CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce's Triple B Cook-off, founded in 2001, started as part of the former Family Fun Day festival in Old Spanish Trail Park.

Organizers almost canceled it after low attendance in its second year, but a large turnout for the Spanish Trail Cruisers Club's downtown 2002 car show spurred organizers to move the barbecue festival's venue.

Since then, Triple B has been a cooperative effort between the chamber of commerce and the Main Street Crestview Association, with the city's assistance.

This year's festival is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 28 on Main Street.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B: Almost canceled event now city's largest attraction

CRESTVIEW — Guitarist Brandon Day and singer Shea Bryant, who've made music together for four years, will perform a 2 p.m. set during the Triple B Cookoff March 28 on Main Street.

Day, who also performs with Superface, is a Lexington, Ky., transplant who enjoys everything from rock and roll to blues, bluegrass and jazz — "I love to dabble in all guitar-friendly styles," he says.

Bryant, a Sylacauga, Ala., native and off-and-on Fort Walton Beach resident, loves 1970s and '80s rock, blues and some country and grunge.

Together, they plan to perform 1980s country, rock and oldies during the Triple B Cookoff.

Q&A

How did you two meet?

SHEA: We met at a bar (where) he was playing. I got up and sang "Strawberry Wine," and not long after that we started singing together.

BRANDON: I have been a working musician for over 20 years. I met Shea at one of my gigs almost 4 years ago.

 What's the most fun you've had on stage?

SHEA: I was able to sing with Brandon's band, Superface, about a month ago at Helen Back in Crestview and I had so much fun. I've never sang with a full band before, so it was very exciting.

BRANDON:  I have been playing (professional gigs)  for over 20 years and love every minute of every gig I have ever been fortunate enough to play.

What's your musical instrument of choice?

SHEA: I don't play guitar or bass, so the tambourine would be my instrument of choice. I also enjoy the chicken shake (an egg-shaped rattle).

BRANDON: Guitar has always been my favorite instrument, because in my opinion it is the easiest instrument to demonstrate emotion with.

What do you like to do off stage?

SHEA: I love to watch movies… Red Box, the theater and at home. I'm addicted to Candy Crush (the Facebook game), so I play that all the time, along with several other games. I love to get outdoors as often as possible as well. 

BRANDON: I enjoy traveling, spending time with family, friends and my dogs.

What's your crowd-pleasing 'go-to' song?

SHEA: We have a few that usually bring the house down. "Brand New Key" by Melanie; "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" by Tom Petty, featuring Stevie Nicks; and "Boondocks" by Little Big Town.

BRANDON: So many to choose from, but I love to play songs that I have written because it seems more natural to put a point across when (I) have lived it and written it. It just feels more personal.

So when you're cooking, what's on your barbecue grill?

SHEA: Our barbecue grill hasn't been used in quite a while, but when I do use the grill, I prefer charcoal and to smoke the food with hickory. Such a great flavor.

My favorite dish to cook, as well as Brandon's favorite to eat, is roasted red pepper chicken fettuccini alfredo. I also like to cook soup. Potato, and soup a la cabinet, as I call it, which is a soup with whatever I can find in the cabinets!

BRANDON: Chicken, chicken, chicken!

MORE INFORMATION:

For videos of Shea Bryant and Brandon Day performing, see:

"Gimme Back My Heart": http://bit.ly/1xvjUBC

Jimi Hendrix to Led Zeppelin montage: http://bit.ly/1HXuCHf

"Sleepwalk": http://bit.ly/1xbK9Cy

Email Editorial Assistant Renee Bell, follow her on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B: FWB couple to perform country, rock and oldies

Welcome to the city of Crestview and the exciting Triple B Festival! (It's scheduled for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 28 on Main Street in Crestview.)

You will find the tastiest barbecue here, accompanied by outstanding bluegrass music and the best of the Blackwater River — all in our historic downtown district on Crestview's Main Street.

Enjoy the day with your family, try the many varieties of barbecue, and don't be afraid to tap your toes to America's most authentic music.

Our hospitality is second to none, and we are sure you will be planning another visit real soon to the Hub City of Northwest Florida.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B: Crestview mayor welcomes cookoff attendees

The Okaloosa Sound — hitting the south stage at 1:30 p.m. Saturday — blends vocals, drums, bass and guitar for covers and originals, everything from fun to soul.

Members are vocalists Stephanie Soul; Josh Carter, guitar and bass; Adriel Wilson, drums; John White on keyboards, bass and vocals; Joseph Pizzaloto, guitar and bass; and Max Kipnis, guitar, bass and vocals.

