Chattanooga’s Riverbend Festival has grown from its humble beginnings in 1981 to its ranking today as one of the top 10 festivals in the country. The music festival, which was originally designed to bring the Chattanooga community together, is now one of the city’s most beloved events.
The fireworks finale of the festival.
Drawing crowds of more than 600,000 annually and contributing $21 million to Chattanooga’s economy, Riverbend hosts some of the top names in the music industry. The nine-day festival features more than 100 performances on six stages, a wide variety of food vendors, bike and road races, children’s events, faith and family night, and much more.
Despite the size and scope of the festival, Riverbend remains one of the most economical music festivals for spectators, with pre-purchased pins for this year’s entire show costing $28 per person. Children 10 years old and younger are admitted free of charge with an adult.
“It is certainly one of the largest music festivals in the country and one of the best values,” says Chip Baker, executive director of Friends of the Festival. “With the economy in a downturn, it really is a great way to escape and enjoy the Chattanooga community. Riverbend is about bringing people together in a great setting to enjoy some high-quality entertainment.”
Alyson and Chase Tunnell of Ringgold, Georgia, agree. They have attended the past four Riverbend festivals and look forward to attending this year’s performances. “We love the outdoor setting and the wide variety of music offered,” says Chase.
Variety is one of the keys to the huge success of the festival and Riverbend 2009 is no exception. With some bona fide legends of rock, country, and R&B already on tap to perform, there should be something for everyone.
Country music icon Willie Nelson will open this year’s festival, on Friday June 5, performing on the Coca-Cola Stage. The Commodores will perform on Wednesday, June 10. Dynamic country duo Montgomery Gentry will hit the Coca-Cola Stage on Friday, June 12. Performing with the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera on Sunday, June 7 is legendary rock and roll band Three Dog Night. In addition to these fine performers, The Wailers, Cornmeal, the Emmitt-Nershi Band, and Stephen Curtis Chapman will join the line-up.
Riverbend will also feature a wide variety of local performers this year, highlighting some of the talent that surrounds us right here in our own city. So pack your blankets, purchase your pins, and head on down to Chattanooga’s riverfront to enjoy the legendary grooves of some of the world’s best musicians, right here in the Scenic City.
Chip Baker, executive director
of Friends of the Festival.
An Interview with
Three Dog Night
From 1969 to 1974, possibly no band was more popular than Three Dog Night. This talented group amassed a staggering 21 Top 40 hits during that time period and continues to bring their unmistakable sound to audiences across the country, as well as the world. Known for their live performances, Three Dog Night will hit the stage at Riverbend, along with the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, to bring their hits to life. Danny Hutton, founding member of Three Dog Night, spoke with CityScope magazine about their upcoming performance and the history of the band.
CityScope®: Tell me about meeting the other members of Three Dog Night and how the band was formed.
Danny Hutton: Well, actually it started when I had a couple of hit records in 1965. I was on “American Bandstand” as a solo artist. Cory Wells, the other singer, was in a band called The Enemies and they were playing at Whiskey a Go Go, when that was the new hot place. I had this Top 10 hit in L.A. (“Roses and Rainbows”) and they put me on tour with Sonny & Cher. I met Cory while on tour. The other singer and I became friends just hanging out on the Sunset Strip.
CS: Was there a pivotal event in the early part of your career?
DH: My first manager was asked by Brian Wilson to be the head of Brother Records. So he brought me up to Brian’s house and Brian played me some of the songs from the “Pet Sounds” album, which blew my mind. Brian and I became fast friends. We’re still friends and that was my education: being in the studio while he did some of the best music ever made. That was a pretty pivotal moment for me.
CS: You have a celebrated catalog of hit songs. Are there any songs that stand out as career changers for you?
DH: No, because they are like having a bunch of children. They are all different and unique in their own way. We got our first album together within six months, rehearsed it, auditioned for record companies, and we took off like a rocket in late 1968 and early 1969. We started getting known as a really good live act. We had 21 straight hits during that time.
CS: The band was known as Redwood at one time. At what point did your name change to Three Dog Night?
DH: We were sitting around my kitchen table on a Friday night in Laurel Canyon and wrote down about 50 names - Three Dog Night was the survivor. It came from a magazine called Mankind, which was a monthly magazine that featured historical figures and facts, and they had an article in there about the aborigines in Australia. The slang that they used for a cold night was “three dog night” because they would use their dogs’ fur coats to keep them warm. It has nothing to do with our group or music, but we just like the sound of it.
CS: Is there anything in particular that you are looking forward to while visiting the Tennessee Valley?
DH: Oh, it’s such a beautiful place, especially in June. In the eighties, I took the kids and my wife on tour with me in a separate RV. We have wonderful memories of traveling in the South and camping during the summer.
CS: Is there anything that you would like to add that I have not asked?
