In anticipation of Magnolia Fest, pedal steel guitarist Roosevelt ‘The DR’ Collier appeared live on WPRK, Rollins’ own basement radio station. Among the things he shared were his recent All-Star shows with Oteil Burbridge, Nigel Hall, and Anthony Cole; living in Suwannee County; and plans for Magnolia Festival and collaborating with other musicians.
As a new resident of Suwannee County, Collier has had the opportunity to host his new concert series, Roosevelt Collier’s Suwannee Get Down. He explained that his favorite aspect about the Get Downs is that they allow him to play with numerous talented bands and musicians that are just beginning to gain momentum.
Collier will be performing at Magnolia Festival—the four-day music festival will be held at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, this October—with The Travelin McCourys, the Lee Boys, and, as he explained, whomever else he feels like hopping onstage with.
When asked if he has any plans to sit in with anyone, Collier said, “Who’s to tell? I just like to pop onstage. I am there all Friday and there are a lot of killer bands playing on Friday, so hopefully I will be popping on and offstage all day.”
He went on to express his palpable excitement to get back onstage at Suwannee, explaining that it is one of his favorite venues in the country.
Known for his killer sit-ins, Collier plays with the Lee Boys, sits in with other bands, and collaborates on other projects. He does not prefer one over the other, but the Lee Boys hold a special place in his heart because they are his family band and he knows they will “always be there.”
Despite that, Collier has spent the past few years focusing mostly on his own projects and making as much music as he can with as many people as possible.
“It is a great feeling to just jump onstage and not know what is about to happen,” he said. “I really am so thankful to have so many friends and fans that just love the raw, organic get-downs, you know. Just the whole idea of ‘let’s just jam and get together and have some fun,’ that is what it is all about.”
Luckily, you do not need to wait until Magnolia Fest for your chance to see ‘The DR,’ as he will be playing with the Roosevelt Collier Trio (featuring Matt Lapham and Anthony Cole) at Red Lion Pub on Oct. 2.
The interview is also available on the WPRK Soundcloud.
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