Musician's project looks at rich history of Moving Star Hall

By some accounts, it's been on Johns Island for 100 years.

The sentiment behind Moving Star Hall always has existed though.

Community outreach.

It was the place where you registered to vote on the island. Attended literacy programs. If you didn't have the money for a relative's funeral, you could have it there.

"A real mom-and-pop operation," said Bill Carson.

Then and now, it has helped to document music made on Johns Island.

In the 1960s, Guy and Candy Carawan recorded "Been in the Storm so Long." The African-American music stood for what was happening in the Lowcountry: the civil rights movement. The music, which was recorded on Smithsonian Folkways, has left a lasting impression. Guy Carawan recorded "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" on Johns Island, and it was then taken to the Highlander Center in Tennessee. He will be honored with a tribute show in Los Angeles in the fall.

In Carawan fashion, local musician Carson and photographer Molly Hayes set out to document the music being made on the island today. "I liked the idea of looking at how the sound of a community has changed over time. Johns Island works well because it's an island. And there was great documentation 40 years ago."

Now it encompasses many genres to represent the growing and diverse population. "We found folk, Michael Trent, Mexicans, teenage heavy rock."

To showcase what they've found, there will be community picnic Saturday at Moving Star Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

With the urging to bring a covered dish, Carson hopes to bring the community together with its music. Performing are the Manna Life Center Praise Ensemble, Men's Choir of Wesley United Methodist, Cary Ann Hearst, Michael Trent and The Butterbeans.

One of Carson's favorite discoveries was El Grupo de Suelo de San Luis Potosi. Its members, mostly brothers, hail from Mexico but have been on Johns Island for about 10 years.

Carson's findings ran the gamut.

"I went to Johns Island Presbyterian. It's the oldest church on the island -- they're rooted in Scottish history and have bagpipes -- and I asked around about bands. I was told about a family member's 17 year-old hard-core metal band. I jumped at the chance to meet them, did, and they sounded like a 17 year-old hard-core metal band. They're figuring it out. I'm not a record scout. It's a cultural thing. No matter what, I'm finding something interesting."

Carson and Hayes are in the process of setting up a website with the musicians and the portraits of them shot by Hayes. Their long-term hope is to produce a book and CD of the music of Johns Island.

Carson did have doubts about the documentation.

"My question going into the project was, 'What if I encounter music I don't think is good?' But every experience has been insightful."