Little Gracie, one of the many hometown bands like Basically Nancy and Superhorse are being featured in this year’s Savannah Stopover. The band is set to perform for crowds of festival goers on Friday, March 11.
Playing a mix of Southern Rock and Blues and taking influence from jam bands like The Grateful Dead, Little Gracie is looking to bring a unique element to this year’s Stopover lineup.
In the last three years, the band has gone through a number of personnel and name changes. However, Little Gracie’s current lineup consists of a group of young and seasoned talent that have been working hard to bring their best.
Currently, the band is made up of frontman Frank Cardillo, guitarist Curry Jones, drummer Jet Schroeder and keyboardist Zeke Nichols.
The band’s name comes from the statue Little Gracie Watson, an iconic landmark who is buried in the Bonaventure Cemetery in Thunderbolt. The name “Little Gracie” was a way for the band to show their Savannah roots and upbringing.
“Me, a former bandmate and my friend Noah were taking a walk through Bonaventure and we came across Little Gracie. We thought that it would be a really good name for the band. So we went and pitched it to Curry Jones [Little Gracie’s current guitarist] and the drummer we had at the time. They liked it so we just rolled with it,” said Cardillo.
This year’s Stopover Festival will have over 30 bands coming to perform, and Little Gracie said that it’s an honor to be able to play their music and gain exposure.
“We know people like our music, so playing at Stopover is a great way to spread it around. Hopefully, more opportunities will come out of it,” said Cardillo.
Schroeder remarked that being one of the local bands selected to play at the festival is something that he appreciates.
Cardillo and the rest of the band also expressed their excitement about taking the big stage at The Georgia Railroad Museum.
“I’m really excited that we have an actual stage we’re playing on and it’s not just like a little bar,” Cardillo jokes.“We also have a solid setlist this year.”
The band’s set will most likely feature songs from their recorded album Dump Station.
Nichols, the newest member of Little Gracie, points out that although he gets nervous before a performance, once the music starts, he hits the ground running.
“The day before and the day of are when the nerves really hit me, but when I start playing I get an adrenaline rush,” said Nichols.
Schroeder added that being comfortable and having good chemistry with all his bandmates also makes playing in front of a crowd easier.
“I feel like we’ve been really improving during our practices recently, and everything is coming together,” remarked Schroeder.
Dump Station is available to stream on all platforms. You can catch the band jamming out at Savannah Stopover Festival on Fri March 11 at 5 p.m. on the Blacksmith Shop Stage.
