0

CRAVIN' MELON
8:00 p.m. on the Main Stage

Playing live is where Cravin' Melon is at its best, so it’s only fitting that the band’s history includes the story of its fans. From the fanatical FRC (Front Row Club) to newly indoctrinated “Melonheads” discovering the band, the age range of faithful followers spans three generations.

Instantly addicting, fun-loving melodies battered with swaggering southern charm is the classic recipe for a down-home party with Cravin' Melon.  The rhythm section of bassist Rob Clay, drummer Gary Greene, (former percussionist for Hootie and the Blowfish) and keyboardist Chad Barger, crank out the horse-power for the road-hugging vocals of lead singer Doug Jones, and the top-down guitar licks of Jimbo Chapman.

Cravin' Melon was formed at Clemson University on New Years Day in 1994, combining members from Doghouse and The Next Move. With only a few months of gigs under its belt, the band signed with Dick Hodgin's M-80 Management company and embarked on a rigorous two-year tour through the Southeast. On the strength of the band's energetic performances, Cravin' Melon sold over 20,000 copies of their indy release, "Where I Wanna Be."

With word on the street about the band’s live shows and an early cutting-edge presence on the internet, it wasn't long before the major labels came calling. In 1996 the band inked a deal with Mercury and in January of 1997 released “Red Clay Harvest.”  Constant touring coupled with the major-label release more than tripled the band’s sales base. The next two years saw them emerging as a Southern powerhouse. Cravin' Melon packed clubs, headlined the star-rich Jim Valvano Celebrity V-Jam, and pocketed the 1998 South Carolina Band of the Year Award, joining such previous recipients as James Brown and Hootie and the Blowfish.

Mercury then released "Squeeze Me," which included live renditions of fan-favorites recorded live at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach S.C.

Corporate takeovers, mergers, and general depression in the music industry led to the band’s exit from Mercury in 1999. Undaunted, the band turned to Greene and Barger and resumed their relentless touring schedule. The match was an instant success as fans were awed by the band’s energy level. In December of 1999, the band entered a small studio in Columbia S.C. to begin recording what has become its most definitive collaboration, “The Great Procrastinator.” The 12-song disc was an instant hit with fans and launched another touring assault that would take them from New Orleans to Rochester, N.Y., sowing new melonseeds along the way.

Although solo projects awaited and Doug and Jimbo would pair for acoustic shows, Cravin’ Melon played what appeared to be its last concert in May of 2001. It would be nearly seven full years before a Cravin’ Melon reunion. In 2009, that reunion path leads them to Greer, S.C. for Freedom Blast – and all Melonheads are welcome.