Roosevelt Collier

A new music and camping series is underway at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park & Campground (SOSMPC) in Live Oak with famous sacred steel artist Roosevelt Collier. Collier, his wife, Jill, and children have moved from Miami to North Florida near The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park and are experiencing a new type of life: the country life, which they are loving! Roosevelt recently began his famous Getdowns at The SOSMPC where he’s about to hold his second edition this weekend, Friday and Saturday July 31 – Aug. 1. There are more planned for the future between his many travels across America to play gigs with dozens of other musician greats and perform other Getdowns.

Roosevelt says he moved to Suwannee County to “get out of the fast lane” and hasn’t regretted it.

“After moving here, I feel overly welcome by friends, neighbors and The Spirit of the Suwannee,” Roosevelt said Thursday as he prepares for this weekend’s event.

He notes it is nice to get away from the fast lane of life in Miami, although he loves Miami. But, with two children to raise, he and Jill made the decision and are loving their new life.

“I feel a lot of love in this town,” Roosevelt stated.

Roosevelt said he’s been made to feel welcome also by SOSMPC CEO James Cornett and SOSMPC employee Paul Levine whom he’s worked with so often at festivals. With this new music festival and camping series, Roosevelt says he’s committed to “trying to get the whole town involved.” Meanwhile, Roosevelt, soft spoken and outgoing, is trying out the area restaurants, stores and other businesses, finding friendly, helpful people who make Roosevelt and his family feel right at home and welcome.

Roosevelt became very familiar with North Florida over the past few years as he’s been a regular at SOSMPC where he’s played his own gigs and sat in with dozens and dozens of other bands during many festivals. Those artists include Del McCoury, The Allman Brothers, Oteil Burbridge, Karl Denison’s Tiny Universe and many, many more. Roosevelt, who grew up in Miami playing sacred steel guitar with members of his family known as The Lee Boys, has traveled the U.S. playing such venues as the Summer Bluegrass Series in Colorado this summer, where he and Oteil Burbridge brought their new project to Vail earlier this month.

Roosevelt was featured in February during Karl Denison’s Run DMC Remixed with Karl Denison’s Tiny Universe with Vokab Kompany and Robert Randolph. Roosevelt wowed the crowds with his sacred steel during a celebration of Bob Marley’s 70th birthday, helped create great music with New Orleans’ great Dumpstaphunk band in Ft. Lauderdale when they appeared at Revolution Live, played the Jam Cruise, performed with String Cheese Incident’s Bill Nershi, sat in with Govt. Mule’s Miami tour and at the 2014 Bear Creek Music and Art Festival and 2015 Purple Hatters’ Ball at The SOSMPC, to name just a few of the nationally known artists and places where he’s performed. Other collaborations include Widespread Panic, ALO, Anders Osborne, Bobby Lee Rodgers, Break Science, Col. Bruce Hampton, Dead Kenny G’s, Elvin Bishop, Funky Meters w/Bernie Worrell of Parliament Funkadelic, Galactic, George Porter Jr. & the Runnin’ Pardners, Greensky Bluegrass, Heavy Pets, Hot Buttered Rum, Ike Stubblefield, JJ Grey & Mofro, Lettuce, Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Moe., New Mastersounds, North Mississippi Allstars, Papadosio, Perpetual Groove, Railroad Earth, Shameka Copeland, Soulive, Tab Benoit, Tea Leaf Green, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Toubab Krewe, Warren Haynes Band, Wood Brothers, Yonder Mountain String Band and Zach Deputy. Basically, Roosevelt Collier has played with almost every important musician in the blues, funk, bluegrass and even wider circles of music. A regular “Artist at Large” at festivals everywhere, he’s played with the greats and is truly a great artist himself.

Moving to North Florida after spending a lifetime in Miami can cause culture shock! No six lane traffic jams, but people you don’t even know shout “Hey y’all!” as you pass by, everyone waves as they pass each other in their cars regardless of whether they know you (and not waving back is considered rudeness), and neighbors stop to help others or drop off excess from their home-grown garden to neighbors they’ve never even met. It’s called Southern country manners here in the South. Yep, it takes some getting used to, but the Colliers are doing just fine living in North Florida.

Come out this weekend, July 31 – Aug. 1 and enjoy Roosevelt Collier’s Suwannee Getdown! To get tickets, go to www.musicliveshere.com, email spirit@musicliveshere.com, call the SOSMPC office at 386-364-1683 or check out the schedule at www.musicliveshere.com. Tickets are $30 for the weekend with primitive camping or $10 at the door each night with no camping. If you would like to rent one of our beautiful cabins, a spot to park your RV/camper or primitive camp for this event or one of our many other exciting events or just need additional info, please contact the SOSMPC at the above numbers, email and internet.

The SOSMPC is located 4.5 miles south of Interstate 75 and 4.5 miles north of Interstate 10 at the beautiful Suwannee River off US 129 at 3076 95th Drive. It’s Roosevelt Collier Getdown time this weekend!