Lon McNeil Archive

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Music Scene: Have you met Thick Ankle Nancy?

– October 10, 2009Posted in: Lon McNeil

Photo Caption: Thick Ankle Nancy is the house band at Austin’s Barbecue. Its members are (from left) Wendell Brooks, Brandon Bryan, and Trey Cooper.

Just when you think you’ve got the Albany music scene all understood and neatly categorized, it gives birth to something nobody was expecting. Such was the case about four or five months ago along the musical way in our fair city, as three local young men got together to create “the sickest song ever written”, according the band’s Facebook page, one that they did not record, and soon forgot. From that creative mind meld sprang Thick Ankle Nancy.

Trey Cooper, Brandon Bryan and Wendell Brooks have been quickly building a local reputation for offering up gutsy, top shelf, blues and soulful rock classics. Their sound and energy, cleverly masks their age and how long Think Ankle Nancy has been out on the streets. With influences like The Allman Brothers, North Mississippi Allstars, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Derek Trucks Band, Bob Dylan, The Black Crowes, The Band, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Keb’ Mo’, and Eric Clapton, Thick Ankle Nancy brings styles of the past forward to stake out their own claim in the genre. Their treatment of the Allman Brother’s “Whipping Post”, while rekindling the original’s blues texture, comes across as if they came up with it on their own, from their own personal trials.

Thick Ankle Nancy seems to be a natural fit for the area venues they play. The crowds at Shugs BBQ, Harvest Moon, Austin’s, and Moultrie’s Blue Sky Grille, to name a few, have had the distinct pleasure of watching this auspicious beginning. Trey, the youngest at 17, is a Lee County High School senior, and leads on vocals, guitar, and harmonica. Wendell, the oldest at 25, backs up on vocals, and plays bass, while 21 year old Brandon drives the trio on drums and percussion.

TAN got its official start at Shugs, on Philema Road. Trey had been playing solo gigs, while Brandon and Wendell were playing in the area with other groups, but none had locked into anything that seemed to stick. Shugs had already booked Trey for some one-man performances but thanks to his girlfriend who knew Wendell, and Brandon’s sister that shared a class with Trey, the solo gigs evolved into the first night out for Thick Ankle Nancy. Right away, the three and those fortunate patrons of Shugs knew it was going to be hard to get her back in the house.

Cooper says their sound comes from a shared passion for the music of what he called “the best time in music”, referring to the ‘60s and ‘70s. The power trio lineup is no fluke. There was an effort to form a larger, six- or seven-piece band, but the feel of the three-an set up seemed to be the perfect way to go. “We draw a lot from other three man acts of that period like Cream and Jimi Hendricks Experience,”aid Cooper. The results certainly back him up on that. The guys have no desire to mimic what they hear as the “packaged’ sound of most pop music today. They much prefer to stick with what they call the “real” stuff; music that is performed just as much with the heart and soul as it is instruments and voice.

Their very rapid rise to local prominence has Thick Ankle Nancy working hard to wrap up a collection of original material, as they stay booked doing sets of well-known classics. While they are certainly grateful for the strong support from the serious Thick Ankle Nancy crowd known as “Anklets”, Cooper pointed out, “We are not interested in simply being a good cover band”. Two original songs are done, about three others are in the works, and they are giving thought to a few more. It’s all a bit heady, but they don’t seem to mind a bit.

And what about that name? Who is Thick Ankle Nancy? As with so many other things that come to be in Middle America these days, it happened at Wal-Mart. One of the guys was in a hurry to grab his father a card for Father’s Day, and there it was. Mixed in with all the typical rest, was an odd card showing an oddly attired woman, with large hair and a reference on the inside to the fact that “Thick Ankle Nancy did not get out much”. It just seemed to fit, and so it did.

Well she is certainly out now, and being rapidly booked all over the area. As of print time, the band is set to play the Blue Sky Grille in Moultrie on Oct. 17, The Powerline in Damascus on Oct. 23, at Darton College’s ‘Foodstock ‘09 in Albany on Oct. 29, and Harvest Moon on Nov. 6, with private parties sprinkled all around, up through the first week of December. For more information, go looking for Thick Ankle Nancy on Facebook or MySpace. You can’t miss her.

Thick Ankle Nancy is the house band at Austin’s Barbecue. Its members are (from left) Wendell Brooks, Brandon Bryan, and Trey Cooper.

LonMcNeil 09Written by Lon McNeil. Mr. McNeil is an Albany independent marketing consultant. Find him online at AlbanyOnPoint.


Tags: entertainment, music
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My challenge: Let’s get real

– September 23, 2009Posted in: Lon McNeil

We can banter about our thoughts and suspicions until the cows come home, but at some point, everything in life, including what to do with this city of ours, boils down to what is real. That, if we are smart, is what we act on, and not what we wish were the case.

