Author

Joe White

Metro’s Best 2018

by Joe White July 12, 2018

Welcome CF’s! (Cyber Folks)

Every summer the Metro Spirit asks our readers for their opinions on the best restaurants, bars, hamburgers, mechanics…you know…the important stuff. Metro’s Best 2018 takes on even more significance as we roll out the welcome mat to a host of new Augustans, the new faces we see at the grocery stores, coffee shops and schools. We’re not really sure what they do, but we all love them very much.

Since this infusion of talent and capital are transforming our big little town faster than anyone can remember, we owe them an insider’s pov of our unique big little town. We have so much more to offer than run of the mill strip malls and franchise restaurants. After 14 days we’ll tabulate the top five in each category and put the nominees up for your consideration.

Stay tuned for more details. But first, go vote. It’s your civic duty.

Joe White
Publisher

July 12, 2018

Our Amy Takes a Leap

by Joe White August 23, 2017

“Nope, not that one. The other one. Yes, there is another one. There’s that one, then there’s mine. Mine can’t sing.”

And so, it went, day by day … week by week. As PR professionals, marketing directors, heads of nonprofits, advertisers, et al, would ask “who do I contact to get XYZ in the paper?” I would tell them Amy Christian. I could tell by the excited look that would spread across their faces they were wrong.

“Oh wow!” was usually the response I would get. “That is so cool!” Yes, Amy Christian is cool, all right. But most of the time it was Amy Christian, the local Augustan who was a backup singer for James Brown they were referring to, not the Metro Spirit’s longtime Arts Editor. “Oh.” was usually the response I got when I let them know they would not in fact be interacting with Mr. Brown’s backup singer but the pleasant, affable, highly capable Mrs. Amy Fennell Christian, wife of Jim and mother of Nola.

Amy’s daughter, Nola. She was 2 years old when Amy began her career at the Spirit. She turned 17 this year.
(Sorry. Nola … Amy knows what happens when you leave a paper.)

Such is life when you are grinding away at an alternative weekly newspaper. All the glory goes to others while you make sure you spelled their name right. But Amy was, and is, in fact glorious. She has been a co-worker & friend-her booming laugh music to my ears — for 15 years.

Sadly, Amy has recently accepted the position as director of development for the Westobou Festival. Sad for us, yes, but also very exciting at the same time. She will be working alongside another former Spirit staffer at Westobou, senior graphic designer Jason Craig. As director of development, she will be apparently directing development for the festival. We didn’t actually discuss what her job duties were going to be … she was too focused being Amy … responsible, meticulous and thoughtful … training her replacement Amanda Main and making sure we were all taken care of before her departure.

Amy has put her stamp all over the Spirit, from our approach to covering the arts, dining and music to the actual layout of the paper. Her smart insight and workhorse mentality has made her a vital part of our team. I know I speak for all our current and former employees when I wish her the very best in her new career, and we all look forward to seeing her byline in the paper again soon as a freelance writer.

August 23, 2017

Letter from the Publisher

by Joe White June 7, 2017

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the country, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

In particular, its use is widespread among young adults with more than 11 million people between the ages of 18 to 25 experimenting with marijuana over the past year.

While rates of marijuana use among middle and high school students have dropped or at least leveled off in the past few years, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports a growing number of young people believe marijuana use is not considered “risky behavior.”

Why?

Most experts believe that the legalization of marijuana for medical use and, in some states, the legalization of adult recreational use of pot might be affecting young adults’ view on the drug.

And while some people believe that marijuana use is harmless, research shows that marijuana use does affect brain development.

When people begin using marijuana as teenagers, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that the drug may reduce thinking, memory and learning functions and affect how the brain builds connections between the areas necessary for these functions.

But pot is still extremely popular.

Consider the fact that High Times, the 44-year-old magazine that has long advocated for the legalization of pot, was just recently sold to a group of investors led by Los Angeles-based Oreva Capital for $42 million.

The truth is, marijuana use is a growing industry.

So we want to hear from you. If you are a concerned parent, member of local law enforcement or an advocate of the legalization of pot throughout this country, we want to know what you think about marijuana in America.

Feel free to contact me at joe@themetrospirit.com with your thoughts.

