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(06/13/14 7:00pm)
With ever-expanding means of digital distribution, tools to create and release a record are more accessible than ever.
Jackson Gafford, Opelika musician under the moniker Captain Kudzu, is putting together his first album.
Gafford's entire recording process is based in his bedroom using a laptop and a single microphone.
Gafford records various instruments and sounds onto his laptop, often one at a time, and uses editing software to move all the pieces into place.
"I have this little audio box," Gafford said. "It just came with the software. I have, literally, a $2 keyboard that I use. I have just one mic."
Gafford's bedroom contains a drum set, an array of guitars and effects pedals he feeds sounds through. Using a sample board, he then loops the audio to create a beat.
"I hit the record button, put it on a continuous loop, and put whatever I want on top of that," Gafford said.
When Gafford has a sound or melody he has not found a purpose for, he said he uses the sample board to create the basic outline of a song or record.
"I have an idea, I don't know what to do with it, but I want to catalog it, so I'll put it on there," Gafford said.
Gafford said he believes he has enough ideas for two albums at this point.
"I have so much material," Gafford said. "I counted the other day how many loops I have and I have about 40 different songs. I want to be able to surprise people every time I put something out."
One of Gafford's finished songs contains 28 different instrument tracks, all performed by a handful of his friends.
Most of his work has been done with one or two other musicians he knows he can rely on.
"People have their set way of doing things and they think that's how it should be done across the board," Gafford said. "It's a compromise. Some people are good at that, and some people are terrible."
Gafford also believes too many egos in a room can lead to creative stagnation, so he started working alone because he said he was frustrated with all the conflicting mindsets.
"I had a really specific idea for how it sounds and other people would have ideas for how it should sound," Gafford said.
Although he's been playing live music for several years now, mostly at bars and open-mic nights, Gafford started recording in the past several months when he decided he was wasting his time not recording.
Tom O'Shea, owner of The Auburn Guitar Shoppe, said using a professional studio is an option for musicians trying to polish their sound.
Converted from a doctor's office, The Guitar Shoppe's studio opened approximately one year ago. O' Shea rents this studio out to various artists, from bluegrass to hip-hop.
Experienced studio professional Wade Allen oversees the studio and works directly with artists.
"It's $35 an hour for all the kinds of work we do," O'Shea said. "We don't do the mastering here. The philosophy in the industry generally is you don't have the same person doing the mastering as you do the mixing."
But for the artist on a budget, recording from home may still be the best option.
Seth Brown, friend of Gafford, fills in on recordings when an extra hand is needed.
"I started playing music with Jackson in about the 10th grade," Brown said.
Gafford said one of the first albums he wants to put together will feature himself and Brown.
Gafford plans to release his music digitally to keep costs down, though he does plan to have his work mastered before release.
"It's going to be on Sound Cloud, Reverb Nation and Grooveshark," Gafford said. "I'm going to just upload it everywhere I can."
(06/05/14 6:10pm)
Traditional Irish folk songs are not often heard in bars or restaurants in Alabama.
Distant Kin is a self-described Celtic folk-punk band based out of Montgomery.
The band consists of members Adam Powell, Britt Powell, Drew Martin, Geoffrey Stockinger and Ryan Vanderberry.
The Powells and Martin are members of reggae band BPM. When Britt Powell's daughter was born in November 2010, Adam Powell and Martin decided to try something a little different.
"In the beginning Britt wasn't even in the group," Adam said. "Me and Drew thought we'd start a little folk group."
The band plays a variety of instruments, all part of a typical Irish band. Martin and Vanderberry both play guitar, Stockinger plays mandolin, Britt plays drums and Adam plays banjo, tin whistle and the electric bagpipe. While Adam performs lead vocals, the rest of the group shares in harmonies.
Before Britt joined the band, percussion was fairly limited.
"In the beginning days I was playing a kick drum with a tambourine taped to the front of it and playing washboard," Adam said.