If you have been following my columns and my activities of late, then you know that I made a challenge on the qualifications of Arthur Williams to run for the Ward 3 Albany City Commission seat, being vacated by current Commissioner, Morris Gurr. Here are my opening remarks presented to the Dougherty County Elections Board, on Monday.

“Members of the Dougherty County Elections Board, I have challenged the qualification of Mr. Williams as a candidate for the Ward 3 post because of my own research into a matter that was first bought to light in the local media. Upon hearing the reports, that Mr. Williams “may” not be qualified to run for local office because of long-standing tax matters, I decided to see for myself.

As a concerned citizen of Albany and a resident in Ward 3, I felt that I had an obligation to myself as a voter, and to my hometown, to cut through all the rumors, and see what the public records showed.

In the Clerk of Courts public files, I discovered 26 separate filings on both federal and state back taxes owed, going back 13 years. Some of these were re-filings of previous liens, and some with the federal government, to my eye, had expired without resolution by Mr. Williams. But I felt there was still enough documentation on outstanding and active liens to certainly justify my challenge, in particular with the state. I submitted some of those documents with my official letter of challenge last week, to the Elections office.

I saw nothing in the public files that indicated Mr. Williams had addressed any of the liens with any sort of payment plan. I of course, do not have access to any of Mr. Williams’ private documents that may apply here. All I have to go on are the public files.

It is on this matter and this matter alone that I am here today as citizen of Albany, interested only in the fair and proper rules of governance, being properly administered by the Elections Board.

I do not know Mr. Williams personally, and I don’t believe we have ever met in any business or social setting, so this is certainly not a personal, or even a political action. If I were aware of a candidate that I supported, having these same issues on the public record that I have discovered regarding Mr. Williams, I would have advised them to not seek office. If they had regardless of that advice, I would be here challenging their qualifications, as well.

Albany is at a critical place in its development. In order to move forward as a community, in a positive direction for all of its citizens, the rule of law and its procedures currently on the books must be followed. Trust and ethics in local government must be maintained at every level, and at every opportunity.

I thank the board for it’s time today in addressing my challenge”

After further discussion on the matter from myself, Mr. Williams, members of the Elections Board, and their attorneys, it was decided that since none of the tax issues submitted had been adjudicated by the courts, Mr. Williams was a qualified candidate for the Ward 3 post. I will not challenge that decision in appeal. As far as I am concerned, the matter is decided and the campaign proceeds.

So why did I file my challenge? It was not an effort to keep Mr. Williams from returning to the local political arena, whatever it took. I did it because the local media had raised the question about his viability as a candidate, but had done nothing to answer the question they asked. I understand the philosophy that they “report the news, and do not make the news”. However, if you are going to pose the question on such a serious allegation, should you not, as journalists, take a little time to research the public records, and present to the citizens, the facts of the matter in response to the question you asked?

The people of Albany are overworked and underpaid. They do not have the time or energy to get into every issue that pops up. They rely on the news media to provide useful information that matters, and not rumors, and hearsay. When I heard the media reports on Mr. Williams’ questionable viability, and saw no real effort being made to discover the facts by the media, I simply took about a half hour out of my day, went down to the Clerk of Courts’ office, and pulled the tax records that everyone was all abuzz about.

The same thing could have been applied to Mr. Williams’ challenge that Chris Pike, his opponent in the Ward 3 race, had not filed on time. A phone call to the elections board by the media, asking when Pike qualified, would have shown Williams challenge to be groundless.

Albany needs everyone at the table, including the local media. Not to pick sides, but just the opposite; to research the facts, and present them as best as they can. It not only serves to aid the voters, it goes a long way toward keeping all politicians and public officials honest. We could certainly use more of that.

LonMcNeil 09Written by Lon McNeil. Mr. McNeil is an Albany independent marketing consultant. Find him online at AlbanyOnPoint.

Tags: Arthur Williams, city hall, elections, politics, ward 3
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Leaving Albany: Many have calendars marked

– September 9, 2009Posted in: Lon McNeil

There’s a new group of folks here, but not for long. I’m calling them the “Albany Timeliners”. These are people that have made Albany home for years, some living here all their lives, but are now marking a date on the calendar when they will leave, if things do not improve. Some are going no matter what happens. They are just fed up with the mess. Some are already gone.

I’ve been amazed at just how widespread this club is, and how quick they are to tell you something like, “Oh, I am so outta here!”. You can almost sense the relief, underneath the surface tension, as they proceed to tell you how long they have left to endure the misery of Albany. I’m not going to get into listing names. It would read like the book of Genesis when it reveals who begot who. If they want you to know, believe me, they will tell you. Some are friends, some I know through business, and some were just random conversations in the grocery line with folks I don’t know at all. They are a widespread bunch.

