Friday night's concert for the 35th annual Striped Bass Festival will feature a band already known to many in the area: Gracious Day.
The Charleston-based group played to rave reviews during January's Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce retreat in the Holy City.
"They are a great band," said Dawn Griffith, the chamber's executive director. "They play a little bit of everything. It's just something different than last year."
Griffith said she looks forward to seeing Gracious Day play in an outdoor setting so the band's rich sound can reach its full power.
Mike Thompson, who sings and plays guitar, said he loves playing festivals and getting to interact with a crowd that is there to enjoy some live music.
"It's fun when the people want to be involved," he said. "It makes it a lot better experience for everybody."
Thompson, a Florence native, studied at the University of South Carolina and was working as a high school band teacher when he decided to pursue a career as a professional musician full time. He and his bandmates all came to Charleston from different places and he joked that he "couldn't find a reason to go anywhere else."
The band's website proclaims the group plays "Country music in all its glory," and Thompson said he draws inspiration from classic country artists like Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash.
"The old story-style country music," he said. "That's what I've always gravitated toward – it’s more based in stories. It's what I listen to when I'm not working."
Thompson said Gracious Day is a throwback to "simpler country music," and believes a strong point is the band's harmony and song construction. "We do bounce around a little bit but it's all country one way or another."
Harmonizing with him is his wife, Beth, who also plays piano. Though the band has been together for four years, he and Beth have been married about a month.
"It's still pretty fresh. It's good. A lot people ask me what it's like – I find it to be a blessing that we are capable of living and working together," he said. "We seem to thrive on it. It works for us."
Gracious Day just recorded their sophomore effort, with all the recording for the new album done in Charleston.
"Our last record was done in Nashville, but there's enough super talented people in Charleston and we like to keep it all in the family and at home," he said.
In addition to the Thompsons, festival attendees can expect to experience the full band with percussion and bass guitar.
"We make all kinds of racket," Thompson said, laughing.
Gracious Day is also slated to perform at The Taste in May and Thompson is grateful as the band's fan base continues to make new fans. He's enjoyed working with the chamber and is excited to kick off the festival.
"They're all super supportive and easy to work with," he said. "Hopefully it'll just keep growing."
