Savannah artists cover all the music at Georgia on My Mind, Part II benefit concert

A huge, all-star roster of Savannah musicians is coming together for a major community event celebrating the breadth and beauty of Georgia music, all while supporting a great local cause.

Georgia on My Mind is a concert benefiting Heads Up Guidance Services (HUGS). The event was organized by RBS Collective (the incredibly talented team-up of Stan Ray, Eric Britt, and Andrew Sovine) and Victory North.

Last year’s inaugural Georgia on My Mind was a smash success, and the organizers are looking forward to making the sequel bigger and more varied.

“We were shocked when it almost sold out, and everyone had a blast,” Britt said of last year’s show. “Stan Ray shut down the night with a James Brown tune, and the place was jumping.  We also raised several thousand dollars for Emmaus House. Not one musician took a dime for their efforts, it was amazing.”

The breadth and diversity of Georgia music and musicians will be on full display

RBS have learned from previous events how to maximize the number of artists they can bring to the stage while keeping the show moving along faster. No more lulls in the show while different bands swap out equipment between sets.

“When we did the Neil Young tribute show, where we had more of a house band, rather than a different band each song, we realized we could have main backup players and that would allow us to bring in more artists and singers,” said Sovine.

The house band playing throughout the evening consists of Sovine, Jared Hall, Jalen Reyes, and Dylan Puckett. They will be supporting a dizzying who’s-who of incredible Savannah artists including Maddie Madsen, Anna Kellam, Elli Perry, Gracynn Britt, Roger Moss, Jackson and Maggie Evans, Stacie Orrico, Isaiah Johnson, Coy Campbell, Austin Williams, Matt Eckstine, Rebecca Flaherty, Jeremy Riddle & Ross Etheridge, Soap, Robert Benton, and Damon Mailand.

With a very few exceptions, all the artists on the bill are new to the event this year.

Having more artists also means more representation from the entire spectrum of genres popular in Georgia. Expect to hear songs from Otis Redding, Johnnie Mercer, Brenda Lee, Gram Parsons, Little Richard, REM, Indigo Girls, Cat Power, Drivin N Cryin, and Alan Jackson, just to name a few.

“One thing I realized when we were looking at the songs and putting everything together was that this is all over the map musically,” said Sovine. “There is jazz stuff and R&B stuff and everything else. I think that’s one of the things that makes me excited to do this. If there is any sort of constant about what makes Georgia music a particular way, it’s that there are no rules. The house band is going to have our work cut out for us because we’re going from Ray Charles to Katie Pruitt to Cat Power to Marvelous 3 to Neutral Milk Hotel.”

“Of course, there’s Johnny Mercer, but I also think there are some wild cards. You might have heard the songs before, but maybe not realize they’re from Georgia, and it’s going to take on a whole new light for you.”

Georgia on My Mind, Part II is funded by the philanthropic 912 Group, and thanks to the support of Michael Edwards and the Lebos family, all the night’s profits will go directly to HUGS.

“It sets a foundation for doing things like this in the future,” said Sovine. “We’re very thankful and excited for that.”

HUGS is a non-profit organization making professional behavioral health counseling & addiction recovery services accessible to all motivated individuals who desire growth, independence, and emotionally healthy lifestyles.

If You Go >>

What: Georgia on My Mind, part II

When: 7 p.m., Jan. 13

Where: Victory North, 2603 Whitaker St.

Cost: $20-35

Info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/georgia-on-my-mind-part-ii-tickets-778332943787

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: All-star Savannah lineup plays Georgia on My Mind benefit concert