Albany has been dealing with “flight” issues for a good while. First, it was the dreaded white flight to Lee County, but this is more than that. Then there came the wave of people looking for better paying jobs, or just any job, but most of these have jobs, good jobs. There has always been a strong vibe in our young people to get out as soon as they were done with school, which in itself is probably a very normal and healthy thing, common in most small and mid-size communities like ours. But even this “see the world” mindset in our kids had morphed into a desperate angst to leave and not look back.

Most Timeliners are organized and rational people, otherwise they would be packing a few boxes and hitting the road this weekend. No, these people have an agenda; they have a plan of action. Many are professionals that cannot simply walk away without such a plan. They have some level of investment here, either in their business or personal lives, that requires membership in this new club.

The two most popular levels of membership are the two-year and three-year planners. This sounds rational. Not too soon, but close enough to see. If you press them they may say that plans could change if Albany does, but that’s only if you press them. Their head is not there because they have come to believe, just as the sky is blue, (somewhere), that Albany is not going to change in the foreseeable future.

Who can take issue with that? Recent statistics may show a slight uptick in our population numbers, something some local politicians have tossed out there as proof that, “things ain’t so bad!”, but those numbers are stacked. Our growth is in unwed births, not incoming, highly paid professionals. Unwed births do not help a community, they cost it money, and only feed the very demographic that weighs it’s future down. At some point, the numbers of those living off the system will overwhelm it and shut it down. Then what? Albany is rapidly running out of patience from those having to put up with, and pay for everything. The Albany Timeliners are a natural outgrowth of our decline.

With unemployment and crime high and rising, law enforcement understaffed, old school, racist politicians stirring the pot for votes every few years, corrupt city officials, a massive, poorly educated population subsisting on welfare and other programs, and a culture of poverty that is generational, who can blame the Timeliners? Life is short, so why spend it here? They don’t plan to much longer.

LonMcNeil 09Written by Lon McNeil. Mr. McNeil is an Albany independent marketing consultant. Find him online at AlbanyOnPoint.

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Free Speech, Albany Style

– September 3, 2009Posted in: Lon McNeil

Here comes Gucci Mane to the Civic Center, exercising his right of free speech. Stand up and exercise yours, by saying you don’t believe a taxpayer supported facility should be offering what you believe to be offensive and harmful messages, and prepare to be verbally assaulted by many. You will be called names and painted as an enemy of free speech.

Now, say what you really think, that Mr. Mane is a criminal (not an opinion, but court documented fact), a vile and repulsive man, pandering to the lowest common denominator for money, and a promoter of violence toward women and his own race, and you will probably be called much worse. I’ll let you know.

As Commissioner Bob Langstaff points out in his blog, we do regulate public entertainment offerings, particularly those that utilize public facilities and resources. If you enjoy pornography, something that is not illegal to purchase, you are out of luck if you go to the public library. We do not allow porn in our public libraries. Why not? Isn’t it a form of entertainment that some people like, and would check out if offered there?

We do not allow our children in to see R-rated movies. Why not? Are we not censoring their right to express their interests and spend their entertainment dollars as they see fit?

Again, to steal a point from Langstaff; when the KKK books a convention at the Civic Center, I expect a flurry of protests. When those voices of protest are heard, I also expect those now supporting Mr. Mane’s free speech performance rights, to step up and defend the Klan in its right to gather there. They will be putting on overcoats in Hell when that happens.

When you pick up the banner of free speech, you have to hold it up for everyone. If you do not, you reveal that your real motivations were not centered on free speech, but other things such as money and the politics of race in Albany, Georgia.

LonMcNeil 09Written by Lon McNeil.  Mr. McNeil is an Albany independent marketing consultant.  Find him online at AlbanyOnPoint.

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Colette Roberts Jenkins: Bringing mind, body and spirit together – to conquer

– August 27, 2009Posted in: Headlines, Lon McNeil

When she was 29, Colette Roberts Jenkins was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Lying in bed, unable to walk or even feel her feet, she realized that she had taken some of the simple pleasures in life for granted.

“Such as the feel of carpet on the bottom of my feet,” said Jenkins. “My prayer was that I never take for granted the ground under my feet again.”

In her prayers, she also told God that if she could walk again, “I would allow Him to use me in anyway He saw fit,” he said.

Jenkins says she got her answer in a dream. “In that dream God told me I was ‘chosen’. I remember asking Him, ‘Chosen for what?’ He said, chosen to conquer!”

After her diagnosis, Jenkins did not want her 9-year-old daughter to see her give up. She didn’t. A former Georgia state trooper, she formed Chosen To Conquer Inc., a non-profit organization in Albany that helps those dealing with MS, heart disease and breast cancer by providing education, awareness and holistic support, designed to bridge the gap between direct medical treatment and areas of ‘unmet need.’

