By DAN ARMONAITIS
When social distancing measures related to the coronavirus pandemic put a temporary ban on nightspots presenting live music, Spartanburg resident Russell Bannan wanted to do something to support local musicians suffering from lost income.
Teaming up with longtime friend Justin Tripam, Bannan came up with “The Lint Head Sessions,” a series of videos featuring performances by Spartanburg area musicians. The goal is to raise money through a GoFundMe campaign with proceeds being distributed to the participating artists.
“Our main focus is showcasing original songs by the local working creative class,” Bannan said. “By doing this, we hope to raise not only money for musicians to be able to make ends meet but raise awareness of the creative talent that exists right here.”
Bannan said “The Lint Head Sessions” draws its name from a term that was used years ago to refer to people who lived in the mill villages of Spartanburg.
“The term has changed a lot for me since I started this project,” Bannan said. “In the beginning, it was about being proud of where we came from not only individually but as a community. I talk and listen to the different musicians at each session. … It almost feels like a genre of music to me now.
“All the folks I have met with talk about how Spartanburg has a unique sound. Not southern rock, gospel, country, blues (or) folk, but a combination of all these that came out of the mill villages. People used to use it as a derogatory term — ‘lint heads’ — but we hope to show the creativity and originality of what it really means to come from the mill villages and the lint.”
The videos for the series have been shot mostly outdoors in such neighborhoods as Duncan Park and Converse Heights and have featured a variety of talented musicians, performing collaboratively in most cases.
“Russell, being an artist himself, has always been really supportive of the local scene, and it’s really cool that he and Justin have stepped up to put this together,” said singer-songwriter Mark Tebalt, who is among the musicians featured. “The musicians (who) relied on the service industry and gigging out to pay their bills have had both sources of income pulled out from under them and, hopefully, this will help to pay a few bills until things start to open back up.”
Tebalt can be seen on “The Lint Head Sessions” performing a song called “Husbands & Wives” with fellow guitarist Stephen Cantrell.
“I’m so appreciative to Stephen for sitting in with me,” Tebalt said. “Stephen and I just started working on some music together recently, and we just really clicked. That doesn’t always happen as easily as it has with us.”
Bannan said some of his favorite moments from the series have occurred when the performers start to let their guard down.
“They start to tell stories and jokes, and then the music starts to get real,” Bannan said. “It’s like each session needs an ice breaker. With Shane Pruitt, we played bocce ball and caught up on life.”
Pruitt worked with singer-songwriter Tony Slaughter for their collaborative “Lint Head” session that produced a couple of performance videos. In one, Slaughter sang a song called “Livin’ or Dyin’,” and, in another, Pruitt showed off his slide guitar handiwork during a late night jam.
Other collaborations have included singer-songwriters Kenny Lawrence and Janeen Scott performing multiple duets as well as pedal steel whiz Sean O’Shields accompanying singer-songwriter Drew Story on a couple of songs.
“I think ‘The Lint Head Sessions’ are great,” O’Shields said. “They are like an old pickin’ party where everybody gathers and plays a tune. Our gatherings are limited so it was so nice to pick a few for the camera with my buddy Drew. Drew has written some great songs with Spartanburg as a backdrop.”
O’Shields said before social distancing measures took effect, he had been playing 3-6 gigs per week.
“That was my livelihood and also one of my favorite things to do,” he said. “Playing music is paramount in my daily activities, but it sure is much more fun with others involved. I hope we can all get back to playing music again soon.”
Another “Lint Head” session featured singer-songwriters TJ Jeter and Jamison Smith performing with percussionist Tyler Tullis. Their collaboration even included a song written on the spot — and sung soulfully by Jeter — that’s listed as “COVID19” aka “Wanna Go Outside.”
“During each session, I try and push them each to do originals and then do something together that doesn’t have a plan and is improvised,” Bannan said. “When it comes to the talent in this town nothing surprises me. As soon as (Jeter, Smith and Tullis) finished, I said ‘people are going to love this.'”
In addition to the collaborations, The “Lint Head Sessions” have also featured solo performances by Tebalt, Scott and singer-songwriter Ary Fleming.
Of course, those who have already participated represent only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Spartanburg music community.
“There is a sound here that doesn’t exist anywhere else,” Bannan said. “Drive an hour in any direction and the music is different. It’s like Spartanburg has a musical dialect specific to our region. There is no doubt there is talent. The question is why haven’t we as a community created a place that musicians can survive on that talent financially?”
That said, Bannan hopes those who appreciate the Spartanburg music scene will contribute to the GoFundMe campaign.
“I think that people in this town believe in the music just as much as I do,” he said. “It has become the fabric of our little city. It is not a hard pitch to ask folks to listen to locals playing the songs they wrote and give what you can to help that musician continue to pay their bills.
“Most of us know the people playing. We have personal relationships with them. It’s just as much about supporting our friends as it is supporting musicians who aren’t able to work.”
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