Dancing in the street: 87 Southbound, The Boozehounds to play at Music on Main

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ORTVILLE – Jenna Rose and her 87 Southbound bandmates are the headliners for Friday night’s Music on Main, entertainment presented on the first Friday of the month this summer.

Opening for 87 Southbound at 7 p.m. will be the Booze Hounds, a bluegrass group from Noblesville. Main Street will be blocked off between Garst Pharmacy and Sunrise Bakery for families to spread out blankets and set up lawn chairs and coolers for an evening of entertainment. A hot dog vendor and the food truck from Fox Gardin, a local restaurant, will be selling sandwiches and other refreshments.

Music on Main debuted in 2016, organized by Fortville Action Inc., a group dedicated to marketing Fortville a vibrant place to visit, work, shop, play and live.

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“We tried outdoor family movies,” said Sharon Beatson, Fortville Action Inc. board member, “but by the time it got dark, all the kids were asleep.”

A return trip to the drawing board brought forth Music on Main.

Rose, who hails from Fortville, is excited about playing for Music on Main. Her group had performed in 2016 for the inaugural season and was invited to return for 2017.

87 Southbound always brings out a big crowd, Beatson said.

“She is a hometown girl and everybody knows her when she comes to sing,” Beatson said.

87 Southbound has been together for more than a year. Rose formed the group with longtime friend and drummer for the band Ed Dailey. Joe Cannella sings and plays guitar, Danny Dunn plays lead guitar, and on Friday night, Jason Cox from the band, Darlington Road, stands in as guest bass player.

Rose has been involved in music since her early days of singing in the church choir and in school music programs. As an adult, she found her way in a couple of bands as a vocalist.

In the local music industry, Rose explains, you bounce around until you find a combination that works best with your style of music and where you want to go musically. She and Dailey had the same vision and decided to try forming their own band.

The group’s moniker comes from a country song by the same name composed and sung by Hank Williams III. Rose and Dailey liked the song and thought it sounded like a good name for a country band, Rose said.

As a female lead singer, Rose believes she helps set 87 Southbound apart from other country bands.

“There are lots of female solo acts, but there aren’t many female-fronted country bands,” Rose said.

Although they play songs from the current top 40 playlist, they enjoy playing the old hits, too, Rose said, citing Jeannie C. Riley’s 1968 hit, “Harper Valley P.T.A.”

“We are old souls,” Rose said, “but we want to make sure that everything we play is upbeat.”

87 Southbound has played for fairs, festivals, private parties and weddings. Its biggest gig to date was being invited to play the main stage on New Year’s Eve on Georgia Street in downtown Indianapolis in front of a crowd estimated to have reached 30,000.

Sharon Beatson and the rest of the Fortville Action board are pleased with the results of Music on Main. The concerts bring out the adults and the kids for a family-friendly show.

“You wouldn’t believe how many kids love to dance in the street,” Beatson said.

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Music on Main

Friday at 7 p.m. on Main St. in Fortville between Garst Pharmacy and Sunrise Bakery

August 4th’s Music on Main will be Paul’s Court.

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