April showers bring May flowers. But what if, even in May, dewdrops keep fallin’ on your head? Then the special musical bud of the Dewdrop Jamboree (now in its seventh season) might be for you.
Join the Jackson Hollow dancers, Macy Tabor, perennial Dewdrop favorites Rockland Road and a whole host of other Jamboree-rs as talented instrumentalists The Fabulous Dewdrops back the variety of guest artists performing old and new favorites across multiple genres of music for a family-friendly evening of music in Washington Theatre at Patterson Park.
This year frames an extra-special occasion as the Saturday, May 15, Jamboree is on what would have been local photographer Richard C. Shacklett’s 100th birthday. Richard (“Dick”) Claude Shacklett, a man of many talents, was known to his legions of friends as a man for all seasons, according to his daughter Gloria Christy. Notable is the official seal of Rutherford County—Shacklett’s deep love for Rutherford County flows in his original design of the county seal. The photographer also documented some of the most memorable images of Rutherford County of the 1930s and ’40s, capturing thousands during his lifetime, including “Strike,” a 1952 image of a rainbow trout hitting a fly. “Strike” [pictured below] took first place in Lucerne, Switzerland, at the World Exposition of Photography. Later in 1952, the photo was published in National Geographic and US Camera.
It’s at times all too true that a picture is worth a thousand words, so that said, join the Dewdrop Jamboree at the Patterson Community Center in celebration honoring Shacklett, the County’s “most formidable photo documentarian” of the 20th century. His artistic ability with a camera and other creative initiatives mirrored his life’s purpose—his absolute reverence for nature, humanity and God. The exhibit featuring one-of-a-kind historic photographs and artifacts will be in the Washington Theatre lobby for viewing before and after the music.
“His spirit for recording the history for future generations has become the mission of Shacklett’s Photography years later, and his zeal for recording and documenting the history for the future lives has long outlived him,” Christy said.
Dewdrop Jamboree tickets are general admission on-site. Cost is $10, in support of the nonprofit organization American Musical Arts Group. Music begins at 6 p.m. Patterson Park Community Center is located at 521 Mercury Blvd.
For more information, visit facebook.com/theoriginaldewdropjamboree or amagroup.org.
