music

Lee Jones plays the piano as students practice a song in the Oglethorpe County High School music classroom last month. Jones has been the band and chorus director at OCHS for 13 years. (Sabrina Felix/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Lee Jones plays the piano as students practice a song in the Oglethorpe County High School music classroom last month. Jones has been the band and chorus director at OCHS for 13 years. (Sabrina Felix/The Oglethorpe Echo)

The sound of music: Students, Jones look to grow OCHS chorus

Sabrina Felix
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Senior Mason Drewett said he joined the Oglethorpe County High School chorus to improve his performance skills. “I wanted to do that to get some actual vocal training,” Drewett said.  He started as a baritone, but now he sings the bass vocal part.
Kassie Mathews, a sophomore at Oglethorpe County High School, conducted “Sleigh Ride” during the Classic City Band’s concert on Dec. 16. She was the OCHS marching band’s drum major this fall. (Photo/Submitted)

Kassie Mathews, a sophomore at Oglethorpe County High School, conducted “Sleigh Ride” during the Classic City Band’s concert on Dec. 16. She was the OCHS marching band’s drum major this fall. (Photo/Submitted)

Mathews conducts final song in concert

Neva Drane
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Kassie Mathews delivered on her band director’s trust.  Michael Brewer, the director of the Classic City Band, an all-volunteer group, asked Mathews to conduct “Sleigh Ride,” the closing song for the band’s annual Holiday Concert on Dec. 16 at the University of Georgia’s Hodgson Concert Hall.
Jesse Chambers has played and sang at Town and Country Kafe five times since February 2024. Several family members attended his concert there on Nov. 8. (Photo/Submitted)

Jesse Chambers has played and sang at Town and Country Kafe five times since February 2024. Several family members attended his concert there on Nov. 8. (Photo/Submitted)

Family’s love of music flows through Chambers

Grace Burnett
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Jesse Chambers has been infatuated with music since he was 5 years old. The Lexington resident and senior at OCHS started playing guitar then, and more recently, has been pursuing singing as a self-taught musician.  “I’ve been playing guitar pretty much my whole life,” he said.
The recently renovated Marigold Auditorium will host a Christmas concert for the first time since 2017. Strung Out Like The Lights At Christmas will start at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. (Ansley Gavlak/The Oglethorpe Echo)

The recently renovated Marigold Auditorium will host a Christmas concert for the first time since 2017. Strung Out Like The Lights At Christmas will start at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. (Ansley Gavlak/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Christmas concert returns to Winterville Auditorium

Ansley Gavlak
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
An old Winterville tradition turns new this holiday season, as the city revives its annual Christmas concert — Strung Out Like The Lights At Christmas — at the newly renovated Marigold Auditorium.
Jason Booth, owner and luthier of Deadwood Guitar Co., constructs a deadwood guitar at his shop in downtown Lexington. (Photo/Michael Johnson)

Jason Booth, owner and luthier of Deadwood Guitar Co., constructs a deadwood guitar at his shop in downtown Lexington. (Photo/Michael Johnson)

Deadwood guitars provide sweet sound for their fans

Michael Johnson
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Jason Booth's guitars come to life from locally sourced pieces of dead wood, leading to a one-of-a-kind sound for each instrument.
Gwen & the Retro Kats will close out the Downtown Development Authority Concert Series at 7 p.m. Saturday at Platt Brooks Estate. The group is a combination of two Atlanta acts, Gwen Hughes and the Ruby Red’s, performing swing, jazz and dixieland. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Gwen & the Retro Kats will close out the Downtown Development Authority Concert Series at 7 p.m. Saturday at Platt Brooks Estate. The group is a combination of two Atlanta acts, Gwen Hughes and the Ruby Red’s, performing swing, jazz and dixieland. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

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Gwen & the Retro Kats wrap up Lexington concert series

Avni Trivedi
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Gwen & the Retro Kats will return to Lexington to close out the Downtown Development Authority Concert Series at 7 p.m. Saturday at Platt Brooks Estate.     Gwen Hughes and the Ruby Red’s, both Atlanta-based musicians, join forces to create a ’20s, jazz sound intended to get the crowd dancing.
Music director Chase Cooper leads the cast of Matilda the Musical during a rehearsal on June 10 at the Historic Crawford School. Left to right are Ellie Roman, Hazel Hogan, Allie Spurlin, Thalia Smoot and Kassie Mathews; obscured are Jenna Grace Burt, Clover McGovern and Sophia Priest. Arts!Oglethorpe director Bly Hartley said the production’s actors have a wide range of ages, and the show is family-friendly. (JESSE WOOD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Music director Chase Cooper leads the cast of Matilda the Musical during a rehearsal on June 10 at the Historic Crawford School. Left to right are Ellie Roman, Hazel Hogan, Allie Spurlin, Thalia Smoot and Kassie Mathews; obscured are Jenna Grace Burt, Clover McGovern and Sophia Priest. Arts!Oglethorpe director Bly Hartley said the production’s actors have a wide range of ages, and the show is family-friendly. (JESSE WOOD/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

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From age 9 to age 70

Jesse Wood
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Thirteen-year-old Thalia Smoot said the most challenging part of the upcoming Arts!Oglethorpe production has been speaking Russian.   “At the end, there’s a part where I have to learn two lines of Russian,” she said about her lead role in Matilda the Musical.
RAMON ELORTONDO/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO The music of Georgia Red Clay, a band based out of Atlanta, filled the American Legion Post 123 earlier this month. It was the band’s second time playing the legion.

RAMON ELORTONDO/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO The music of Georgia Red Clay, a band based out of Atlanta, filled the American Legion Post 123 earlier this month. It was the band’s second time playing the legion.

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Georgia Red Clay becoming a legion favorite

Ramon Elortondo
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Georgia Red Clay answered the demand on social media and filled James T. Rayle American Legion Post 123 with sounds of Southern rock and country music earlier this month.   The band, which is based in Atlanta, returned to Lexington for the second time on April 1.
Blues artist Jon Shain performed at No. 3 Railroad in Arnoldsville on Sept. 15, 2022. He sang original songs as well as covers. (Photo/Nimra Ahmad)

Blues artist Jon Shain performed at No. 3 Railroad in Arnoldsville on Sept. 15, 2022. He sang original songs as well as covers. (Photo/Nimra Ahmad)

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Crowd enjoys Shain’s performance at No. 3 Railroad

Nimra Ahmad
Thursday, September 22, 2022
WATCH: Crowd enjoys Shain’s performance at No. 3 Railroad   While the sun set in the distance, about 13 people gathered at the small, rustic No. 3 Railroad Street in Arnoldsville.