Roofer in Hanahan, SC

Musicians and business owners across the Charleston area will be celebrated for their achievements at the annual Lowcountry Music Hall of Fame.

The idea to create a local celebration for the area’s musicians came from Michael Davis in 2015. Davis owns the 25-plus-year-old Ye Olde Music Shop in Hanahan. The store is advertised as the largest Gibson, Fender, Martin, Taylor and Paul Reed Smith dealer in South Carolina. Davis was inspired by his business and customers to create a new Lowcountry tradition that went beyond his beloved shop.

The Hall of Fame has inducted several well-known Charleston artists, as well as some “unsung heroes” who can benefit from the recognition. The inaugural ceremony in 2015 inducted local music stores, politicians and music schools, with the tradition continuing into 2023.

The Lowcountry Hall of Fame will introduce 15 artists, business owners and radio personalities into the 2023 catalogue.

Attendees can enjoy food trucks, music mastery and good times with local music lovers at the induction ceremony for the 2023 Lowcountry Music Hall of Fame at 1 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Hanahan Amphitheater, 3100 Amphitheater Ave.

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While we’ve honed in on the best records to come out of South Carolina this past year, we’ve also tasked our writers with sharing their favorite discs to come from outside of the state.

Here are the picks for 2023 albums released by artists outside of South Carolina.

Vincent Harris

Betty LaVette: “LaVette!”

God bless the voodoo-voiced singer Betty LaVette. Not just for her spellbinding vocal performances, but for her taste in songwriters. For her album “LaVette!,” the singer has chosen a worthy but unheralded writer: Athens, Ga.‘s own Randall Bramblett. Randall has spent five decades or so churning out album after album of sharp, grown-up rock ‘n’ roll, and LaVette digs in with confidence and gusto, taking classic rumbling Bramblett rockers, like the piercing “See Through Me” and “Hard To Be A Human,” and turning them into a smoky jazz ballad and a horn-spiked soul revue, respectively. It’s an unlikely pairing to be sure, but LaVette makes these unsung compositions her own.

U2: “Songs Of Surrender”

Roll your eyes if you must, but U2’s “Songs Of Surrender” was one of the most compelling releases of the year, simply because of the context. One of the world’s biggest bands takes some of the biggest and most beloved songs from the back catalog, songs that seem etched in stone like Zeppelin or The Beatles, and reimagines all of them — turning “One” into a sparse, piano-driven torch song, “Where The Streets Have No Name” into an icy and dark synth epic and “Beautiful Day” into a echoing pop maelstrom that’s a million miles away from its original anthemic arrangement. There’s a sentiment among some musicians that the best songs can be stripped down to just a voice and acoustic guitar. With “Songs Of Surrender,” U2 proves a good song can withstand just about anything.

If you’re catching our Best of SC Music 2023 edition, then you’ll see the records voted the top 20 out of South Carolina this past year.

But what about the albums we loved that missed the cut? Here, our writers share their picks that didn’t quite make it into the top 20 and why we think they still deserve some recognition.

Charleston Scene

Vincent Harris

Hirow, EL and Ivory Keys: “One Spliff And Three Minorities”

An EP came out in August that quickly established itself as one of the most interesting local releases from the 2023 Charleston music scene. A trio of hip-hop artists, Hirow, EL and Ivory Keys, collaborated on the EP, released under the title “One Spliff And Three Minorities,” which is also the name of the group. The EP immediately envelops the listener in its atmosphere with a dark and cinematic sound. Skeletal, low-tempo electronic beats anchor the songs’ moody twists and turns through movie-score string arrangements, muted bass lines and a generally haunted feel. The three MCs shadowbox each other throughout the song, dipping into their verses with lines like: “One too many shots I turn into Keith Urban” and “Stuck inside a house like I’m Macaulay Culkin,” which drift up out of the hazy, seductive feel of the music, turning the tired cliché of rap boasting into something funnier and more universal.