Thank you,
Joe White
Owner and Publisher of the Metro Spirit

June 7, 2017

Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers

by Joe White June 7, 2017

You may know him from his many Top 40 radio staples such as “The Way It Is” or “Mandolin Rain,” but Bruce Hornsby might be a little cooler than you think.

Hornsby has long been sought after for his session work and as a guest musician, but it was his special friendship with Jerry Garcia that many critics feel pushed him outside the confines of mainstream pop. Hornsby was a touring member of the Grateful Dead from 1990 to 1992, as well as guesting with the band on occasion before and after the tours.

According to Performing Songwriter Magazine (March/April 2001), Hornsby’s particular style of jazz-fueled improvisation added to the Dead’s repertoire and helped to revitalize and refocus Garcia’s guitar solos in the band’s sound.

Hornsby’s friendship with Garcia continued, both inside and outside the band, as the two challenged each other to expand their musicianship through several other album and live collaborations. Hornsby’s musical versatility and ability to slip in and out of extended freeform jams won over longtime Grateful Dead fans.

Hornsby also has a deep relationship with the Allman Brothers Band, opening for the Southern rock architects in the early 1990s. The piano player has sat in with the group many times over the years, including at their 40th anniversary shows at New York’s Beacon Theatre in 2009.

Friends With Benefits is giving you a chance to see this multiple Grammy award-winning musician in the cozy confines of the Columbia County Amphitheater. (Not the much larger stage across the street at the Lady A).

Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers, w/ Scarlet Begonias

Thursday, June 15

Columbia County Amphitheater

6 p.m.

$35 for general admission, $100 VIP Ticket

fwbpro.com

June 7, 2017

Augusta’s Ice Storm 2014

by Joe White January 2, 2017

Five years ago the entire CSRA was crippled by the ice storm which hit on February 11, 2014, and lasted into the next

morning.

Exploding limbs fell throughout the night and every few minutes huge pine trees were tumbling over and crashing to the

ground with such force they were literally shaking entire neighborhoods.

Photos: Joe White

January 2, 2017

Remember September 12th

by Joe White September 10, 2016

I remember September 11th.

The first word I heard about it was while driving down Gordon Highway listening to Don Imus out of New York on the radio. I quickly made my way to Gerald Jones Volvo and got in front of a little TV set in the used car lot across the street.

Like everyone, I was petrified. Horror and fear of the unknown swept over me as I drove home.

In the ensuing days, there was a sense the world would never be the same. (That sense came true: the world hasn’t been the same.) As is our custom, the media began seeking out the heroes, highlighting our compassion and selflessness. All first responders across the country that day became heroes.

Our perception of fellow humans was altered. Not since Hitler walked the earth had evil been so visceral, so real and alive.

I couldn’t come to terms with what had happened. The thought of the Twin Towers jumpers still gives me vertigo. It’s a horror that we’ve all had to deal with in our own way. The country banded together and leaned on one another for a couple of years as we collectively went through the grieving process as one.

September 11th was the worst anniversary I could ever imagine… until September 12, 2012.

My 19-year-old daughter was hanging out with friends on a Wednesday night at the Columbia County Library complex. At the same time, Lucky Jackson, 43, was drinking at Margaritaz across the street from the Cracker Barrel by I-20. Around 10:30 he stumbled drunk out of the bar, stopping to steady himself on a light pole before climbing behind the wheel of his pickup truck.

At the moment of impact, Jordan was turning left onto Washington Road from Ronald Reagan Drive. Lucky was driving toward her on Washington Road, speeding, weaving and with a blood alcohol content of .281, more than three times the legal limit. He ran the red light.

I knew my daughter was going to die. When deputies arrived at my home and drove me to the hospital under the guise of needing insurance information, deep down I knew she would not survive.

Jordan was the most beautiful and the funniest person I’ve ever known. I fell head over heels in love with her the day she was born and the two of us grew up together. I had comfort knowing there was a person in the world who loved me unconditionally, the same as I loved her.

It’s been four years now.

I don’t have anything to preach here, no words of wisdom and no lessons learned. I simply miss talking to my baby girl.

If you see someone about to drive drunk, stop them. Period.

