Liberty Tree Festival to feature music

October 01, 2008 02:03 pm

— Three area musical acts have been added to Dalton’s Liberty Tree Festival, which will be celebrated Oct. 16-18.
The acts are:
• The Roman Festival Brass
Formed in 2000, the Roman Festival Brass has performed across the country. The band will be part of the Saturday evening Liberty Tree celebration, performing from 7:15 to 7:45 p.m. and again with fireworks from 8:15 to 8:45 p.m. Selections will include “The Star Spangled Banner,” “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and other patriotic and hymn favorites.
• The 8th Regiment Band
The 8th Regiment Band, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, of Rome, is the modern counterpart of the Band of the Eighth Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry. These men gallantly served their homeland from the first battle of Manassas in 1861 to Appomattox in 1865. The “new” 8th, formed in 1986, has been featured in re-enactments of the battles of Gettysburg, Atlanta and others. The band is prominently featured in the made for television movies “The Class of ’61,” “The Oldest Confederate Widow Tells All” and “Love and Honor.” The band will perform Saturday from 5 to 5:30 p.m. and again from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m.
• Paul Byrum
Paul Byrum specializes in Celtic, bluegrass, old-time mountain music and gospel hymns. He enjoys playing the autoharp, bass fiddle, bass guitar, hammered dulcimer and mountain dulcimer.
Byrum is a Dalton resident who has competed in the Mountain Dulcimer National Championship and, in 2004, was crowned Mid-Eastern Regional Dulcimer Champion. He has won numerous awards at fiddler’s conventions, including the prestigious Fiddler’s Grove and the Galax Old-time Fiddler’s Convention.
Byrum will be part of Sunday’s entertainment for the non-denominational picnic. His performance is scheduled from 1:30 to 2 p.m.
Georgia’s Liberty Tree was planted at Dalton City Hall two years ago. It is one of 14 trees grown from seeds taken from America’s last Liberty Tree, the Maryland tree, which died in 1991. Those trees were called Liberty Trees because some of those who led the United States’ rebellion against England met beneath them.

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.