After about a year, Britt joined the band and completed the lineup. Ironically, the idea for Distant Kin came about when Britt's daughter was born and he was unable to play with BPM.
"We thought Britt's going to be busy with the baby so we'll start another band," Adam said. "Then Britt ends up joining the band and then has another kid."
"The first time we got together we had eight or nine songs," Martin said. "That's when we decided we wanted to make a band."
"The first song we learned was Polly Wolly Doodle," Adam said. "We were just trying to figure out what we were doing."
The band's sound has developed and changed in the past few years, moving slightly away from an early bluegrass-feel.
Britt describes it as pepped-up folk music. Adam calls it Celtic folk-punk.
"It's drinking music," Martin said simply. "Pub tunes."
The band pulls from a variety of influences, namely The Pogues, the band that started the Celtic-punk genre bands like Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly carry on today.
"We're really big into The Pogues," Adam said. "I would say as [the music] developed it's become a lot like The Pogues, but more traditional."
The band cites Woody Guthrie, The Dubliners, The Clancy Brothers and The Wolf Tones as further influences in their work.
"There's always the ever present Beatles influence over everything," Martin said.
"I've never written anything that sounds like Strawberry Fields, but every song I've written is influenced by The Beatles."
The band performs at various venues in the area, mostly around Montgomery. They like to call Head on the Door their "home base."
"It's a grimy little dive," Adam admitted. "It seats maybe 65."
Martin said that includes the band and the bartenders as well.
The band has recorded one album, The Recession Waltz, though Britt said there are songs written for a follow-up.
Britt Powell isn't the only father of the group. By August, everyone but Stockinger will have a child.
Family life has slowed down the band a bit.
"We haven't played as much in the last year or so as we did in the first couple of years," Stockinger said.
Britt said their other band, BPM, stays a little busier.
That doesn't mean the group doesn't stay busy. All of the men have jobs outside of Distant Kin.
Britt works at Railyard Brewing Company. Adam is a reporter for The Tallassee Tribune and The Eclectic Observer. Stockinger repairs bikes. Vanderberry is a registered nurse. Martin described his job as "running conferences calls in a big building full of computers all day."
Adam and Martin both studied print journalism and creative writing at Troy University together.
"We were Hunter S. Thompson wannabes," Martin said. "We just wanted a profession where we could drink all day and write."
Before getting back into journalism in December 2013, Adam taught classical guitar in Montgomery. He actually had one of his students teach him banjo.
"I would have to make a deal with the devil to play the banjo well enough to play in a bluegrass band," Adam said of his skills.
The group enjoys playing together and exciting crowds.
"Nothing makes you want to drink like some good old Irish music," Britt said.
(05/28/14 4:00pm)
Music stores don't have to be places where Fender Stratocasters are locked away in glass cases.
The Spicer family set out to create a different kind of music shop when they opened Spicer's Music in December 2012.
"We didn't open with the mindset of being a retail store," said Tim Spicer. "The retail was secondary."
Spicer's Music was opened to bring music to the community. The Spicer family said they wanted to use their love of music to help people.
Tom Spicer, Tim's father and retired high school teacher, shared his musical talents with his family.
"There were always instruments around the house when my brother and I were growing up," Tim said. "Growing up I picked up a bunch of different instruments."
Tim's mother, Jean Spicer, works in the mental health field.
"There is a big background - I guess it kind of runs in my blood - of working with others," Jean said. "My method for that turned out to be music."
Seven years ago, the family started Spicer's Garage Band Camp, a Monday through Friday summer camp where students ages 8-18 can learn how to cover songs and eventually compose and perform an original piece.
Spicer's Music is the successor to that project.
"Friday night is a concert with stage, lights, fog and guitar solos," Tom said. "that started as a way to infuse music in the lives of kids and help them positively through that."
Tom said he wants to use his love of music to help the community.