September 10, 2016

2004 Jeep Wrangler LS V8 engine FOR SALE

by Joe White June 12, 2016

Jeep was purchased and delivered to Trucks and Moore, who did all the structural work listed below. New LS V8 dropped in. This Jeep has never seen the mud, and the owner needs room for grandkids.

CONTACT PAT 706.533.4751

Customized Items:

Front Bumper
Rear Bumper
Customized Step Bars/Rails
Front & Tail Light Guards
Gas Cap Guard
Wide Fenders
*All of the previous items were Rhino Sprayed including following items:
GOBI Rack with Ladder
Mirrors
Front Grill
Rear Door
Interior
Custom Hood Design

Also Added:

Warn VR 8000 Winch
4″ Suspension Lift
1″ Body Lift
5 Wheels
5 37″ Tires

4 Speed Transmission W/Overdrive
Tuffy Law Enforcement Security Box
Alpine Stereo with Speakers
Alpine Booster AMP
Sirius XM Tuner
New Soft Top
Water-Proof Seat Liners
50″ Front Light Bar
20″ Rear Light Bar

June 12, 2016

The Road Goes On

by Joe White May 11, 2016

Jason Isbell is on quite a winning streak. Sober for the past four years, he is recently married and has been touted as the brightest star to emerge in years. Isbell joined the established band the Drive-By Truckers in his early 20s and indulged in the raucous lifestyle being a Trucker afforded. By all accounts a prodigious drinker, he stayed with the band for most of his 20s before being kicked out in a band shake up five years ago.

He attributes his newfound mainstream success to his decision to stop drinking. His breakthrough album “Southeastern,” released in 2013, was basically a diary of a man working through his alcoholism and relationships. The album was both a commercial and critical success and put him on the national stage, bringing the Alabama native a whole new audience and level of success one would have thought impossible a scant few years ago.

The Metro Spirit spoke to Isbell Monday about his visit to Augusta’s Bell Auditorium this Tuesday, a visit that was supposed to pair him with country legend Merle Haggard. Unfortunately, Haggard died on his 79th birthday in April.

For Isbell, however, the show goes on. Just without the alcohol.

“The past couple of years haven’t been as busy as they have been on the road,” he said. “We’re probably doing a hundred shows. I’ve been home this week, playing a little thing in Nashville tomorrow, then going out to California to do a little thing with John Prine. But last month I flew about 55,000 miles and I don’t know if I would have been able to do that if I was still drinking. I just don’t think that would have been possible.”

The traveling, he explained, would have been difficult in and of itself. His drinking problem had begun to affect his work in other ways as well.

“It would have been rough,” Isbell admitted. “We went to Australia and had about four flights over there, flew back, then went to England and from there went to Hawaii. Yeah, I just don’t think that would have been possible if I had still been drinking. I don’t even think I would have had the offers, you know, the way my career was going. I had a lot more potential at that point in time. I wasn’t working as hard as I could work. I didn’t get the opportunities that I get now.”

Once he got a handle on his drinking, though, his work also began to improve.

“It definitely gives you more time to work,” he said of being sober. “That’s a big reason my work got better, being more well received just because I had time to focus on the job. I was writing the songs and I didn’t have the urge to go out drinking as soon as the sun went down. When we were touring, the shows got a lot more consistent, more rested, on a regular basis. The long shows were a lot better, I could sing a lot better.”

Things may be getting better on both a personal and professional front, but Isbell says he’s anything but cocky about this upswing.

“I still try and keep in mind that it could change any day. It can creep up on you,” he said. “If you think you’re cured I think you’re underestimating the disease, because it can come back at any time. It’s different for everybody. Some people feel like you can get it over with and never worry about it again, and I think if I ever start thinking I’m not an alcoholic then I might start thinking then I can drink again and start the whole process over.”

Being sober has brought with it lots of changes, but Isbell he quickly learned his limits.

“That first year was tough. That first year was harder than the last three have been combined, that’s for sure,” he said. “But, you know, for me it had to do more not really with the alcohol itself as it did with the situations that I was in. I learned that I can go out to a bar and watch somebody play, but I can’t stay more than a couple of hours. A couple of hours that’s it for me and then I start getting anxious. I start wanting a drink myself. I can’t smoke weed anymore because that makes me want a drink. I don’t think there is anything wrong with marijuana in itself, but, for me, it’s a trigger. It makes me wish I had a glass of whiskey. As soon as I figured out those things it really helped me a lot. But it took me about a year to learn those things.”

