CukoRakko Music & Arts Festival Announces Final SpringFest Lineup March 13, 2016 19:35

Photos by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

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CukoRakko Music & Arts Festival is pleased to announce it's official lineup for SpringFest, which is scheduled for Friday, May 13th - Sunday, May 15th at Horse Pens 40 in Steele, AL.  SpringFest will feature as diverse and exciting of a lineup as we have seen from CukoRakko thus far, including the likes of Zach Deputy, McLovins, Col. Bruce Hampton & The Madrid Express (w/ Carter Herring), Funk You, Mother Funk, Rollin' In The Hay, Soul Mechanic, Permagroove, URI, Blackberry Possum, Mr. B & The Tribal Hoose, Tragic City, Jess Goggans Band, Omari Jazz, Raquel Lilly, & Rattlesnake Rattlers. 

We recently caught up with CukoRakko's co-founders, Greg Entrekin and Jamie Glass, to learn more about the vision of CukoRakko, the background and history of Horse Pens 40, and what we can expect from the upcoming SpringFest.

Let's talk about the beginning phases of CukoRakko.  How did this idea come about, and when did it begin to come to life?

Greg:  The idea of CukoRakko came about over a round of disc golf on a Sunday in July of 2013.  We each had been serious road warriors throughout the years in pursuit of the best music and venues.  We discussed how the dynamic of travel had changed with age, especially after having children.  We wanted to continue to be able to enjoy the arts in a way that had been accustomed, except a lot closer to home and with more of the people that we love.   The festival came to life the following Monday.

Jamie:  As Greg said, this all started over a game of disc golf.  We were reminiscing about The Horde Festival, Panic shows, and the music scene in Birmingham. We both had been seeing live music since our teenage years.   We talked about how your circle of friends in the music scene gets smaller as you get older and people start having children.  We both agreed that what Birmingham needed...what WE needed was a friends and family festival where we could bring our families and where kids of all ages are welcome. And as Greg said, the idea started becoming a reality the next day.

There is a clear focus on CukoRakko being a family-friendly event, bringing together like minded people of all ages.  How important is this element of the overall vision of this festival?  

Greg:  We declared the theme of the festival to always be “friends and family.”  It gives us the opportunity to show the value of the small festival in terms of individual engagement, family participation, and overall quality of experience.  Children are able to play with one another in a pristine environment and the adults are able to show the children the right way to interact with one another.  Profound!  Never underestimate the positive camping experience for a child!

Jamie:  Bringing together family and friends is the most important element of CukoRakko!

Horse Pens 40 is often referred to as "Alabama's best secret".  It's a truly unique location, full of an endless amount of history.  How did this relationship with Horse Pens come about?  What makes this such an ideal location for CukoRakko?

Jamie:  Greg attended Red Clay Revival at Horse Pens 40 in 2012 where he met the Schultz family.He couldn't forget the incredible energy of that place and introduced me to the family soon after.  During my first visit to Horse Pens, I learned that the Creek and Cherokee Indians signed a peace treaty on the grounds of the property. It's also the venue of Emmy Lou Harris' first paid performance.

Horse Pens 40 has an incredible natural amphitheater surrounded by 600 million year old rock formations. It is located on the top of Chandler Mountain, the third highest elevation in the state, which provides for some incredible views and ideal camping weather.  That's why Horse Pens 40 became home to CukoRakko.
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Greg:  The relationship to Horse Pens 40 goes back a long way for many people.  It is socially a very old place, and as Jamie said, it is located on the third highest point in the state of Alabama.  It boasts of a boulder field with some of the oldest surface rocks in the Northern Hemisphere.  Because of its acoustical qualities and history of bluegrass music, Horse Pens 40 is listed in the Alabama State Legislature as the “Home of the South’s Bluegrass Music.”   I was able to experience bluegrass, native and fall festivals there as a child.  My parents also visited there as children.  Horse Pens 40 definitely has that “friends and family” X factor of incredible energy for sure.
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Your lineups continue to improve, bringing together a diverse group of many of the most exciting up-and-coming artists.  Your most recent lineup additions include Zach Deputy and McLovins, two nationally touring acts who are no strangers to the festival scene.  What led you to these two final additions?
 
Greg: It simply doesn’t get much better than Zach Deputy, especially for a grass-roots event such as CukoRakko. We feel like Zach is a perfect fit for this lineup.  I was talking with Jamie about hosting McLovins back in 2013 after watching their stage footage for Gathering of The Vibes on Youtube.  They feel like a natural selection for our lineup at CukoRakko. This band has an incredible young edge for their presentation.  They are like the youngest oldest band touring!  Unless someone has already seen them live, people have no idea what kind of treat they are in for!  Fortunately, the same goes for the other sonic and mixed media artists one will encounter over the weekend; original quality mixed with sincerity and lots of fun.
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For all future updates on CukoRako, make sure to tune in to the festival's official Facebook page.  Enjoy a taste of the SpringFest lineup by watching a sample of videos that we have included from this year's performers below.
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Zach Deputy - "Twisty Twisty"
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McLovins - "Talk About It" > "Gold In The World"
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Col. Bruce & The Madrid Express - "Space Is The Place"
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Funk You - "Supernatural"
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Mother Funk - "Yeti"
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Rollin In The Hay - "Miracle Ticket"
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CukoRakko would like to thank it's generous local sponsors, who continue to allow this event to become a reality, while making a positive impact on the community.
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