Bazzania Girls Band  is the creation of botanist Mary Priestley.  Mary is the curator of the Herbarium at the University of the South.  She named the band for a liverwort, a small plant that flourishes in nearby Fiery Gizzard, which is part of the South Cumberland Recreation Area.  Bazzania is the official band of the Friends of South Cumberland, and we play at their annual picnic.

Early on, Mary dragooned me to play the washtub bass.  Now I am playing old-time banjo and tenor guitar!  Playing with Bazzania has introduced me to an entire world of music and musicians, and has revived memories of my growing-up years in Escalante, Utah, when I danced to many of the old tunes that we play.

At one time, we had thirteen band members.  Now we have tightened down to six, and I can no longer hide or be shy.  Mary plays the accordion and keyboard; Cheri Anderton (former R.N.) plays bass; Jim Ann Howard (artist) plays guitar; Betty Carpenter (special ed teacher) plays autoharp and harmonica; and Jan Wilde (music teacher) plays guitar and fiddle.  Everyone sings, a little or a lot.  My husband, Ronn, is our sound man.

Some gigs in 2008:

Apr. 19:   SAS Trails & Trilliums, Monteagle Inn

May 2:     Lorena’s, Monteagle

May 16:   Sewanee Elementary School

May 25:   Tim’s Ford, private party

June 14:   Picnic, Friends of South Cumberland, Tracy City

June 20:   Rehearsal dinner, Patten Priestley & Joe Mahler

July 4:      Sewanee Crafts Fair

July 12:    Franklin Co. Democrats, Winchester

July 27:     Swiss Days Festival, Gruetli-Laager, Tennessee

Aug. 2:      Otey Parish ice cream social, Sewanee

Oct. 3:       Lorena’s, Monteagle

Oct. 11:     Oktoberfest, Sewanee Community Center

Oct. 18:     Pickwick Landing State Park

Nov. 14:    Sewanee Elementary School

Dec. 18:    Dean’s Faculty Christmas Party, Sewanee Inn