The Travelin’ Kine: “Ride”

The first two tracks on veteran Charleston sextet The Travelin’ Kine’s new album “Ride,” released in early September, will feel like home to longtime fans. These two tracks — “Again” and “Mean It This Time” — are right in the band’s wheelhouse. Singer and guitarist Slaton Glover’s rough-hewn vocals and heartfelt lyrics fit perfectly over the band’s deft mix of Americana roots music and country. The album’s producer, Josh Roberts, seems to be everywhere these days; he just finished producing and playing guitar on Columbia folk singer Danielle Howle’s new album “Current,” and he leads his own popular rock band, Josh Roberts & The Hinges. The sound Roberts and the band created on “Ride” definitely has a little more muscle than the 2016 debut album “Change In The Wind,” but these opening tracks sum up The Travelin’ Kine’s familiar easy-rolling sound.

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Hundreds gathered in Hanahan on Saturday for a full-day affair dedicated to honoring the nation’s veterans.

Several community members say it is vital to prioritize our Lowcountry military before, during and after their service.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Navy Veteran Jerry Oldham says. “Right here. I’m one of you all, you’re one of us. We’re in this all together.”

After two tours in Vietnam and several years of service, Oldham now calls the Lowcountry his home.

He believes post-military resources didn’t always exist, but they are more important than ever.

“There’s more programs, opportunities, more things that look to help veterans today that weren’t there in the past.”

400,000 veterans currently live in the state out of 20 million nationwide, according to studies done by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

28% of them are experiencing a disability of some kind, whether physical or mental health-related.

Besides the day filled with speeches, songs, treats and trinket shopping, a handful of vendors were in attendance to support transitioning and post-service veterans.

“Whether it’s a lifelong career or just a few years, they come out different than when they went in,” City of Hanahan Mayor Christie Rainwater says. “They often need services and support.”

“Education, employment, nutrition, housing, social networking, all the different things which hug a veteran through their transition,” Palmetto Pathfinder Jean Brooks adds.

Palmetto Pathfinder is one of the many options available to veterans who need assistance.

It is a three-day mentorship program through the statewide Department of Veterans Affairs.

“A Pathfinder is a mentor for other veterans,” Brooks says. “We can speak to each other in our own language and provide resources.”

Oldham says it is heartwarming to see advocacy and celebration from the community in a time where it is becoming “less common.”

“It kind of hurts me sometimes, the things that happen today because people just don’t appreciate it.”

The City of Hanahan has been a long-time supporter with a population consisting of mostly military families.

They say they hope to continue to foster relationships and work toward making resources more accessible until the festivities start again next year.

“To those post-military, say ‘Hey, how can we support you, what are you in need of? You have served us, now we want to serve you.’”

For information on Veterans Affairs services, click here.

For information on the Palmetto Pathfinder Program, click here.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – (Tuesday, March 14, 2023) – Berkeley County, in partnership with the City of Hanahan, will celebrate the completion of Railroad Avenue Extension in Hanahan with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, March 17 at 10 a.m. The event will take place in front of the Hanahan Recreation Center ballfields across from Mabeline Road in Hanahan.

This critical road project, which was managed by the S.C. Department of Transportation, has been in the works since the 1990s. The County celebrated the project’s groundbreaking in spring 2021.

Kiewit Infrastructure South constructed the project, which consisted of extending Railroad Avenue from Mabeline Road to Eagle Landing Boulevard and adding a two-lane roadway along the eastern side of the existing CSX rail line, with a sidewalk along one side of the road.

The project provides a safer connection between North and South Hanahan. Specifically, drivers will no longer have to enter Rivers Avenue and cross the railroad twice; and first responder vehicles will also have a better and safer access to those communities, overall improving emergency response times.

This project cost an estimated $20.1 million, including approximately $16 million from Berkeley County’s One-Cent Sales Tax Program—specifically from the referendum voters passed in 2014—and $4 million from federal funds.

“This road extension project, which has been decades in the making, is a gamechanger for the Hanahan community and public safety. We are thankful to Berkeley County voters for approving the County’s One-Cent Sales Tax referendum and to Congressman Henry Brown for securing federal funds to pay for this long-awaited infrastructure project. We are confident the result will be faster emergency response times and safer travel for all.” -Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb

“Thanks to the perseverance and hard work of so many who have passed the torch of this much needed project, we are finally celebrating the infrastructure connectivity of Hanahan through Railroad Avenue Extension. I am grateful for the collaboration of many different agencies to make this happen. Hanahan is now safer, transportation is easier, and quality of life is better.” -Hanahan Mayor Christie Rainwater

The City of Hanahan will also host a “Meet in the Street Block Party” event at 5:30 p.m. on Friday to commemorate the road project’s completion. There will be a food truck and other festivities. For more information, go HERE.

