Hub Quick Hits: #SCartists in the news
Headlined by Ranky Tanky
A couple #SCartists were in our in-box from weekend news reports.
The Hub thought these were worth sharing to readers...
- Grammy Award-winning Charleston band Ranky Tanky added their second such award last night! They are award in the same category as in 2020, Regional Roots Music Album, for Live at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Big congrats to the band, which features S.C. Governor's Awards recipients Quentin Baxter and Charlton Singleton. Read the Post & Courier's coverage here (subscription possibly required).
- Aldwyth, the 87-year-old legend, is staying relevant with a new exhibition in North Carolina. The Gregg Museum of Art and design is featuring the State Art Collection artist. From TechncianOnline: "This is Not: Aldwyth in Retrospect brings together 70 years worth of mononymous artist Aldwyth’s painting, embroidery, assemblage and collage work. Exhibit curator Mark Sloan said the exhibit was something of a capstone both for Aldwyth and for himself, marking 23 years of the pair’s collaboration." The Jameson Wolf piece is a joy to read.
- Closer to home, WLTX in Columbia profiled Orangeburg artist Floyd Gordon. His experience coming from a family of 13(!) sharecroppers informed his art, which he's been completing for 75 years.
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Ranky Tanky gets Grammy Award nomination
#SCartists' album up for major award
This has been making the rounds since the announcement on Wednesday, but The Hub would be remiss not to mention the major news for South Carolina's own Ranky Tanky.
The folk band's latest album
Good Time was nominated for a Grammy Award in the "best regional roots music album" category.
According to a release from the College of Charleston, which boast three of the band's five members as alumni, the band's second album debuted in July 2019 at No. 2 on Billboard’s Jazz Chart. The band’s self-titled initial release, which came out in 2017, hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Jazz and Contemporary Jazz charts in January 2018.
Started by alumnus Clay Ross ’98, Ranky Tanky, which is a Gullah term loosely translated as “work it” or “get funky,” takes a modern approach to the traditional sounds of Gullah music. Rooted in the cultural traditions passed down from West African slaves in the sea islands of South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina, Gullah culture encompasses a rich African-American heritage expressed through arts, crafts, cuisine and the creole influenced language of Gullah.
Ranky Tanky features a quintet of musicians including Ross on vocals and guitar, Quentin Baxter ’98 on drums, Kevin Hamilton ’95 on bass, Charlton Singleton on trumpet and vocals, and Quiana Parler on vocals. Ross, Baxter and Hamilton all majored in music at the College. Baxter also previously worked as adjunct faculty at CofC, teaching jazz percussion.
Congratulations to Ranky Tanky on this accomplishment.
Columbia singer-songwriter Molly Ledford nominated for Grammy
From The State
Article by Erin Shaw
Columbia singer Molly Ledford has been nominated for a 2016 Grammy award for the children’s album she created with friend Billy Kelly of Lewisburg, Penn.
Ledford also sings in the indie children’s band Lunch Money. Her debut collaboration with Kelly on “Trees” was nominated for Best Children’s Album.
“Trees” features 14 songs about – you guessed it – trees, but is by turns informative, fun and quirky.
“You’re unlikely to hear a more joyful celebration of the natural world, and our relation to it, this year,” NPR’s Stefan Shepherd’s reviewed for “All Things Considered.”
The musical frolic about all things trees is competing with José-Luis Orozco’s “¡Come Bien! Eat Right!, ”Gustafer Yellowgold’s “Dark Pie Concerns,” Tim Kubart’s “Home” and Lori Henriques’ “How Great Can This Day Be.”
Ledford said she knows almost all the nominees as the genre is very close-knit. “I am excited to go to this big party with my friends and cheer each other on,” she said. “It is wonderful and surreal to be nominated.”
Ledford and Kelly will be performing in Columbia Dec. 12 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Richland Library, 1431 Assembly St.
