GOLOCAL
Jason (Dr. J) Slone
By Alaina Loughridge
Grab a beer and sit your ass in your beach chair, because I have got some
good island-style tunes coming your way! Perfect beach music - whether
you’re drinking margaritas at a tiki bar or have your toes in the sand, Dr.
J is the man and he will have you nodding your head and tapping your
feet to the beat. Not only can Dr. J, aka Jason Slone, slide you right into a
happy island music vibe, he’s also got a PhD and has written four books
on philosophy! I know, a unique combination, so let me explain. If Jimmy
Buffet and Socrates had a baby ... it would be Dr. J!
Born and raised in Ohio, Jason grew up in a musically inclined family and
started playing at 13 years old - everything from country to rock to blue
grass. He continued jamming throughout the years and after college spent
time living on a boat in Key West and working on Duval Street, then as a
regular entertainer on the party island of Put-In-Bay on Lake Erie in Ohio
(PIB is the “Key West of the North”). In 2015, Georgia Southern offered
him a position in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies and
Jason jumped at the chance to be on the coast and play music year-round
in Savannah and on Tybee. Now, happily ensconced in his teaching career
in Statesboro, Dr. J continues to follow his musical passions, and the good
news for Tybee is we can typically find Dr. J every weekend here at one of
our local feel good establishments.
Dr. J’s total laid back style and personality are pure Jimmy Buffett, but
that deep, raspy voice sets him apart from your typical Jimmy isms - and
his home-spun lyrics about life on the beach, on a boat, and in bars are
pure Tybee! Dr. J is not just a singer, but an entertainer, as he consistently
includes his audience in his sets (be careful - he’ll get you up on stage to
sing with him!) and he makes his shows like a group camp, where we’re
all gathered around the campfire laughing, drinking a Corona, passing
the hookah and having a good time. Dr. J writes all of his own songs
and considers himself, in the immortal words of Bob Dylan, “Not just a
musician, but a storyteller,” and when you sit down and immerse yourself
in the music, you know this story/tune/song actually happened.
With two full-length studio albums to his name, Salt in My Soul (All the
Colors is my favorite) and The Keys to the Bay (make sure you listen to
I’m a D.D. (Day Drinker) - Tybee’s new theme song), Dr. J assures me that
another album is on the horizon and we will be listening to his new songs
in 2020. In the meantime, you can find both albums on the usual suspects’
lists: Amazon, Spotify, and I-Tunes.
Dr. J also plays with a very talented sidekick and cohort in crime, Matt
Fallin, who rocks an island-style percussion set with Jason as the “Dr. J
Island Music Duo.” Matt also has a Doctorate degree (in Music Arts) and
so if you get a chance to see these two doctors jam together, it’s definitely
a not-to-miss opportunity. They not only carry a tune, but a conversation
as well!
If you are feeling really funky and want to explore Jason’s philosophical
side, he has written four books (go to Amazon and/or Barnes & Noble). To
give you a heads up, the first one is entitled Theological Incorrectness:
Why Religious People Believe What They Shouldn’t. So, yeah, definitely a
unique combination, but he makes it work! He tells everyone that Jimmy
Buffett is his favorite philosopher (followed closely by Zac Brown and
Kenny Chesney) and he’s even written a song about it called Jimmy Living.
If you are interested in seeing Dr. J, check out his September schedule
below. Dr. J is also available for private events and celebrations. For all of
the details, go to his website at www.DrJislandmusic.com and if you want
to discuss philosophy, be prepared. This man is a Doctor after all!
9/1 - Sunday Fun Day at The Deck, Tybee Island, 2-5pm
9/5 - Sunset Session at Bubba Gumbo’s, Tybee Island, 6:30-9:30pm
9/6 - Fannie’s On the Beach, Tybee Island, 7-10pm
9/8 - Sunday Fun Day at The Deck, Tybee Island, 2-5pm
9/12 - Sunset Session at Bubba Gumbo’s, Tybee Island, 6:30-9:30pm
9/19 - Sunset Session at Bubba Gumbo’s, Tybee Island, 6:30-9:30pm
9/20 - Gnat’s Landing, Statesboro, 10pm-1am
9/26 - Sunset Session at Bubba Gumbo’s, Tybee Island, 6:30-9:30pm
34 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | SEPT 2019
/www.DrJislandmusic.com