Old Dawgs New Trixx, an Americana band from Jacksonville, fronted by eighty year old guitarist Carlton Higginbotham, will release their latest album called, A River Named Welaka in December.
The album serves as both a musical masterpiece and an homage to Higginbotham’s life growing up as a child along the St. Johns river.
“When I was a child my parents owned a fish camp in the Fort Caroline area. I can remember when we did not have electricity. On Saturday nights, we would have a big fish fry and my father would crank up a generator to operate the jukebox so people could come out and dance,” notes Higginbotham.
Known for his intricate guitar work, Higginbotham’s playing is as fluid as the river itself — dynamic, emotive, and full of grit. Tracks like “River of Time” and “Welaka Nights” bring to mind the timelessness of the river, while songs like “Sunset Over the St. Johns” reflect the emotional depth of living in a community defined by nature.
Higginbotham says the songs are all original and that’s what makes this album somewhat different. “Itis really difficult to pinpoint what we play. We do everything from jazz, country, to folk.” Ironically, the album was not influenced by the small rural town with the same name, located about seventy five miles from Jacksonville. The name “Welaka” itself is derived from the Miccosukee Native American language, meaning “river of lakes.
Check out “Old Dawgs New Trixx” at their upcoming show on January 11th at Mudville Grill in Jacksonville. You can find their event calendar and album purchasing options on their Facebook page.
