HomeGrown Revival

"Home Grown Revival is the real thing. Their guileless melodies and lyrics ring true with the voice of experience, ranging from haunting, ephemeral stories of the hardships and joys of mountain living to biting political commentary. Beautiful harmonies and badass picking - what more could you want?" -- John Keane (Grammy nominated producer and engineer) - John Keane

Four young local musicians are on pretty much of an out-of-control roll since forming a new band a matter of months ago. The husband and wife team of Lara Polangco-Kenney and Jason Kenney along with long-time jamming friends Seth Livengood and Taylor Hadaway, got a gig at a winery one day and decided to form a band.

The next thing they knew they were hosting their own CD release party at the Holly Theater-scheduled for this Saturday night, with two-thirds of the Holly's 300-plus seats already sold, as well as opening for the (as of last weekend) GRAMMY-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, scheduled for Feb. 22 at the Melting Point in Athens.

The band is HomeGrown Revival, playing original music with mountain roots. They call themselves a “progressive folk string band.” Their name reflects a return to home and family-a revival of values that they feel are disappearing around them. Their music validates a position that many people believe in but that is rarely reflected in today's music, said Lara. The project is a labor of love, she said, a chance to “amplify the voices of the many, sharing in their common joys and sorrows through song.”

Following a very successful performance at the Crimson Moon last October, soon after organizing HGR, the band was approached by a longtime friend who wanted to front them the money for a CD. It wasn't long afterwards-in December-before the band's members found themselves in the Athens recording studio of John Keane, recently nominated for a GRAMMY for best engineered album-one he recorded for Widespread Panic. Keane has also recorded such folks as the Indigo Girls, Taj Mahal and R.E.M., and is, according to Lara, a genius.

Keane will appear with the band on Saturday when he will join them on pedal steel guitar for their CD release concert.

The CD, titled “Leaving Wynfield Station,” has 13 original songs. With some written individually and others collaboratively, the songs tell of struggles of young adults working hard to raise their families. The narratives are personal and from the heart, said Lara. The music is a way to share their feelings for each other, for their families, and for the values important in their lives, she said.

And the songs keep coming. “HomeGrown Revival inspires us as songwriters,” said Jason. “We have already written our second album before the release of our first.”

The events of the past few months, and the pace at which all this has transpired, have taken the foursome by surprise. The group of friends who just liked to hang out, jam, and write songs about their lives is suddenly a real band with a new CD, a number of gigs behind them and a busier concert schedule as each month passes.

While they certainly find it all very exciting, Lara gives credit to all the people who have supported them. “We feel really blessed because all of the wonderful people who are helping us and the great folks who keep coming back to our shows,” she said.

Livengood, said Lara, works hard, loves his young family, and writes songs about challenges he has faced in life. He is a poet, she said, putting his profound thoughts and feelings into music. He is a prolific writer and has been for many years. Many of the songs on the CD are his, and he also contributes to the band with rhythm guitar and vocals.

Hadaway is a multi-instrumentalist and has been playing music for over a decade. Taylor holds down the bottom with HGR playing the doghouse bass with hand and bow, and lends his baritone voice to the tight harmonies that are a signature sound of the band.

Jasonhas been a performing and teaching musician for many years. He runs The Family Honor School of Music and currently leads the worship music at the Dahlonega Presbyterian Church. He plays mandolin and guitar on the CD, sings, and has written several of the songs.

Lara is also a teacher and performer. She has written volumes of music and has painted walls worth of art. Lara also leads worship on Sundays at the DPC. She sings and plays banjo on the CD, and wrote three of its songs.

Both Lara and Jason express a deep commitment and love for each other and their family-the inspiration for many of their songs. Lara, mother of three, says being a mother is her first priority.

Saturday night's concert takes place on the Holly main stage at 8 p.m. Tickets (adults $12, children 12 and under $6.50) are available from the Holly box office, 706-864-3759, or on the Web at www.HollyTheater.com. Learn more about HomeGrown Revival and follow their concert schedule at www.homegrownrevivalband.com.

- by: Margo Booth