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>> OHIO MUSICIANS INVADE THE 'BURG THIS WEEKEND--AND THAT'S GOOD!

July 29, 2010 12:35 am

BY CRAIG SCHULIN

Fredericksburg is fortunate to be able to share cultural exchanges with sister cities Frejus, Prince's Town and Athens.

What's that? Not Athens?

Well, maybe it's not a formal sister city.

And it's not Athens, Greece.

But an informal cultural exchange of sorts between Fredericksburg and Athens, Ohio, has been taking place for 15 years now.

The connection between the two cities began years ago, when local musician Laurie Rose Griffith attended graduate school at Ohio University, which just so happens to be located in Athens, Ohio.

Griffith got involved with the local music scene, and made a few friends there who would later find themselves playing once a year here in Fredericksburg.

"Athens has a really cool, vibrant art and music scene," said Griffith's husband, Peter Mealy of Picker's Supply, "along with some exceptionally talented songwriters."

Mealy and Griffith perform together here in our area, and at least once a year travel to Athens to play.

In "exchange," beginning in the mid-1990s, musician-songwriters Bruce Dalzell, Pat White and Billy Rhinehart, have travelled to Fredericksburg to jam with local musicians, perform a concert, and hang out and have a good time with old and new friends.

"We always have a great time in Fredericksburg," said Dalzell.

"Pete has some great musicians there and the people of Fredericksburg are so nice."

The three, who are by day a piano tuner, a retired librarian and a produce manager at a grocery store, bring to Fredericksburg what Dalzell calls original contemporary folk music.

Each year the trio bring along what Mealy jokingly describes as a "ringer."

This year's ringer is Jimmy Smailes, described as being "the most in-demand sideman in Athens for many years."

Also joining the "Ohio guys" will be Bruce Dalzell's son, Harlan--himself an accomplished musician in Athens' music scene, and now a law student at Georgetown University.

The Athens artists will be performing onstage tomorrow night at the Colonial Tavern. Accompanying them will be various local musicians, including Mealy and Griffith, in a sort of informal jam session.

On Saturday, the Ohio guys will give a concert in the garden behind the Griffin Bookstore and Coffee Bar.

Mealy describes the latter venue as being a "a more intimate setting, and perfect for this type of concert."

Craig Schulin: 540/374-5000
Email: cschulin@freelancestar.com