DH: Well, all I can tell you is that if people like our records, we sound like our records and I’m very proud of that. Seeing us (perform) with a symphony is great because the symphony really changes some of the songs. For instance, “Liar” becomes this big, tremendous wall of sound and it is great fun. With a symphony show, especially, it just keeps you on your toes; you can’t ad-lib. It’s like a big ocean liner behind you; you can’t change what you are playing. You have to be intensely aware of every moment on stage. It’s exciting and it gets the adrenaline going.
photo by Greg Forehand of Contemporary Portraits
An Interview with
the Commodores
As Motown’s largest selling act for two decades, the Commodores have brought their unique brand of music to the masses for the past 40 years. Songs like “Brick House” and “Easy” have become entrenched in American pop culture. The band continues to tour the country, bringing their massive catalog of hit songs to music lovers young and old. William King, a founding member of the Commodores, answered some questions about the band and their upcoming Riverbend performance.
CityScope®: Everyone in Chattanooga is really looking forward to seeing you perform at Riverbend.
William King: So are we. We like the outdoor shows because people are so hyped and they bring their families to the show. It’s a great time.
CS: How did the Commodores meet and become a band?
WK: We met in Tuskegee, Alabama. We were freshmen at the Tuskegee Institute. We met in the rec room - Thomas McClary, Lionel Ritchie, and myself - and we started talking. One thing led to another and we found out we were all musicians and decided to get together and play music. We got a couple other guys to join us and the whole idea was to play music and meet girls.
CS: Was there one particular event early in your career that was pivotal to your success?
WK: Probably the biggest thing was when we were in New York City performing and we were asked if we would tour with the Jackson 5. We toured with them for two and a half years. After that, Motown Records signed us because they knew that we’d been on the road all of that time and that hundreds of thousands of people had seen us and all they had to do was get a record out there.
CS: You have a legendary catalog of hit songs. Are there any songs that stand out as career changers for you?
WK: Well, I think the very first song we had out was “Machine Gun,” and it was a hit. If that song had not been a hit, we would never have gotten a chance. The song that broke us out into the pop world was probably “Three Times a Lady.” After that came “Brick House,” which was huge. And several hits followed.
CS: Is there anything in particular that you are looking forward to while playing in the Tennessee Valley?
WK: I’ve got to see if you guys have good BBQ ribs. We were talking about that about a week ago. We are hoping that Chattanooga can show us some good ribs while we are there. The people of Chattanooga are looking forward to good music and fun, and we are looking forward to good ribs!
CS: Is there anything that you would like to add that I have not asked you?
WK: This is a family show. People should come out from everywhere. Bring your kids, bring the entire family, and just have a great time. We are going to play music that is going to make you reminisce about all of the wonderful things that have gone on in your life and where you were the first time you heard “Brick House,” “Easy,” “Three Times a Lady,” “Still,” and “Close to You.” And those memories are going to flood through your mind and give you an incredible feeling. You need to come out with the family and enjoy this wonderful night with us.
Riverbend 2009 also brings Willie Nelson, the iconic American country singer-songwriter to the Coca-Cola stage. On Friday, June 5, Nelson will treat Chattanooga to his undeniable presence, memorable voice and legendary songs.
Here are some things you may not know about Willie Nelson:
• Willie Nelson’s love of music formed at an early age as a result of his paternal grandparents who raised him. He began writing songs in elementary school and played in bands as a teenager.
• Willie Nelson’s songwriting gained notoriety before his vocal talents were noticed. In 1961, his song “Hello Walls” became a number one hit for Faron Young.
• Nelson wrote Patsy Cline’s infamous ballad “Crazy.”
• Nelson left Nashville and returned to Texas in 1972, where the influences of the rock and folk movement began to change his music.
• His 1973 album “Shotgun Willie” became a critical success and, after the release of 1974’s “Phases and Stages,” Willie Nelson began to build a strong following. The release of “Red Headed Stranger” was a huge hit for Nelson and gave his career a huge boost.
• The eighties proved to be a groundbreaking decade for Nelson, sealing his fate as a legend of country music with such hits as “On the Road Again,” “Always on My Mind,” and “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before.”
• In 1985, Willie Nelson founded Farm Aid, an organization dedicated to the cause of family farmers. Farm Aid is still growing strong with an annual concert that raises funds for family farmers.
• In 1993, Nelson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
• Willie Nelson refuses to be pigeon-holed into any one genre. In 2005, he released “Countryman,” his first reggae album. He followed this up with 2006’s “Songbird” with Ryan Adams, which featured covers by such diverse artists as Leonard Cohen, Gram Parsons, the Grateful Dead and Christine McVie.
• In 2007, Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) named Willie Nelson as a BMI Icon.
• In January 2008, Nelson released “Moment of Forever,” produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney. This breakthrough album features songs by Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Randy Newman, Dave Matthews and Big Kenny of Big & Rich.
• Recently, Nelson added another skill to his resume: writer. He released his first novel, A Tale Out of Luck, co-authored by Mike Blakely.
• Willie Nelson continues to release great music. “Willie and the Wheel,” a joint project with western swing band Asleep at the Wheel, was released in February 2009 and has garnished a great deal of critical acclaim.
Riverbend 2009 adds up to the perfect way to spend nine days in June. Enjoy a different concert every evening, while soaking in the rich scenery of the Tennessee riverfront and the warm company of fellow Chattanoogans. See you at Riverbend 2009!
For up-to-the-minute information about this year’s Riverbend Festival, visit www.riverbendfestival.com.