Tom graduated from Auburn with a degree in special education and said he wanted to combine his affection for music with what he learned at Auburn.
"We really opened with the mindset of lessons, of summer camps, of doing some programs with kids, and of doing some things in the community," Tom said.
Tom said the family wanted to run a new kind of shop.
The family focuses on teaching lessons to people of all ages.
Tom said he wanted Spicer's Music to be a comfortable place where musicians can come together to share their talents.
Tim said comfort is essential for students and parents alike when they come to the store for lessons.
When Tim was taking lessons growing up, he said his mother was so uncomfortable waiting in the stores that she would sit in her car.
"It seemed like there's a consistent old-stale carpet, grey walls and a couple people sitting behind the counter that kind of look down their nose at you," Tim said.
Spicer's Music has couches, televisions and coffee for parents while they wait for their child's lesson to finish.
Spicer's Music guitar technician, Josh McKenzie, has been a friend of Tim for years.
"We worked together at another store and played in bands together..." McKenzie said. "When I found he was opening the store I was really excited because I knew his heart and vision."
McKenzie joined the staff at Spicer's Music as soon as possible, happily joining his friend.
McKenzie describes selling guitars as "matching someone up with the perfect girlfriend."
However, the Spicer family's vision of helping the community has spread beyond the walls of the store.
The family is working on a non-profit business that provides instruments and lessons to low-income or at-risk children.
Tom said he is hoping to help people who "wouldn't generally be able to afford a guitar or lessons in any conventional way."
The Spicer family hopes these students will teach their friends and peers what they're learning, further spreading the love of music the Spicer family holds dear.
The family furthers their community goal by going to local elementary schools to teach lessons to the students.
"We're always trying to think of a different group of people we haven't been able to touch or reach through music yet," Spicer said.
One of the first projects that Spicer's Music created was a jam session for older musicians. They bused in people from retirement homes to get together and play music.
It's taken a year and a half for Spicer's Music to get to where they are now, but the family is already planning new ways to help the community.
"We have a lot of ideas on the drawing board," Spicer said. "One thing we don't want to do is too many things at once and not do anything effectively."
Spicer sees his store as more than just a music shop.
"I think of it as a ministry," he said.
(05/25/14 12:00pm)
From the Rocky Mountains to the Plains, folk music finds fans.
Musician Dave Potts hails from Colorado, but, for the last decade and a half, he has called Auburn home.
"When I started touring, I'd never been anywhere in the South," Potts said. "The next time I was touring, I booked a longer tour around the Southeast."
During his second trip down South, Potts played a show in Auburn and immediately fell in love.
"Being a touring musician, I can live anywhere," Potts said. "For about two years, for all the tours I booked, I would go out of my way to be in the Southeast for a while. I thought for a long time about moving somewhere out east since everything is closer and it's easier to travel."
In 1998, Potts finally made Auburn his permanent home.
Potts' music, which he describes as "contemporary folk," is an acoustic driven style that combines his warm, David Wilcox-esque voice.
"I say it's folk-country," Potts said. "People don't know what it means. They don't know what to expect. It's country without the twang and fiddles."
Potts cited John Denver as a major influence on his work.
"Growing up in Colorado, he was a big deal," Potts said. "The first 20 songs I learned were John Denver songs."
Potts' mother used to take him to see Denver play at Red Rocks in Colorado every summer.
"When I started writing, I started seeking out unknown folk singer-songwriters," Potts said.
Other influences on his work include James Taylor and Dan Fogelberg.
Potts began playing music when he was in kindergarten.
After some time playing the ukulele, Potts decided he wanted to learn how to play a more sophisticated instrument.
"I took guitar lessons from first grade all through my freshman year of college," Potts said.
Potts currently gives lessons at Spicer's Music in Auburn.
Tim Spicer, co-founder of Spicer's Music, hired Potts in the summer of 2013.
"He's a musical genius," Spicer said. "He's a musical giant in our area."
