lovers as well as artists and musicians themselves.
And lastly and most importantly, we are thankful for you. For all of you who have embraced us and joined our mission to bring Huntsville music to the forefront. Thank you, from our weird family to yours.
Alex is a native Huntsvillian and a singer/songwriter, culture promoter, and content creator.
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