southfield
the band

Southfield - the band. 

It all started around 1974-75. From the day they got together, it all clicked.

 

Southfield was/is a Southern Rock/Blues band based in Macon, GA. The original band members included - guitarist Chip Vandiver, guitarist Ken Wynn, drummer Stanley Killingsworth, bassist Kenny Walters, keyboardist Steve Myers(RIP) and vocalist Paul Long.

 

After some heavy rehearsal time, most days about 6-8 hours, they hit the road running, with shows at all the local rock clubs, including world famous Grants Lounge in Macon. They eventually branched out into most of the southeast region.

 

Along the way, they played some movie theaters that had ben converted to music venues and opened shows for Stillwater in Warner Robins, GA, White Witch in Birmingham, AL and Sea Level in their first public concert in Macon. At Sydney’s Green Elephant, a club near Plains, GA, they played for some of Jimmy Carter’s campaign entourage, which included some political dignitaries.

 

As with most bands, it dissolved around 1978 when two members left and after several attempts to keep it going with new members, they called it quits. They have kept in touch and played in other bands with each other over the last forty or so years and often talked about getting back together, but the timing was never quite right. However, in 2017, that changed.

 

At the show they opened for Stillwater in 1976 at My Brother’s Place in Warner Robins, they had set up a 2- track reel-to-reel tape deck and recorded their set and with no way for them to make copies of for each band member, it was put in a closet and lost for 35 years. By 2011, technology to duplicate it had now become more available and less expensive. After they all had a copy and were listening to it, they all thought it was pretty damn good and talk of reuniting began again. During the time between the original members splitting up and 2017, unfortunately, their keyboardist passed away, but the remaining five members decided to go for it.

 

They had a lot to think and talk about, but the main concern was, could they do it without Steve? He was a very integral part of the Southfield sound. And with four members located in different parts of Georgia and one in northern Florida, they knew it would be challenging, but started rehearsing on their own and got together for a weekend to rehearse together. Although not quite the same sound, their original songs have started to come together without the keys and have really are sounding good. But they all wish that Steve was here so they could better recreate the original Southfield sound. That would be the icing on the cake!

 

In 2018, they pooled a little bit of money together and went to Muscadine Recording Studios in Macon and worked with Paul Hornsby, former Capricorn Records engineer and recorded a 7-song album entitled “Full Circle”.

 

They started doing shows again in 2018 as a five piece. With four of them playing in multiple other bands, they try to work around their schedules. Add the distances between them and it becomes the challenge they thought it would be.

 

But, these guys know each other, respect each other, love each other and believe in each other and what they are doing...playing their music, their way... and still have a musical connection they few bands ever have. Especially for almost fifty years!

 

There is a lot in store for them. Originally, the had two songwriters...now they have five! And they have already added several songs to their list.with many more to come.

 

They are glad to be back together! And they hope to see you soon.