Though unscheduled, as of this writing, the following groups also have confirmed performances:

•Crestview's Corey Black, Black and Co.:  Expect a "mesmerizing, mind-boggling melange of mystery — it's magic!"

•Crestview duo Blackbird: Fresh voices featuring harmonious blends, soulful sound and eclectic style

•Gordon Martial Arts students and their instructors will give demonstrations.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B: The Okaloosa Sound, locals and more to entertain festival goers

You're invited to the biggest event in Crestview: the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce’s Triple B Cookoff! (It's scheduled for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 28 on Main Street in Crestview.) 

This family-oriented, all-day event draws approximately 12,000 people to Main Street.  There will be numerous vendors and competitors there with their great barbecue, great music and fun for the family! 

I would like to thank the chamber members, staff, sponsors and partners that are committed to being part of this great event for our community to enjoy; and I hope to see you there!

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B: Invitation to Crestview's biggest event

CRESTVIEW — The “bluegrass” B in the Triple B Cookoff's name is safe, but these days, it might also stand for simply “bands."

Triple B organizers want live performances that appeal to more attendees. And, as the event continues to grow and draw attendees from beyond Crestview and Okaloosa County, “we wanted to reach out to a broader audience,” Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce executive assistant Jennifer Pierson said.

REVFEST INSPIRATION

Pierson, who worked on festival budgeting and entertainment scheduling, said some of bluegrass bands were beyond the chamber’s Triple B budget.

However, having worked with RevFest — the Fort Walton Beach regional art and music festival — she was familiar with other bands suitable for Crestview’s cookoff, and saw a way to kick up the event’s entertainment without breaking the bank.

The result is exciting, Triple B Chairman Derek Lott said.

“We’ve got some real good bands this year,” he said. “The music talent part is great. They’re pretty big bands along the coast.”

BLUEGRASS ROOTS

While new bands to the Florida Lottery stage bring what Pierson describes as “jam-funk” and a “modernized ‘50s and ‘60s kind of sound," the event still honors its bluegrass roots.

Dismal Creek, of Santa Rosa Beach, boasts “an unlimited arsenal of bluegrass traditionals and old-time favorites,” the band's Facebook page states.

Vocalist and guitarist Jim Hall, banjoist Rick Stanfield, mandolin player and vocalist Neil Sebree, and upright bass player and vocalist Dub Bryant say their influences include, among others, Del McCoury, Hot Rize, Seldom Scene, Bill Monroe and Capt. John Hartford.

Their interests always include playing music almost everywhere imaginable: “front yard picking, backyard pickin’, in-house picking, basement picking, mountain top picking, desert picking, field picking, boat picking, steam powered pickin’, river pickin’, and car pickin’,” their Facebook page states.

SOUTH STAGE

Music bookends the Triple B, with the Florida Lottery Stage set up across from the Okaloosa County Veterans Memorial and the South Stage between Coney Island and Casbah Coffee Company on Main Street.

That stage traditionally features local acts, including rising stars, duos, gospel quartets and student groups. Its entertainment is organized by the chamber’s Arts and Culture Committee with the local Friends of the Arts' assistance.

Pierson said "there’s a little bit of everything for everybody."

“We like the idea of having more than bluegrass,” Lott said. “You may not like what I like and I may not like what you like, but at the end of the day, there’s lots of good music and people walking up and down the street enjoying it.”

ONLINE

For more on Dismal Creek, see http://dismalcreek.com, Facebook.com/dismalcreek and www.reverbnation.com/q/5og7gw.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.                 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B: Diverse entertainment styles to enjoy at this year’s barbecue festival

Editor's Note: Dismal Creek's performance  is 11 a.m. March 28 at the Triple B Cookoff on Main Street in downtown Crestview.

Your Facebook page states Dismal Creek "set out to bring their mountain roots to the beaches of the Panhandle and beyond." Which mountains?

Jim Hall, our guitar player, is from Denver, Colo., originally. Dub Bryant, our bass player, is from the north Georgia foothills of the Appalachians. Neil Sebree, on mandolin, is from the Appalachian hills of Ohio … I was born and raised in Missouri in the mystic Ozark mountains. No place I'd rather be!

Your group had big wins in the Seventh Annual Beachcomber Music Awards March 2 in Destin. Best Bluegrass Artist; Best Country Artist; Best Folk Artist; and for you, Best Instrumentalist and Musician of the Year. How'd you celebrate?

 I'm gonna have to redirect questions pertaining to the night of March 2 to our lawyer.

What do you think it is about your music that strikes a chord with your fans?

I think people can appreciate the honesty of string band music, and that it brings everyone back to a more simple time. And it's just good old-fashioned party music!

