Soulful Southern folks

TAD TAYLOR, For the Herald-Journal
Published October 14, 2005

It is not profanity; it is an acronym.

With musical backgrounds ranging from McGraw's formal music education to Annabelle's Kentucky musical upbringing, prolific songwriter Matt, Annabelle's husband of 21 years, has a formidable creative network to bring his songs to fruition, and a solid band whose creative contributions play increasing roles on an upcoming CD to be released likely late this year or early 2006.

Already a part of the "Spartanburg Bands Together" benefit concert in Barnet Park in September, the group returns to the stage for a second round of relief with "A Benefit for Gulf Coast Relief" at 2 p.m. Saturday at The Music Camp.

Question: When and how did The DAM Combo come together?

Annabelle Ranck: It came together, I guess, around 2001. We had previously put the band Perry Road together here in Spartanburg and Don was the bass player that we picked up during that time … Don's a good friend of ours and we began to like each other a lot, he and I and Matt, and he just kept coming over for dinner every Wednesday night and all of a sudden we decided we should be a band.

Q: What is the band's stylistic core and, generally speaking, when does music become distinctively Americana or folk music?

AR: I think Americana is a place where people put their music when they don't want to be classified as anything else that's already out there. I would say -- now I'm sure that all three of us think differently about this … but I would like to think it's folk, because I just happen to lean that way. ... However, I'm a vocalist, so I listen to words. When Matt listens to a song, he listens to the melody line first. Everybody listens differently, I suppose.

Q: What are the differences between The DAM Combo in the studio and on the stage?

AR: In the studio it's a bigger sound. Now ... I don't really think that you get our full potential until you see us live, and that comes from the fact that we are having a good time, and we like each other.

Q: How significant a role does storytelling take in your performances?

AR: I think it's everything for me. I don't think it's everything for Matt, as he will begin the song while I'm trying to explain it (laughs). Some songs don't need to be explained, however … what happens when you do that is you bring the audience into your story. Sometimes your songs aren't quite that obvious, and sometimes there's a story behind the song that they're not going to get if they just hear it, which is fine.

Q: What are the band's recording and touring plans?

AR: We're recording right now -- we have been recording -- we're close to the end of it at this point, I hope. We're doing it ourselves so we're taking our own sweet time, because basically we get together every Wednesday night and just have a real good time, so as long as it takes is as long as it takes. We're in no hurry.

Q: What would you like to see The DAM Combo accomplish?

AR: I think if it all had to end right now, I'd just be as happy as I can be. I think doing the same thing we've been doing would be great.

Q: What makes Spartanburg unique artistically and musically?

AR: I haven't been in a place that has so many musicians; period, and then of such a different spectrum in such a tiny little place. Not to say Spartanburg's tiny, but … everybody you meet is a musician.