Potts' lessons range from basic guitar to teaching musicianship and stage presences, something Spicer said Potts is a "master" at.
Tim Spicer's father, Tom Spicer, co-founded the shop with his family.
Potts approached them with the idea of teaching after playing a small show at the shop.
Tom Spicer said it was his son's idea to hire Potts.
Tom Spicer said their goal was to teach people of all ages, and that they wanted to have accomplished musicians working with them.
Potts will work with musicians to help them finish songs so they can turn their work into a recording.
Potts has been recording his work since 1992, first on cassette tape and eventually moving to CD.
"I did my first couple CDs on my own," Potts said. "You can tell if you listen to them. There's one where, if I pointed it out to you, you can hear cars driving by."
Potts' songwriting output has decreased over the years, from 50 to 100 songs per year to around one per month.
"It's definitely slowed down, but I'm definitely more picky about what I write too," Potts said.
Potts has no current plans to record a new album.
"I will probably record another full album eventually," Potts said. "But it will likely be a few more years."
Since moving to Auburn, Potts' touring has slowly decreased.
In 15 years, he played approximately 2,250 shows.
"Honestly, I just got tired," Potts said. "I didn't stop touring. I just cut it back."
During the peak of his travels, he was traveling around 50,000 miles per year.
Potts has two children, ages 11 and 12, whom he wanted to spend more time with.
Potts has played in 42 states around the nation, mostly east of the Rocky Mountains.
When not playing or teaching, Potts focuses on his other job.
"Most people don't believe me when I tell them my real job is a fantasy baseball player," Potts said.
Potts said he believes music and math are related, and baseball is certainly full of statistics.
"I'm pretty much always doing something either musically or with baseball stats," Potts said.
(07/28/13 3:20am)
Legend says if an Auburn man brings an Auburn woman to the lathe and kisses her at midnight, the lathe will hold steady if she is a true Auburn woman.
Hannah Wilson, English education major and a student recruiter for the University, said, "Of course, it's impossible to move, meaning the woman is always going to be true."
Maggie Rowland, Marketing major and fellow recruiter, believes the legend came about from some "creative storytellers."
The legend has changed throughout the years, with new versions becoming a bit more family friendly.
"The old legend was a bit raunchy," Rowland said, without going into any specifics on previous iterations.
The lathe has been located on the north side of Samford Hall since 1952, after being moved from Birmingham, where it was being used by Birmingham Rolling Mills in the manufacturing of steel products.
A lathe in its most basic form is a rotating machine tool used to cut, sand, drill or modify an object. The lathe rotates on an axis while the object is modified around it.
Originally designed and created in Selma, Ala., to manufacture cannons during the Civil War, the lathe relocated several times throughout its 151-year life.
During the North's movements through the state, the Confederacy buried the lathe in Irondale, Ala., to prevent its capture or destruction. The lathe was being transported from Selma to Columbus, Ga., at the time of its burial.
After the threat of the North had passed, the lathe was unearthed and completed its journey to Georgia, where it continued to be used to make cannons until the end of the war.
After the war ended, the lathe was moved to Birmingham Rolling Mills and used to manufacture steel products and then eventually to its current location outside of Samford Hall.
According to the student recruiters, the lathe has not moved since coming to the University.
"We're supposed to go by the lathe on campus tours," Wilson said. "I take the group if there are a lot of guys."
Student recruiters Bradley Burroughs, Amanda Cyr, and Ashton Foss as well as Rowland and Wilson all take their tour groups by the lathe, recounting the legend and the history to the visitors.
Rowland said she tries to get volunteers to participate in the legend of the lathe on her tours.
Sometimes this isn't feasible, like a time when she toured campus with an all-male Catholic school from Louisiana.
The Alpha Phi Omega fraternity donated the lathe plaque to the University in 1952.
The lathe was given to the University, still known as the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, by the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company in 1936.
