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Revitalized Guitarist Back On Stage

Photo from Jim Rhoades

The Crystal Beach String Band will be at the Witch's Brew, 1219 Florida Avenue, Palm Harbor, Saturday, August 16. From left, members are Gregg Dobbins, Sharon Naumann, Elan Chalford, Doug Naumann and Jim Rhodes.

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By Cheryl  Bentley | The Suncoast News

Published: August 16, 2008

After playing professionally for 20 years, guitarist Jim Rhodes was burned out.

He had chalked up impressive credits as one of the two members of Rhodeside Band. They included opening at Ruth Eckerd Hall for rock legends Jethro Tull, recording four CDs and playing in Pinellas clubs, including Red Fish, Blue Fish and Thirsty Marlin.

The band broke up when his partner moved. Rhodes made no attempt to find a replacement. He was tired. "For six months, I didn't pick up my guitar," he recalled.

That changed when he met some fellow musicians at Crystal Beach, a gulf-front hamlet between Tarpon Springs and Palm Harbor. They go to the beach there to jam and play the music they love. In the process, they have become friends.

One of them, Sharon Naumann, a long time autoharp player with Palm Harbor-based folk music band Southwind, told jazz and rock musician Rhodes he had actually been writing folk music with a rock beat all along but was simply unaware of it.

Through the beach musicians, Rhodes found out about a folk music festive in Dunnellon and decided to attend it. He played and received positive feedback. "I felt like I had found the roots of my music again, what I loved."

The music took him back 35 years ago when he played the coffee houses in Santa Barbara, Calif. "People wanted to hear words and music. They didn't just want to hear something with a beat they could dance to," he said.

Rhodes and other musical beach-goers have formed the Crystal Beach String Band. It debuted at The Witch's Brew, in Palm Harbor, in June and will be there again tonight, Aug. 16.

The other members of Crystal Beach String Band are: Naumann, autoharp; Gregg Dobbins, banjo; Doug Naumann, standing bass; and Elan Chalford, fiddle.

Dennis Devine, whose numerous instruments include guitar, mandolin and dulcimer, will perform with them. Devine has played with Sharon Naumann in Southwind.

"He's multi-instrumental, and he's got a lot of charisma," Sharon Naumann said of Devine. "He's just plain good."

Their repertoire includes folk, bluegrass, blues, and a little gospel and country. They intend to play at several Florida folk festivals every year. Folk music fans are loyal, Rhodes said, and will drive long distances to attend a festival.

The band has a repertoire of 75 songs with lyrics ranging from soul searching to social protest themes. "They're songs you don't get much of a reaction to at a bar with audiences who want to hear "Margaritaville," Rhodes said, referring to Jimmy Buffett's signature hit.

The music is appropriate for all ages, he noted. "You can bring your kids to the show. You can bring your 90-year-old parents to the show."

The lowdown

The Crystal Beach Spring Band will perform 8 - 11 p.m. today, Saturday, at Witch's Brew, 1219 Florida Ave., Palm Harbor.

Cheryl Bentley can be reached at 727-815-1069 cbentley@suncoastnews.com.

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