Hahira, Georgia, August 27, 2026 — We got six fine songs about the crystal clear Ichetucknee River spring water with its wild turkey and deer flowing into the Santa Fe, and about the dark blackwater of the Suwannee River, with its gators, herons, ghosts, and memories.

“So fine, the organizing committee decided you can hear all six next month at the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, in WWALS River Revue” said Sara Squires Jones, Chair of the organizing Committee.

That’s 5-9 PM, Saturday, September 12, 2026, at the Lowndes County 4-H Club, in Lake Park, Georgia.

Six Songs: Bear and Robert, Saylor Dollar, Tom Brown, Sweet William Ennis, KC Nayfield, Robert Thatcher

“Before you hear the songwriters, you get a sit-down dinner with cash bar, two speakers, and a headliner, plus a silent auction,” said WWALS Board president Gee Edwards.

Read all about it here:

https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2026

“Your ticket or sponsorship or silent auction item helps with the advocacy and activities of WWALS,” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.

What happens when you cross a folkie with a bluesman? You get Bear & Robert (ro-bear): award-winning singer-songwriters Cindy Bear and Franc Robert. Their engaging performances blend Folk, Blues and Americana with resonator and acoustic guitars, expressive harmonica, rich harmonies and the occasional banjo.

“Mighty River” is a passionate call to action for protecting Florida’s beloved Suwannee River. Inspired by the river’s deep history, the people and wildlife who depend on it, and the growing pressures threatening its future, the song reminds us that we all have a responsibility to be stewards of this precious resource. With its powerful refrain, “We won’t give up on our river,” the song is both a heartfelt tribute to the Suwannee and an invitation to stand together to keep it wild, free, and flowing for generations to come.

Tom Brown is a retired educator from Whitfield County Schools. A founding member of the regional bluegrass band Spatial Effects, Brown has performed throughout the greater Northwest Georgia area for more than two decades.

“Suwannee, Roll On Slow, is a tribute to the history, culture, and the natural beauty of the Suwannee River. Portraying the river as a living story teller and a source of continuity.”

Saylor Dollar is a husband-and-wife duo from Tallahassee, Florida, comprised of lifelong musicians and Florida natives Lisa and Dale Dollar. They are known for their original songs and eclectic Americana sound infused with elements of bluegrass, folk, and blues.

“We wrote about the Ichetucknee River because Lisa has many happy memories of visiting the river with her family as a child. We wrote about many attributes of this beautiful river including that it comes from springs, it flows to the Santa Fe River, it is clear all the way to the bottom, and it stays a perfect 72 degrees. We wrote about many of the creatures that live in and around the river. We wrote about everything in the eco-system being in balance. We wrote about the soothing effects of being out in nature and gave a nod to the tradition of floating on the river. Lastly and very importantly, we wrote that we need to care for the river and the land and air around it.”

“Sweet William” Ennis is a singer/song writer who has lived in Palatka, Florida, for over three decades. His personally original songs written over the span of fifty years covers multi genres and subjects including the environment, love & war with a heavy dose of Blues. 2019 quarter finalist in the Memphis International Blues Challenge, 2021 Suwannee River Song Contest 1st place winner and 2018 Santa Fe River Song Contest 3rd place winner, Sweet William is very active in the Florida music community and recognized for organizing volunteer music events supporting soup kitchens, assisted living facilities and worthy fund raisers.

“Dark Black Water” is “Story of Native Americans’ fear of the Suwannee River Ghosts.”

KC Nayfield is a retired veterinarian and amateur singer-songwriter. My family has had a fish camp at the town of Suwannee since 1971. I am a Florida native from Eagle Lake.

“She Cries” is a bit autobiographical about my wife Marybeth falling in love with each other and the Suwannee back in the 70’s. We spent most of our weekends at Suwannee and raised two sons up there through the 80’s and 90’s. We still spend as much time as we can at our Suwannee house.

Robert Thatcher is a singer songwriter based in the Chattanooga area. “I enjoy writing about life on the Cumberland plateau and the Tennessee River.”

“My River Home” is a song about the rejuvenation of getting back to the natural beauty of the Suwannee River after being away in the city.

About WWALS: Since June 2012, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS) is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity working for a healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.

Mission: WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, in south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities.

Our Watershed: The 10,000-square-mile WWALS territory includes the Suwannee River from the Okefenokee Swamp to the Gulf of Mexico, plus the Suwannee River Estuary, and tributaries such as the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers as far north as Cordele in Georgia, as well as parts of the Floridan Aquifer— the primary water source for drinking, agriculture, and industry for millions of Georgia and Florida residents.

Suwannee Riverkeeper: Since December 2016, WWALS is the WATERKEEPER® Alliance Member for the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary as Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®, which is a project and a staff position of WWALS focusing on our advocacy.

Contact: John S. Quarterman
Suwannee Riverkeeper and Executive Director
song@suwanneeriverkeeper.org
850-290-2350

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