The lathe remains a staple of Auburn tours and legend and is one of the oldest pieces of history on campus.
(07/26/13 1:27pm)
Get ready for an evening of southern-inspired celebration.
The Overall Company in Opelika will host The Southern Revelry on Saturday, July 27.
The event runs from 3 p.m.-midnight and features fashion, food, music and art from throughout the region.
Jay Pritchard, co-owner of The Overall Company, wants to celebrate southern tradition and culture. Prichard runs The Overall Company with Ty Maloney, Ali Maloney and Jay's wife, Laura.
"We want to show off Opelika," Jay said. "We want to change how people view the area."
Jay, a graduate of the University of Alabama, is hoping this event will be the "forefront of something awesome."
He is hoping to show off Opelika and said the event will "encompass some cool stuff."
The Southern Revelry will feature a Pop-up store from fashion designer Billy Reid.
Reid, whose main store is located in Florence, Ala., has stores in cities across the country, including New York City and Atlanta.
Jay met Reid in Austin, Texas, at South by Southwest. The Overall Company was there to promote the Opelika area.
Chef David Bancroft, who will open the new restaurant Acre in the fall, will provide food. Acre will be located near the corner of Gay Street and Glenn Avenue.
The Southern Revelry will be a preview of Acre's future menu, with Bancroft selling tamales and cooked pork belly.
Tasia Malakasis and Belle Chevre will be selling a wide selection of goat cheese.
Good People Brewery from Birmingham and Blue Pants Brewery from Madison, Ala., will be onsite Saturday with a selection of beers to try. Both breweries already have beer available at The Overall Company.
Coffee will be available, but only to ticket holders.
The drive-thru will be closed to make room for the stage and different artists' booths.
Live music will begin at 7 p.m. and run until midnight.
The Banditos, Dana Swimmer and Great Peacock will be the musical acts for the evening. All three acts are presented by Cotton Seed Studios.
Musicians will perform on a purpose built stage behind the building.
"Every square inch has been utilized," Pritchard said. "The building will be broken into stations to prevent crowding in certain areas."
There will be a chef on the second floor, along with artists painting busts of famous Alabama figures. These will be available for purchase.
Tickets are available online at http://southernrevelry.com/ for $10 and will be sold at the door for $12. Attendees will receive wristbands and are welcome to leave and come back to the event later in the evening.
Jay and the other owners of The Overall Company have been working hard to change the way the Auburn-Opelika area is viewed.
"We can't afford not to do this," he said. "We want to get like-minded people together."
This will be The Overall Company's largest event, with Pritchard expecting anywhere from 800 to 1600 people to attend.
"We had 1100 people attend our grand opening," Pritchard said.
Planning for the event didn't start until May of this year. Originally conceived to be much smaller, more was added as ideas were formed.
If successful, Pritchard hopes to make The Southern Revelry an annual event.
Planning for next year will start once, "We all get some sleep."
(07/14/13 6:00pm)
The smell of freshly roasted coffee will soon be joining the sights and sounds of downtown Auburn.
Mama Mocha's Coffee Emporium and The Hound are working together to open a second location for the local coffee shop.
The new shop is set to open on the first week of August, just in time for summer graduation and for students returning for the fall semester.
Mama Mocha's co-owners Sarah Barnett and Maddie Wilder are looking forward to expanding to a new location.
Wilder said that they wanted to be downtown and The Hound approached them with the opportunity.
"We are very excited to be partnering with them," said Matt Poirier, co-owner of The Hound.
"We are frequent customers of MM and a couple months ago we were in there getting coffee and overheard them talking about a second location on North College."
Poirier said the owners of Mama Mocha's were smart and hard-working and created a great product.
"We have had the space in the back that has been underutilized and figured it would be a good match," Poirier said. "It seemed like a win-win for everyone."
Though they will share the same building, the two businesses will not be run the same.
