Southern Fried Thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving week here on the Coast. Thursday we'll be dining on the Southern staples for Thanksgiving - fried turkey, dressing and giblet gravy, sweet potato casserole, macaroni & cheese, etc. Friday night we'll attend The Southern Fried Jam at the Wharf Amphitheater highlighted by The Charlie Daniels Band. Also appearing will be the The Outlaws, Blackfoot and Molly Hatchet. It’s a collection of great Southern fried rock bands, a day after taking in some Southern fried turkey.
Don't forget to give thanks (and say a prayer) for our service men and women who won't be home for Thanksgiving because they're abroad protecting the greatest country in the world.

From the whole Beachin' clan, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Sand & Song

So you're hanging around the stretch of coast between Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, and there's gentle music everywhere you go, and you get the feeling that something's up but you can't quite put your finger on it? Fret no more: You've been surrounded by the most low-key festival the coast has to offer, the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival. Following kick-off ceremonies held Thursday, it runs through Nov. 19 with performances in more than two dozen venues. There's no mystery to the Frank Brown faithful. And these are numerous, from the dozens of songwriters who make an annual pilgrimage from Nashville and other locales to the scores of listeners who come from all around the country to hear them in intimate settings packed by respectful fans. The event began nearly 30 years ago as a tribute to its namesake, the longtime night watchman at the famed Flora-Bama Lounge & Package. And though it has grown by leaps and bounds, particularly in the last decade, the focus has remained squarely on the songwriting experience. Here it's not about the celebrities who turn the songs into hits, it's about the craftsmen and -women who catch that initial inspiration and put it into words that resonate.
Check the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival site for up to date information on artist’s and venues.

An Interesting Find

Last week, the remains of a wooden ship were uncovered near the surf line about six miles east of Fort Morgan. After high tides and waves last week, residents said they noticed the bow and part of the outline of the vessel emerging from the sand. The ship is about 150 feet long and 36 feet wide at its widest point, based on what could be seen, said Jack Friend, author of "West Wind, Flood Tide: The Battle of Mobile Bay," after looking over the vessel Monday.
Friend cautioned against any speculation about the identity of the ship. "It's a fairly big vessel, but it's hard to say at this point," Friend said. "There have been shipwrecks in this area for 500 years and while it's tempting to say it's this ship or that, it's hard to know. We may not ever know exactly which vessel it was, but if we examine it carefully and go back and check what we find, we can get a pretty good idea of the era and some general information."
You never know what you'll find walking the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.