About 15 years ago, Adrian Fogelin was helping one of her friends sell pottery at the Downtown Market, when she saw Craig Reeder busking on a street nearby.
“He would come and play on the corner, and I thought ‘that guy really needs some harmony,’” Fogelin said. “Finally someone else sang with him and I said, ‘if she can do it, I can do it.’ So every Saturday, I’d help Nancy (Jefferson) set up then I’d saddle over and sing with him.”
This was only the beginning of what Hot Tamale would become.
The Tallahassee-based duo, best-known for its original folk tunes and live performances, will share its story through music videos during a two-day event on Aug. 3-4 at Capital City Video Lounge, 675 Industrial Drive. Hours are 3-5 p.m. each day.
"It's even more important for us to get publicity for it, because it's not a live music performance," Reeder said. "It's something completely different."
Sharing a musical journey
The pair, both now in their early 70s, have continued to create songs together in their personal home recording studios located in Reeder’s garage and basement. Their talents complement each other, making for the perfect pitched pair.
Reeder, who worked as an accountant in the oil and gas industry and later as a professor at Florida A&M University before retiring, is the mastermind behind music composition, production and outreach.
“We have a wide range of styles,” Reeder said. “But generally speaking, we have a lot of songs that are mainly acoustics.”
When he isn’t creating the group’s original soundtracks, he is volunteering with Big Bend Hospice and the International Rescue Committee.
Fogelin, an award-winning author best known for her book “Crossing Jordan,” is the storyteller who captivates audiences through the narratives she tells in the lyrics. Now, she works as an editor and writing coach, while also operating a neighborhood food pantry.
More: Young Actors Theatre's new play, 'Crossing Jordan,' spans Tallahassee's racial divide
“A lot of it has a purpose,” Fogelin said. “Some of it is just downright protest music. When you think about the era we grew up in, music was an integral gear in society. It’s not so much anymore. But it was actually affecting change and unifying people. I really believe we need that again, that unification that music brings.”
Their 2017 single "Back Home" was released on Memorial Day as a tribute to American veterans. The song was included in the Memorial Day ceremonies at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3308, screened by the Tallahassee Film Society, posted on the Vietnam Veterans of America and the Big Bend Honor Guard's Facebook pages.
Through the years, they’ve continued not for fame and notoriety, but for the love of music and sharing their gifts with others. The duo prides themselves on being the first act to perform on what is now the Adderley Amphitheater in Cascades Park during its opening event.
Still, their music has reached audiences overseas being streamed in countries, like Australia and Scotland, where they’ve been asked to perform.
Annually, they travel for Ray Charles' birthday to perform some of his classic hits in his hometown in Greenville, less than an hour away from Tallahassee. In 2023, the duo performed 54 times.
Gaining that widespread traction can be attributed to the original music videos they’ve uploaded to both YouTube and Vimeo.
“We started making music videos years ago,” Reeder said. “I thought it was hard to get people to listen to your music, but if you present it on social media in a visual format you are much more likely to gain engagement. That’s my theory. I don’t know if it’s true.”
One of Fogelin’s personal favorite videos is “Average American Man,” which is one of the several videos they will premiere during their early August event. In this song, Fogelin humorously outlines statistics of the "average American man," who has 'a very nice life, and a very nice wife, and 1.7 very nice kids.' The video comically depicts this stick figure character, representing the American man through his life, while waving the American flag.
The Railroad Square location was chosen specifically, because of Capital City Video Lounge’s exceptional audio and screening capabilities, and the indoor location provides an escape from the scorching Florida summer heat. The lounge includes a bar, serving non-alcoholic beverages.
While the event is free to the public, the duo is accepting donations to make up for the venue’s rental fees. Any additional money will be donated to Fogelin’s food pantry.
For more information on this two-day event, visit hottamale.weebly.com .
Democrat Writer Mycah Brown can be reached at MJBrown@gannett.com .
If you go
What : Multi-media Art Videos featuring Hot Tamale
When : 3-5 p.m. Aug. 3-4
Where: Capital City Video Lounge, 675 Industrial Drive; donations accepted
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Hot Tamale brings fun musical art videos to Capital City Lounge
Local Tallahassee, FL
Most Popular
Comments / 0