Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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Bobby Swilley Inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame by ERINN CRIDER For centuries musicians have combined different genres of music to create new styles. One popular style originated in the 1950s — it is called Rockabilly. Bobby Swilley, a noted rockabilly musician, describes it as "a blend of country, blues, rock and roll and gospel. Most people learn it in church. Early music had no drums, just a lot of strings and guitar. We added drums and that gave it a beat. The chord structure and the feeling of the music is the kind that just makes it so you can't stand still. Just imagine listening to Chuck Berry and not tapping your feet. That is something that most rockabilly musicians learned from gospel music. Most of the rockabilly musicians grew up listening to gospel music in the church. We added harmony and drums and that kicked it up into an up beat tempo. Rockabilly is not in the words; it's all in the beat. " Swilley is a Fayetteville native who has always had a love for music. He grew up in a small town in Mississippi surrounded by the gospel music that his mother played as the local church pianist for more than 50 years. Over the past few years he has made a name for himself as a Rockabilly musician. He wrote the official song for the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2001 and on Aug. 8, he will be inducted into the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame. The IRHOF is in Jackson, Tenn., and boasts exhibits and artifacts from greats such as Johnny Cash and the Bee Gees. When asked about the monumental accomplishment Swilley says, "It is a tremendous honor to be there with the greats. It is an honor that words cannot describe and it is a tremendous opportunity. To have someone appreciate your music is a gratifying and emotional experience. I am blessed to be in the midst of these great few." In front of the IRHOF there is a marquee. On that large display for all to see, are the lyrics to the hall's official song. Those lyrics came from Swilley. Like any great artist, Swilley's writing took time to cultivate. "I had been writing for a long time when my friend Ace Cannon, the father of saxophone, who is a musician with tremendous talent and an Emmy award winner, said he was working on a new album and I should send him some demos of my work. He said that my songs were okay, but that they didn't mean anything, they were just words. He said that I needed to write about things I know about and that is how you touch hearts. That's how you write a song," Swilley recalled. Despite his notoriety, Swilley still stays grounded in his true focus — his music. "This experience is gratifying and emotional, but it is a lot of fun. We still get out there and perform. I still perform with my same band. When you play with friends and with honest rockabilly musicians it is something different. They really get it. You don't have to say anything, it's a look and that look is my heart. When the guitar player looks at me and smiles, I know that he gets it, that he is tuned in and nothing else matters." ERINN CRIDER, Staff Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomVisit the IRHOF at www. ingweekly.com. rockabillyhall.org. Gallery 208 Hosts the Artwork of Michael Solovey by JEFF CASHWELL Michael Solovey is not your average artist. He does not sit, excluded from the rest of society, in a personal studio constructing his next Michelangelo-esque masterpiece to be auctioned off at some wealthy estate. No, Solovey is a member of the military who has served throughout the world in areas like Bosnia and Afghanistan. He uses his experiences to inspire creativity and form a powerful work ethic that can be inspirational for us all. Residents will be given the opportunity to view his work at Gallery 208 anytime during the business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Up & Coming Weekly office. Whether it be a commission by an Army unit or a personal project he creates for himself, he explains his way of approaching artwork on his website www.soloveyart.com. "Success equals fulfillment. And to me, fulfilment is the combination of three very specific ideals that must be constantly pursued," Solovey says. "Probably the most rewarding concept for me is to 'build something from nothing' — whether that be a business, to composing a piece of artwork, to designing, engineering and then building an automobile from the ground-up. All the while, pouring every ounce of your energy, talent and heart into that specific initiative or ideal." Jingle Truck is a depiction of the vehicles that are commonly seen The Solovey Art Collection's vision is clear: in Afghanistan. Give back to the community and create artwork WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM with passion and attention to detail. Solovey continues to describe his experience as a writer. Solovey continues by describing what it means to share his work. "Then there is the process of taking that end product(s) and sharing it. And then hopefully, others will feed from it and find inspiration that carries over into their respective pursuits. Then take it a step further - and mentor those junior to you — especially, in my case, younger artists." There's no doubt that younger artists have a reason to look up to Solovey's work and philosophy. He defines the American dream and success through his artwork. One might categorize Solovey's work as military art but there is so much more. Solovey caters to a wide variety of art subjects whether it be old automobiles to paintings of people and locations. Solovey is also known for his sculpture, architectural renderings, landscapes and fine-art commissions. Do not miss the opportunity to see Solovey's work yourself. Bring along any art lover and you'll be sure to find something to appreciate in this tribute of hard work and dedication. The exhibit is free. Call 484-6200 for more information. JEFF CASHWELL, Intern. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. AUGUST 7-13, 2013 UCW 11