Donna Green-Townsend
Multimedia Productions
As the Will McLean Music Festival nears, organizers are celebrating another major development cementing his legacy. In recent weeks the song lyrics, poems, recordings, correspondence and personal items from the late Will McLean (1919-1990) have been transferred to the University of Florida. McLean, known as the “Black Hat Troubadour,” is the first folk artist inducted … Continue reading Will McLean collection acquired by the University of Florida
Hundreds are expected to turn out for the 29th Annual Will McLean Music Festival March 9 – 11th at the Sertoma Youth Ranch between Brooksville and Dade City. The festival which honors the “Father of Florida Folk” has become one of the most popular venues for Florida songwriters. The festival will feature multiple stages and … Continue reading Will McLean Music Festival evening lineup announced
President Emeritus of the Will McLean Foundation, Margaret Longhill, is credited for her work helping to get the late Will McLean into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. McLean (1919-1990), considered the “Father of Florida Folk,” was inducted in 1996. Shortly before his death, Longhill and some of McLean’s closest friends were instrumental in establishing … Continue reading A conversation with Margaret Longhill about Will McLean
Official website of the Murrow Award-Winning Documentary, “Apalachicola Doin’ Time” and various updates Tuesday, January 9, 2018 UPDATE: The U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments on Monday in the 30-year-old water dispute involving Florida, Georgia and Alabama known as the Tri-State Water War. Molly Samuel from public radio station WABE in Atlanta attended the oral … Continue reading Apalachicola Documentary
Residents all along the coast of Texas are bracing for Hurricane Harvey expected to come ashore either late tonight or early Saturday morning. At 7:30 p.m. forecasters with the National Hurricane Center reported winds are sustained at 130 mph making Hurricane Harvey a category 4 storm. Catastrophic flooding is expected due to heavy rainfall and storm … Continue reading As Hurricane Harvey barrels down on TX, FL remembers past history
Listen and Watch song samples from the new “Tribute” CD below: The newest video just added is, “Lost Tourist’s Letter Home.” (To order a CD, please send $15.00 to: Jessie Townsend, 13501 SE 171st Lane Hawthorne, FL 32640) Jessie and Lee Townsend recently went back into the studio to record six more songs to … Continue reading Jessie and Lee Townsend Tribute CD now available
(Listen to 23 minute interview with Reaves from 1997 below) Former All-American quarterback at the University of Florida and pro quarterback for the Tampa Bay Bucs and Bandits, John Reaves, was found dead in his South Tampa home on Tuesday. Authorities are investigating the cause of death. Reaves, who was 67, was found by his … Continue reading Gator nation mourns loss of former Gator QB John Reaves
Editor’s note: I was so excited to meet the famous comedian back in 1979. I had memorized many of his comedy routines to use in my speech classes in high school. I remember how shocked I was during the press conference (hear an excerpt below) when he was SO serious about everything. I had expected … Continue reading Bill Cosby critical of the lack of good role models on TV in an ironic archival 1979 Interview
Update February, 2018: Florida officially added Blue Springs as the 175th state park. Update June 14, 2017: On Wednesday morning the Florida Cabinet approved purchasing Blue Springs Park in Gilchrist County. The state has agreed to pay $5.25 million dollars for the 407-acre property which includes frontage along the … Continue reading Florida adds Blue Springs property as official state park
Editor’s note: I’m tickled to say that even though he didn’t use his rifle to shoot down this year’s magnolia blossom, my husband kept his Mother’s Day tradition alive this year (2017). Here’s the audio version of the chapter called, “Mother’s Day” by Shelley Fraser Mickle. (full written text with pictures can be found … Continue reading A true “Mother’s Day” story about courtship in Cross Creek