"The Hound and Mama Mocha's are separate businesses and will be operated as such," Poirier said. "They will have a separate entrance on Tichenor Avenue. They will be open much earlier and will not stay open as late."
The Hound already produces most of the baked goods that are sold at the original Mama Mocha's location in the back of The Gnu's Room, and the two businesses are looking forward to increasing their collaboration.
"Only food made by The Hound will be sold at the new location," said Wilder.
Some food at the Gay Street location will come from places other than The Hound.
"One added benefit of having Mama Mocha's in our back room is that we will be able to expand our coffee options for our customers during our very busy weekend brunches," Poirier said. "French press brewed coffee and all the espresso drinks that the town has come to love."
The owners of Mama Mocha's are set to take over the lease after The Gnu's Room closes. The bookstore announced their closure several months back, but gave no definite date for when the closure will actually occur.
"We're planning to change the lighting and add some couches inside the building," Wilder said. "We want a very casual atmosphere here."
The coffee at Mama Mocha's is roasted on site. Beans come from South and Central America from companies like Royal Coffee, Ally Importers and Thrive Farmers Coffee.
Barnett was unhappy working at her previous coffee shop, so she decided to open Mama Mocha's.
The Hound was opened by husband and wife team Matthew and Jana Poirier. The building is the former location of The Olde Auburn Ale House.
Wilder said there will be a fundraiser Saturday, July 20, to help raise money to keep The Gnu's room afloat.
The Gnu's Room became a nonprofit business back in 2007 when owner Tina Tatum took over.
(07/12/13 12:58am)
Opelika restaurant Eighth & Rail provides a chance for local musicians to try their hand on stage as well as meet and perform with other local artists.
The restaurant hosts The Benjamin Sessions, an open-mic night every Wednesday starting at 7 p.m.
The stage is open to all performers willing to play. Sign up begins at 6 p.m.
The event is free for musicians and audience members, and it is a great opportunity to see some local musicians in action.
Musical styles vary greatly, as do the ages of the performers. Most sets consist of no more than three people, though the end of the night turns into a jam session with the night's performers switching instruments and joining each other on stage.
Alaina Guzman has been hosting the event for the past two months.
"It gives musicians a chance to play with people they never would play with," Guzman said.
Performers include Guzman, Sylvia Novak, Jackson Gafford, Doug Knight, Scott Ashcroft and Grammy-winning producer Larry Mitchell performing with his group The
Larry Mitchell Trio.\0x2028
Guzman said its nice having different generations all on stage together.
Performers are given roughly 20 minutes to perform, though that isn't an unyielding limit, depending on the number of performers in a given night.
Novak said this is one of the few places in the area where someone can get onstage and play. Her performances consist of original material, as well as a few popular covers on both acoustic guitar and fiddle.
Gafford, an 18-year-old Opelika High School graduate, performed a number of songs, sometimes playing multiple instruments in the same song, aided by a sample board to loop one instrument behind another.
Gafford performs at Eighth & Rail every week, usually with Josh Jackson, another Opelika High School graduate and local performer. Jackson records works under the Fiery Crash moniker.
Both Gafford and Jackson perform a number of original songs, by themselves or as a duo. The two are occasionally backed by drummer Trenton Hilyer.
"This kind of stuff is happening in garages all across the country," Guzman said.
Guzman herself performed a number of original songs, singing and playing piano. She was eventually joined by many of the night's performers, accompanying her on different instruments.
Performers jammed at the end of the night, playing instruments ranging from guitars to saxophones to electronic sample boards and even a melodica, a hand-held, mouth-blown, keyboard.
The stage is located in the back of the restaurant, slightly elevated and lined with old wooden doors on the left and right walls. The restaurant provides excellent acoustics for the performances.
(07/01/13 1:00pm)
Visit various vendors this summer at The Market for an opportunity to experience locally produced goods and produce.
