by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
What: Gamble Rogers Folk Festival
When: May 2-4, 2008
Where: St. John’s County Fairgrounds
The last time I interviewed the late great Gamble Rogers was two weeks before his tragic death trying to save two tourists from drowning in the ocean on October 10, 1991. At the time, he was about to ink a deal with NPR for his own show similar to Mountain Stage, which he had been hosting.
Gamble had struggled many years for national recognition and his death was especially untimely because he would have gone on to achieve the success he truly deserved. He was the patron saint of the Florida folk scene as a humorist and singer/songwriter. Gamble is fondly remembered by all those whose lives he touched with his storytelling, music and comedy. To know Gamble was to be his friend.
After 12 years of the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival (GRFF) at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, the 13th annual GRFF will take place at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds instead. On Saturday May 3, festival attendees will be treated to a special recorded live performance by Gamble on the Baby Grand Theater stage via DVD and big screen projection. These showings will run at regular intervals throughout the day on Saturday, May 3. Gamble’s tales of Oklawaha County will once again be seen and remembered.
“We are especially thankful to the Gamble Rogers Memorial Foundation and its president, Charles Steadham, for allowing us to bring Gamble’s fingerpicking guitar style and singing/storytelling talent to life in St. Johns County for all those attending the festival this year,” said Festival president Paul Linser.
Many of today’s hottest folk artists will be performing live at the event, including Robin and Linda Williams, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Mary Flower, Stevie Coyle (from the Waybacks), Debra Lee Smith & Carl Jones, The Aaron O’Rouke Trio, and Gatorbone.
“Well, we simply outgrew the Amphitheater facility. This is our 13th year, and The St. Johns County Fairgrounds offers more room and plenty of camping sites with 50 RV hookups. Also, there were no restrictions as to playing music late at night. So, now we can have campfires and play music all night,” said Bob Patterson, Entertainment Director of the festival.
The GRFF is dedicated to ensuring that the memory and music of Gamble Rogers will continue to be an integral part of Florida’s folk music tradition. The fairgrounds will provide RV hookups and camping on County Road 207, 6 miles west of I-95 in Elton. Log onto gamblefest.com for more information.
Article Published in the 03-08 Issue of EU Jacksonville
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