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-Prepared by the Berkeley County Public Information Office-

HANAHAN, S.C. (WCIV) — A Hanahan family is getting an outpouring of support after losing everything in a house fire.

A fire spread through the Stewarts' Rembert Drive home Sunday in the blink of an eye. Neighbor Mike Hinson said he dropped what he was doing to help because he knew it was right.

"Meghan was in a panic," Hinson said. "I brought the kids in, found them something to watch on TV, and made them a little snack just to kind of get their minds off stuff."

A fire gutting their home is just the latest obstacle for Meghan had Bobby Stewart.

Read more: "2 mobile homes destroyed in Colleton County fire, investigation ongoing."

Meghan fought breast cancer for five years.

Bobby is recovering from surgery.

Long-time neighbor Hinson said he had to help his fellow neighbors, remembering the support the family gave him when his wife had cancer.

"Two years ago, my wife passed away, and so many people come together for me," Hinson said. "You can't give that back. She helped my wife, Sheila, get through it the best that she could. And we did the same for her, just returning what it is that we had borrowed."

His front porch is now a sort of landing zone.

People are stopping by with bags filled with clothes and shoes for the kids, toiletries, and other items.

Read more: "Firefighter falls through floor during house fire response in downtown Charleston: CFD."

All to make life a little easier for the Stewarts.

Hinson said this is what the Hanahan community is all about.

"These people right here are the people who are doing it for the right reasons," Hinson said. "You know, it's coming from the heart. All in all, if nothing else, they feel a lot of love."

A GoFundMe for the Stewarts was created. It can be seen here.

Hanahan ... home sweet home. I regret to say I wasn’t born here. But I sure got here as fast as I could.

Growing up in Hanahan would have felt like an American dream.

However, I truly believe that not growing up here has created a deeper appreciation for where I now choose to live and raise my family. While the location is ideal and central to the Charleston region, it’s the culture and family values that I treasure most.

Throughout this year, Hanahan has been celebrating its 50th birthday. This area was populated as far back as the 1600s, and one would find plantations where homes, parks and businesses now stand.

Sir John Yeamans founded Yeamans Hall, and brothers Arthur and Edward Middleton established Otranto Plantation to name a few of the first settlers.

After Reconstruction, the Charleston region grew, and so did its needs, especially for water.

To meet that need, the Commissioners of Public Works was established and purchased the Goose Creek Reservoir.

It later developed a vast system of tunnels and a pumping station to supply potable water to the region.

In addition to being a businessman and influential leader of this time, J. Ross Hanahan was named the first chairman of the Commissioners of Public Works. Upon his departure, the pumping station was named after him, and the area became known as Hanahan.

Schools were built. Business were created. Homes were established.

In September of 1973 (only a year after North Charleston officially became a city), the city of Hanahan was officially incorporated.

The city is still known for its award-winning schools, sports and community culture.

I recently co-authored a book called “Hanahan,” released by Arcadia publishing, as a part of its Images of America series.

When we met with people to learn about how Hanahan came to be, the stories weren’t just logistical. They were personal.

Stories of jumping off the train trestle into the water, dads coming home from work from the shipyard or paper mill, students at Senior Hill, first dates at the Arcadia Rollerdrome at Port Park, fishing at Mabeline Lodge and more.

Many stories started with “One time ...” or “Back in the day ...”

While the formation of the city itself is so important, just as important are the stories of the daily experiences of the people who became the city of Hanahan.

I began by referring to Hanahan as home sweet home. Many reading this will think of a place, a location, maybe even a house.

However, those who live in Hanahan know that home sweet home means the people, because through this extraordinary community one quickly learns that home is not a place but a person, or in our case, the people who surround us.

Christie Rainwater is Mayor of Hanahan.