Calling on her lifelong passion as a make-up artist, Jenkins found that it provided a sense of well-being and self esteem that countered the physical and emotional effects of the disease. “The more I would get up and put on my make up, I would seem to have the energy to get dressed. After I would get dressed that was it!” Jenkins said. “It was when I connected my mind, body, and spirit, I was made whole.”

She knew that this difference in her life was not from medication and treatments alone and she was moved by her faith to help others. Jenkins says all her life she has felt a need to serve. Just a few months after learning of her MS, a close friend died in her arms of congestive heart failure. She made a promise to him then that she would do something to help others with heart disease as well.

On the Web site chosentoconquer.org, Jenkins lays out the mission of the organization saying, “Chosen To Conquer Inc. understands there is more needed after a diagnosis than medical treatment for a disease. We are committed to help treat the person, not just the illness. The emotional toll and stress of being diagnosed with a disease such as multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and breast cancer can have very lasting and damaging effects.” With empowering programs, workshops, and volunteers ‘equipped to inspire’, CIIC works to make the mind, body, spirit connection.

The organization is moving from its original location on South Jackson to a new facility at 1120 W. Broad Ave. The new location, primarily for administrative and training purposes, will have volunteers and staff for their premiere program; “Make Up For Life”, classes, workshops, seminars and other activities. It also features a wheelchair accessible restroom that Jenkins is very proud of.

The official open house and ribbon cutting by the Albany Chamber of Commerce will be held at 5 p.m. Friday. At that time, a student will be awarded $100 in the CIIC logo design contest. Following the ceremony there will be a tour of the training center. The public is invited.

LonMcNeil 09Written by Lon McNeil.  Mr. McNeil is an Albany independent marketing consultant.  Find him online at AlbanyOnPoint.

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Albany’s Ward 5: The 2009 battleground?

– August 19, 2009Posted in: Lon McNeil, Politics

This November, about half of Albany’s voters will be asked to make their voices heard on a host of critical issues. The Ward 5 City Commission race is shaping up to be an important measure of the political landscape.

Local attorney Bob Langstaff will be seeking a third term as the Ward 5 commissioner. With hot button issues surfacing in recent months, his seat may be challenged by at least two political newcomers bent on shaking up the status quo. The outcome of this particular race will speak volumes about the attitudes and desires of not only those in Ward 5, but the city itself.

Langstaff says crime is the top issue facing Ward 5 and the entire city. In response to questions about his bid for re-election, Langstaff said, “Keeping citizens safe is the primary purpose of local government. We need more officers on the street. I have worked hard to get more officers, and to increase their pay and benefits in order to attract the best. I intend to run to finish a few things I’ve started including getting the consolidation vote to the citizens, fully staffing our police dept, and directing SPLOST funds to much needed infrastructure improvements.

Tom Knighton, a contract employee at the Marine Base, an active member of the Libertarian Party of Southwest Georgia, and co-owner of the website swgapolitics.com, is giving serious consideration to running for the seat. A spokesperson for Knighton said that an official is forthcoming. If he decides to run, Knighton says that his top priority would be transparency in local government.

“It’s imperative that people see everything going on and know where every penny is being spent. Transparency would have prevented some of the shenanigans that have taken place downtown, and I intend to bring that to the City Commission,” he said.

Knighton also says that economic development and taxation are critical issues.

“One of the primary issues facing Ward 5 has got to be taxes and how that tax money is being spent. When the mayor is bragging that we have $23 million sitting there, and people are seeing a tax increase due to the General Assembly eliminating the homestead exemption, then we need to take a look at what the city can do to ease the burdens felt by so many in Ward 5,” he said.

Retired railroad executive Terry Hart has told officials with the Dougherty County Taxpayers Association that he will give serious consideration to running if the group feels he is the best man for the job. He said he plans to meet with association co-Chairman Richard Thomas and others with the organization, and will make a final decision in the next few days. In a phone interview, Hart said, “Something needs to be done to change the way things are going in Albany, and if I do not run, I will support whoever the group decides to back.”

Also up for grabs in the Nov. 3 nonpartisan election will be the Ward 2 seat held by Dorothy Hubbard and the Ward 3 seat held by Morris Gurr. Hubbard says she likely will seek re-election to a second full term after being initially appointed by Gov. Sonny Perdue following the federal indictment of former commissioner Henry Mathis. Gurr says he will not seek re-election to a second term.

Other than Hubbard, no potential candidates have publicly emerged in Ward 2 or Ward 3.

Qualifying for the commission elections is Aug. 31 to Sept. 4. Candidates must pay a $450 fee. The job pays $15,000 annually, plus medical insurance coverage.

LonMcNeil 09Written by Lon McNeil.  Mr. McNeil is an Albany independent marketing consultant.  Find him online at AlbanyOnPoint.

Tags: consolidation, ward 5
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