Trey Ward to Play at Ida Cox Music Series

The Trey Ward Band will be the featured group August 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Ida Cox Music Series. This year’s music series has been extended for two weeks thanks to a grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts.

Trey Ward is a prolific singer/songwriter and accomplished musician from Greenwood, S.C. He began his songwriting career as a teenager when he signed his first song publishing deal at the age of 13 with Hit Kit Music. At the age of 14 he scored an independent record deal and got national distribution of the “A” side.
Often called a New Traditionalist, his music is firmly anchored in the traditional sounds of Flat and Scruggs as well as Haggard and Jones, but with a lyrical twist centered in today’s life and culture. His songs and musical style are both pure and raw, and completely devoid of the tones and trappings of modern commercial radio.

In early 2010, two of his songs were recorded and released nationally by California’s Rural Rhythm Records. “Truman’s Vision,” the story of the Savannah River Plant was recorded by Grammy winner Randy Kohrs, and “All I Can Do Is Just Pretend,” was recorded by bluegrass powerhouse Audie Blaylock and Red Line. More recently, his tune 'Greenwood Mill" was recorded by Mountain Fever recording artists Volume Five and released in June of 2011.

He auditioned for and passed the stringent audition process for Nashville’s Bluebird Café in 2007. He has been invited back to perform his original songs at the Bluebird 12 times since 2008.

For more information, visit treywardmusic.com.

The music series is named for Ida Cox, a vaudeville performer and a pioneering blues singer who helped found the female blues genre. Cox was born Ida Prather on February 25, 1896, in Toccoa, GA. She left home as a teenager to tour with a minstrel revue. Cox excelled at vaudeville singing, but when the popularity of vaudeville shows began to fade, she transformed herself into a blues singer. Cox died on November 10, 1967 having made her mark in the music world.

Toccoa Main Street and the Ida Cox Music Series invite everyone to attend. You are welcome to bring a chair or blanket and enjoy an evening of music in Historic Downtown Toccoa.

This program is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly.  GCA also receives support from its partner agency—the National Endowment for the Arts.