Every Thursday until August 15, the College of Agriculture hosts The Market, an open-air farmer's market at the Ag Heritage Park, located at the corner of Lem Morrison and Donahue Drives. Admission is free and open to everyone.
Parking is available along the road and across the street.
Laura Herring, Market manager of four years, said The Market could have nearly 25 vendors during peak times this summer.
"Vendors must grow or produce all items themselves," Herring said.
"Goods sold at The Market include vegetables such as corn and tomatoes, different grains, locally produced honey and goat cheese," Herring said. "The Market has one organically certified vendor."
Visitors can find poultry and eggs, and the fisheries department occasionally attends to sell shrimp.
Herring estimates 300-500 people come to The Market each week.
Rain or shine, vendors will set up shop each Thursday.
Exceptions are made if heavy storms pose a danger to visitors and vendors.
Rod Havens, local blueberry farmer and owner of Blueberry Havens, has been attending The Market since it opened in 2005.
"I have more customers than I can service," Havens said after selling out his stock of blueberries at The Market, which are $5 per quart.
He donates half of his profits each week from The Market to Habitat for Humanity and the Auburn 4-H Club.
Havens has been growing blueberries for 30 years on his 220-acre farm. He estimates he has approximately 20,000 plants on the property.
"It takes four to fives years for blueberries to grow," Havens said. "I prefer to have the blueberries handpicked. I'm always needing pickers to help out."
Havens, a former therapist and retired counselor for Auburn High School, has been selling his blueberries commercially for 22 years.
He runs the farm on his own, hiring contractors to pick the blueberries.
Havens also allows people to pick the berries themselves for $7 per gallon.
"I don't make much money," Havens said.
"But it's what I like to do."
Havens hasn't raised prices on his blueberries in a few years.
"I feel like we're paying enough with all prices going up elsewhere," Havens said.
The Market will be closed July 4 for the holiday.
The website has a list of fresh goods for the week, as not all items are available every week because growing seasons vary.
Links to recipes for the different weekly goods and links to the different vendors' websites can also be found online.
Those interested in becoming vendors can contact Laura Herring at herrilm@auburn.edu or by calling 334-321-1603.
(06/20/13 7:00pm)
It takes more than skills on the field or moves on the court to continue being an Auburn Tiger.
A large group of athletic tutors work with athletes to make sure the student aspect of student athlete doesn't fall behind.
During the spring and fall, more than 150 tutors work with athletes two to four times per week to make sure grades stay in line with standards so athletes can continue playing the sports they love.
K.J. Jackson, former English teacher and current English literature tutor, said she enjoys helping student athletes.
"The greatest thing about being a tutor is we are able to empower the students, especially if you're an athlete, because they have such time constraints placed on them," Jackson said. "You have to be mindful of each student's learning style, their schedules and the subject matter."
Academic counselor Mary Ann Taylor-Sims knows athletes are just like any other student.
"We tutor across the board with a big focus on core classes," Taylor-Sims said. "There are tutors covering all of the core curriculum subjects."
Public speaking tutor and communications graduate student Shaquille Marsh said tutors work with the athletes' schedules to keep them from falling behind.
"We always have a copy of the course syllabus in front of us," Marsh said. "We schedule around the syllabus and work ahead before athletes leave."
The tutors try to accommodate athletes when traveling to away games.
"We're here to serve the students," Jackson said. "As a tutor, I try to set up reading to do while they are on the road, or schedule a few extra sessions to cover concepts they might have missed."
History tutor and clinical mental health counseling graduate student Sarah Fisher asked the athletes she works with to speak with professors before they leave and talk to classmates when they return to make sure they stay up-to-date.
The University considers athletic competitions excused absences. Excuses are sent to department deans and then sent to the professors.
"Ideally, it is a one-on-one session," Fisher said. "But sometimes there is a group session of two to three."
Kristine Ball, a university academic coordinator, said tutors and athletes meet in a one-on-one session up to four times per week, depending on the needs of the athletes.