What can Triple B attendees expect?

 A song about the old cabin home. Moving away from the place you love and coming back to find they tore it down and built a 7-Eleven.

What's your favorite Northwest Florida venue?

Grayt grounds in Grayton Beach. RIP. (The Grayt Coffee House closed its doors on March 15.)

What do you guys enjoy doing off stage?

Jim likes romantic walks on the beach, Neil likes sailing and competitive wing eating. Dub is into drag racing and monster trucks and I spend most of my time on farmersonly.com.

What's next for the group?

I tell ya, we got the release of an album coming out in the next month containing traditional bluegrass tunes, then later this year we are releasing an album of original material; several tours and bluegrass festivals. I ain't had this much fun since the hogs ate my brother!

ONLINE

For more on Dismal Creek, see http://dismalcreek.com, Facebook.com/dismalcreek and www.reverbnation.com/q/5og7gw.

Email Editorial Assistant Renee Bell, follow her on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B: Q&A with Dismal Creek banjo player Rick Stanfield

CRESTVIEW — This year's Triple B raffle started with a barbecue grill.

It was a seemingly simple, commonsense raffle prize for a barbecue festival.

And then it grew.

And it grew.

And it grew some more.

After Triple B Cookoff Chairman Derek Lott, of CCB Bank, secured the donation of a $350 stainless steel Better Homes and Gardens gas grill from Wal-Mart, it seemed the task was done.

“That’s how it started,” Lott said. “Then every month, I thought, just to make it a little more exciting, we went to different sponsors to see if they wanted to get their name out there.”

As Wal-Mart had already contributed a grill cover and grill utensils, Summerlin Truck Outfitters added a $250 Engel Deep Blue cooler to the package.

Soon, other area businesses jumped on the chance.

Hub City Ford provided a selection of gourmet meats from Carroll’s Sausage and Meats Country Store.

Publix supermarket added a $50 gift card.

Lott’s bank chipped in a $100 VISA gift card.

Saturday, someone will reap the rewards. Raffle tickets cost $1 each and are available at the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce office, 1447 Commerce Drive, next to the Community Center.

They'll also be sold during the event at the chamber’s booth near the Florida Lottery stage.

Proceeds benefit the chamber’s nonprofit programs that support the community and its member businesses, including public events such as the Triple B and fall Wine Gala.

“You got a super-good grill. You got meat to throw on it,” Lott said. “You got a super-good cooler. You got gift cards to buy whatever else you need. All you need is friends and you’re good to go.

“And you’ll have 12,000 of them on Main Street if you win.”

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B: The grill raffle that grew

CRESTVIEW — As Tucker Ewing, Mike Ingram and Charlie Buice prepare for their 12:30 p.m. Saturday performance, they're putting finishing touches on their first album.

The Rips' debut album, which is all about vintage surf rock, is scheduled for a spring release. Copies will be available in early April at their upcoming shows, and on iTunes.

And the Destin band's anticipation is building.

"We are incredibly excited about this album," Ewing said. "(It) will really showcase our sound: classic and vintage, yet original and catchy."

Q&A

Where are you from?

Tucker Ewing, lead vocalist and bass guitarist: Born and raised in Colorado; lives in Santa Rosa Beach. Mike Ingram, vocalist and electric guitarist: Born and raised in Destin. Charlie Buice: Born and raised in Fort Walton Beach.

(To the vocalists) With the guitars, beards and matching sunglasses, I have to ask: Are you guys related? Ha ha! We have no blood relation, but we certainly feel like family!

How long have you been making music together? Charlie and Mike have been playing in different bands together for years. And after meeting Tucker in November of 2014, The Rips were formed.

Why did you become a musician?

Tucker: I remember being captivated by bands and musicians at a young age, and knowing that I wanted to be on stage.

But the real turning point for me was when I started writing my own music. At that point, I quickly realized that singing and playing my own music was my favorite thing in the world.

What's in store for Triple B attendees?

Our tunes are inspired by music from the 50s, 60s and 70s, meaning, our sound has vintage guitar tones, catchy grooves and sticky melodies that you can't get out of your head.

What's your favorite song to perform as a guitarist? As a drummer?

For all of us, playing songs that we wrote is the most fulfilling. 

What's next for The Rips?

The future is looking very bright for us. We will be playing locally along the Gulf Coast through the summer, and then we will begin doing small tours starting in the fall.

From there, we plan to keep traveling, writing and recording, as much as possible.

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

See The Rips' photos, videos and performance dates at www.facebook.com/theripstunes and www.theripstunes.com.

Email Editorial Assistant Renee Bell, follow her on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Triple B: Surfer rock group to play before new album drops