photo by

Sawyer Brown will headline the second annual Bluffs 'N' Bayous music festival Oct. 23 and 24, 2010

Sawyer Brown highlights free music festival

Published Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Mark Taylor, Paul Southerland, Bruce McCall and John Kammerdiner are on a mission from God.

But these men aren’t blues brothers — they’re brothers in Christ who also share the same mission with their church family at Highland Baptist Church.

The mission: to offer free, fun, family-oriented activities to all people and break away from stereotypes associated with the term “Southern Baptist.”

This weekend, Taylor, Southerland, McCall, Kammerdiner and their church family will host the Second Annual Bluffs ‘N’ Bayous Music Festival at the Vidalia Conference and Convention Center’s Amphitheater.

“A couple of years ago, we had a vision to start building the kingdom of God one heart at a time, and to go outside of the church’s confinements to do it,” Taylor said. “That’s what led into the music festival.”

Taylor, who serves as the event’s coordinator, said beginning Friday evening and running through Saturday night, anyone who wants to hear top-notch entertainment can come see award-winning acts.

“We want them to be able to come there and enjoy music with a message, and through that message that might touch their hearts some day, they’ll answer the call to follow Jesus,” Taylor said.

“Admission is free, so bring all of your friends and your enemies, they may need to be touched, too,” Taylor said.

Taylor said Friday night would kick off with the up-and-coming Christian artist Hannah Belle Southerland who ranked in the top five artists in the Christian Music Association’s Youth in Music category. She will be followed by headlining act Sawyer Brown featuring front man Mark Miller.

Many know Sawyer Brown as the band that gained national notoriety by winning $100,000 and a recording contract on the first season of Star Search in 1983, thus becoming what some consider to be the first American Idols.

Taylor said booking Sawyer Brown was not a difficult task — in fact, it just came together.

It took a couple of phone calls to get in contact with Gene Higgins, president of the Christian Country Music Association and Higgins Music Group who promised he’d receive a phone call soon from an artist who would fit the bill.

Taylor said two weeks later, he received a phone call from Mark Miller’s mother.

“She asked what I wanted Sawyer Brown to do, and I explained to her, and she said ‘Mark will do it,’” Taylor said.

Southerland, who serves as the pastor at Highland Baptist, said bringing in a country act for the headlining event has confused some people.

“We have a lot of people in our community who are wondering out loud why we got a county act to come into the Natchez area,” Southerland said.

“The reason we’re doing this is because the church is not reaching people today in the traditional way. Somewhere along the line we have dropped the ball,” Southerland said.

“The Lord gave us the vision to step out the walls of the church,” he said. “Jesus did the same thing. And people said, ‘he’s a radical.’ ‘He eats with sinners.’ Our mission — our purpose is to touch people any way we can, but we want to show them to love of Jesus Christ by sharing with them these kind of events.

“It’s exciting to me to offer them Sawyer Brown. We just want to go out there and show the world that we’re not better than anyone else.”

Southerland said along with the concert, Miller would be sharing his personal testimony to cap off the first night of praise and worship.

McCall said people from all over the states of Louisiana and Mississippi were expected at Friday night and Saturday’s events.

“We’re looking for over 3,000 plus people on Friday night so you need to make sure to come early,” McCall said.

Saturday’s activities will kick off at 2 p.m. with country southern gospel bands performing first and the music transitioning throughout the course of the day until the 7:30 p.m. Christian rock concert by Julian Drive.

But McCall said just because the music’s tempo changes throughout the day, that doesn’t mean the people in attendance aren’t welcome to enjoy all the concerts.

Along with Saturday’s performances, games and activities will be available as well.

The Mississippi National Guard rock wall, the Citizen Solider motorcycle and various moon jumps are just a few of the activities kids and adults can participate with.

“This event will plant (spiritual) seeds,” Southerland said.

Taylor, Southerland, McCall and Kammerdiner all agreed that the help of God, the city of Vidalia and local merchants were what made this event come together.

“We have businesses in the Natchez and Vidalia areas that have come on board and really helped us out in putting this on for free,” McCall said.

McCall said those planning to attend the weekend’s activities might want to bring along their lawn chairs and some money for refreshments and band merchandise that will be available throughout the weekend.