"The tutors' individual schedules are very flexible," Ball said. "They work upward of 15 to 20 hours a week with various students.
"Tutors come to us via word of mouth," Ball said. "We also go to different departments and inquire about referrals and recommendations."
Although the number of tutors is approximately 150 during the fall and spring semesters, the number drops to approximately 50 during the summer.
"Part of being a tutor in AU athletics is that you are flexible," Jackson said.
Tutors are paid, and some graduate students work as tutors as part of their programs.
Tutors must have an overall GPA of at least 3.0. The tutors must also have passed the course they're tutoring with an A or B. The program also wants students to be junior level or above.
Students interested in tutoring are invited to contact the student athlete tutoring department at tutorco@auburn.edu or by calling 334-844-9808.
(06/18/13 9:00pm)
Art, live music and pie collided Friday in downtown Auburn.
The Seventh Annual SummerNight Downtown Art Walk took place from 6-9:30 p.m. Friday, June 14. The event featured local and regional artists, live music, activities for children and late night dining and shopping. For the first time, the event included a pie bake-off.
"SummerNight is a self-guided art walk featuring works in every medium, from photography to sculpture, from fine art to live music and event performance and culinary art," said Sara Hand Custer, cultural arts director for Auburn. "It's a block party with artistic flair."
Custer said she was looking forward to the new pie bake-off this year.
"Each contestant may enter up to three pies for an entry fee of $5 per pie," Custer said. "Artists participating in the event may submit a pie for free."
Slices of pie will be sold for $3, with all proceeds going to the Auburn Arts Association.
Judgments on the pie were made by the Auburn Arts Association and based on overall appearance, creativity, crust, taste, use of local ingredients and flavor. Winners were announced at 7:15 p.m. on the main stage of the Art Walk.
Artists Dave Potts, a contemporary folk musician, and Spoonful James provided live music for the event. Potts took the stage at 6 p.m. with Spoonful James following at 7:30 p.m.
Both artists have a history with Auburn. Potts is a resident of the city, and Spoonful James was founded in Auburn in 1996.
The Guitar Shoppe sponsored the event and orchestrated the sound equipment for the night.
The Guitar Shoppe owner and English instructor Tom O'Shea enjoyed the night's events.
"This is the first time I've been involved with the Art Walk," O'Shea said.
O'Shea has owned The Guitar Shoppe for five months, though the business has been in Auburn for more than 25 years and has previously been involved with the SummerNight Downtown Art Walk.
In addition to pie and music, there were activities for children such as sidewalk chalk and pie-themed projects. Aubie also made an appearance.
Downtown businesses were open later than normal business hours, but Custer encouraged citizens to arrive early and take advantage of the shopping and restaurants.
The City of Auburn, the Auburn Arts Association and the Auburn Downtown Merchant association hosted the event. Local businesses helped sponsor the event.
"Planning the event is not difficult due to the great collaboration between the City of Auburn, Auburn Arts Association and the Auburn Downtown Merchant Association," Custer said.
She expected 3,000-5,000 people to attend.
"Our goal this year is to encourage the community to take advantage of the arts in a creative downtown atmosphere," Custer said.
College Street from Thach Avenue to Tichenor Avenue and Magnolia Avenue from Wright Street to Gay Street were closed to traffic from 5:30-9:45 p.m. Friday.
Those driving to the event could park for free on the first floor of the Auburn Municipal Parking Deck or at Auburn Bank, Regions Bank, BBVA Compass Bank, First Baptist Church of Auburn, Auburn United Methodist Church, Four Seasons Cleaners, Auburn Wesley Foundation and Tiger Rags. A parking map was available at AuburnAlabama.org/parks.
Additional information can be found at AuburnArtsAssociation.org, the City of Auburn's Facebook page, or by calling the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 334-501-2963.
(06/08/13 1:30pm)
Anglers rejoice.