By Gary Reid
Way down upon the Suwannee River…as Stephen Foster’s “Old Folks At Home” goes, lays the community of Live Oak in Suwannee County, Florida. No doubt named for the evergreen southern oaks that populate the area, it is, in many respects, a sleepy little town that is situated in the northern part of the state, only one county away from the border with Georgia. Its origins date back to the days before the Civil War, when the area was a popular gathering spot for railroad workers. By the 1880s, Live Oak assumed the position as the county seat and began a period of brisk growth. Today, the town has a permanent population of about 7,000 residents. But a transient group of some 500,000 people visit the area every year—many of them lovers of bluegrass, old-time, folk, Americana, country, gospel music, and more!
The Spirit of the Suwannee Campground - Live Oak, Florida. Photo: Frank Serio
What is it that brings these masses of temporary inhabitants to Live Oak every year? Mostly it’s a series of events that take place at the Spirit of the Suwannee Campground located just north of town. Annual Spring and Fall bluegrass festivals that started in 1986 were soon augmented with larger Americana happenings such as MagnoliaFest and SpringFest; they caused the area to become well-known to legions of loyal music fans.
Live Oak has a rich musical history that far precedes the contemporary happenings of today. Next year marks the sixtieth anniversary of the launching of the Suwannee River Jamboree, the country music program that started the love affair with country and bluegrass music in the north Florida region that continues to this day.
