Cape Fear Botanical Garden
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Sunset Series: Live Music with Jordan Lake Swimmers & Speedway Stories with Race Photographer Keith Smith

June 16, 2023 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

The 2023 Garden Sunset Series kicks off Friday, June 16 with Jordan Lake Swimmers – a New Time String Band that plays popular songs in an Americana style. PLUS: Stories from the Speedway with NASCAR photographer Keith Smith & Special Guest Harold Brasington III.

Jordan Lake Swimmers take their inspiration from the early 20th Century Piedmont and Mountain bands of North Carolina with similar instrumentation of guitar, mando, banjo, Dobro and bass. It is the combination of familiar songs played in an old way that everyone enjoys. The Jordan Lake Swimmers are a vocal driven Americana band that performs music appealing to a wide audience. We are a four piece string band that plays great classic songs, new country and contemporary gospel (Jason Isbell or Mumford & Sons, and Rend Collective). Our harmonies and musicianship set a warm inviting tone that makes each concert special.

Enjoy a Sampling of Songs Here

Also: Stories from the Speedway with NASCAR photographer Keith Smith (full bio below) and special guest Harold Brasington III, grandson of Darlington Raceway’s founder.

Come enjoy an evening of music, moonshine & memories at Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

Things to Know…
* Some concert seating will be available, but we recommend you bring your own chairs to be most comfortable. Seating for Speedway Stories provided.
* The Garden will be open from 9am-9pm, so feel free to come early to enjoy the grounds
* Onsite bar service
* Food Trucks will be onsite ready to serve at 5:30pm. You are also welcome to bring your own food to the Gardens
* Special Exhibit Open during this event: Horticulture, Hooch & Outlaws in Fast Cars – a self-guided tour digging in to NASCAR’s botanical roots

    

This event is included with General Garden Admission…

Members: Free
Ages 13+ – $10 (+ tax)
Military (with ID) – $9 (+ tax)
Adults 65 & Older – $9 (+ tax)
Children 6-12 – $5 (+ tax)
Children & Under: Free

Sponsored By:

 

 

Photographer Keith Smith biography: A Kodak Brownie camera that my grandfather Edmon Smith let me use in the early 60s was a start at the old Fayetteville Speedway (where the Breece Cemetery is located close to the airport). A photo of “Windin” Wayne Andrews 1962 Chevrolet is the first car I remember photographing. Wayne went on to be a NASCAR Grand American Driver. In 1969, I borrowed my dad’s 35mm Ricoh camera and using a press pass from WFAI RADIO, my bother Nixon and I went to Martinsville Va to a modified and last model sportsman race. There I tool pictures of cars on the starting line and ventured (out of ignorance) into the flag stand in the third turn taking pictures of cars going around the track at speed and wrecks. I was able to get some photos published in a Dunn NC newspaper.

In 1973, Pat Purvis, who along with his father owned the Old Fayetteville Speedway, asked me to take photos of the popular drivers, so he could sell them in the concession stand. That led to taking photos of the winning drivers and their car and crew in victory lane. They sold very well. I eventually got credentials to go to the Daytona 500 in February 1976. There I met a photographer named Marvin Gamble who was using a large 6x7cm film camera instead of the usual 35mm. But the clarity of the photos was so much better. So I ordered the heavy camera from NY and starting selling photos with much sharper photos than the other professionals using 25mm. I was able to go for the whole week at DAYTONA in February. I would go to the local tracks in the area, a dirt track at Volusia County and an asphalt track at New Smyrna. There I was able to take photos of a 16-year-old Mark Martin.
That led to following the circuit of races at Richmond Va, Hickory, Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, Myrtle Beach speedway, Charlotte, Darlington, Rockingham, Savannah, Phoenix raceway, Wake Co. Speedway in Raleigh, Wilson Co Speedway, County Line Speedway in Rocky Mount, Dublin Speedway, the asphalt track here called Cumberland International, and then the dirt track called Fayetteville Motor Speedway.
Along the way, I was able to be the first photographer for Bill Elliott at his first few races at Rockingham, Darlington and Charlotte. In 1977, I met Dale Earnhardt here in Fayetteville and took his photos in victory lane. I took a lot of photos curing his career as he was a very popular driver.
Starting in 1983, I started publishing racing programs for many local tracks and served as track photographer for many until 2016.

Details

Date:
June 16, 2023
Time:
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Event Categories:
,

Organizer

Events Team
Phone
910-486-0221 Ext. 29, 30, 31 or 39
Email
jbarnes@capefearbg.org

Venue

Cape Fear Botanical Garden
536 N. Eastern Boulevard
Fayetteville, NC 28301 United States
+ Google Map
Phone
9104860221
View Venue Website
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