Now, Isbell says he’s just looking forward to the summer, and the music it’ll bring with it.

“The summer tour is going to be a lot of fun,” he said. “I like playing the southern towns, the places close to home. You know Georgia’s always been great for us, back with the Truckers, the first big shows we played were in Georgia and we got some things here, HangOut Fest (in Gulf Shores, Alabama) is right after that. My brother and his buddies are coming down, a lot of family is coming for that. Bonnaroo is always good. We got a pretty good stage this year, pretty good set time. My wife and I may go up to New York in July and catch the Radiohead shows. I got most of July off, got one show that month, so I’m looking forward to that.”

And while he may be looking forward to coming to Georgia to play, Isbell says there’s one aspect of the upcoming show that will be sorely missed. Merle Haggard, he added, is a man who can’t be replaced.

“He was great. I hate that it happened that’s, for sure,” he said of Haggard’s recent death. “He wrote some magical shows and lived a long life. He certainly got the most out of it. Any of those guys from that generation, to live as long as Merle did is quite an accomplishment. He lived pretty rough for a long time. I don’t think there was ever a better country songwriter, personally. I don’t think anybody was better at it than Merle.”

Jason Isbell with Special Guest Tommy Emmanuel
Bell Auditorium
Tuesday, May 17
7:30 p.m.
$25-$35
877-4AUGTIX
georgialinatix.com

May 11, 2016

Letter from the Publisher

by Joe White October 28, 2015

Andy was such a great friend to me over the years. I met him in the mid ‘90s when I first started selling advertising for the Metropolitan Spirit and we hit it off immediately.

Back then, when we would put ads together, people would have to hand us all their design elements — printed-out logos, pictures, etc. Anyone reading this who ever dealt with Andy in the advertising arena will get a chuckle. Gathering ad copy from Andy was an experience akin to being born, living a full and fruitful life, then slipping into the great beyond.

Andy, Kim and Drew Jordan with Metro Spirit Publisher Joe White at the inaugural Metro’s Best party in 2006. Andy Jordan’s Bicycle Warehouse has won the Best Bicycle Shop category every year the contest has been held.

So it would work thusly: Andy would agree to run an ad. An ad. What followed was hours of meetings, which were basically bullshit sessions where we would make each other laugh until tears would flow. It was an experience. Never in history has someone pained so much over simple sentences. I would peer through the window in his office and look at his young son Drew — still in high school at the time — and say a silent prayer that he would grow up soon and take over this responsibility.

During this time Andy asked me to help with his band, the Robbie Ducey Band. I didn’t know what I was doing: I booked shows, traveled with the band on occasion, but basically just had a great time with a bunch of fun-loving musicians. Andy was such an incredible drummer. I used to bug him to set up his kit at the shop and play, but he was funny about combining his two passions.

Andy helped me with a bike to ride my daughter Jordan on. Some of my very best memories with my baby girl are of us on the canal, her sound asleep with her helmet bump bump bumping the side of her little seat behind me.

I read in Amy Christian’s moving cover story how visits to the bike shop could turn into marathons. Well, that’s being kind. If you went into the shop and Andy pulled away and focused on you, there was no end to the conversation. He was interested in everything — curious about everything — and always a glass-half-empty kind of guy. In a very endearing way.

His shop burned down about a decade ago and I never spoke of it without implicating him in the blaze. When we were talking about some random subject, I would peg the time of our subject to either before or after “you burned the shop down.” Yes, of course it got old. But not to me and he was such a mensch he let me roll with it.

As my life became busier we didn’t see each other as much. But like those friends you have who are a part of your being, I always counted Andy as one of my very best friends. Someone quick to laugh at your funny, give you heartfelt advice or just shoot the breeze.

Andy was a one of kind.

Sincerely,
Joe White

October 28, 2015

Fort Gordon Independence Celebration

by Joe White June 19, 2015

June 19, 2015