The George family roots go back to the Tennessee Variety Boys and the popular, accomplished guitarist and patriarch of the family, Mack George. Formed in late '40's, the Tennessee Variety Boys featured Wayne Owens, guitarist Johnny Gidcomb, and Mack George as rhythm guitarist and lead singer. In those days, schools were the main performance venues, a tradition in Tennessee counties like Marshall, back to the days of Dave Macon, who played the Farmington school. Often these Vaudeville era players would stay at private homes close by to play the rural schools and bring music to the masses. Tickets were sold, and such performers gave the schools a cut of the proceeds. Out of such a heritage, Uncle Ed Poplin of the Ed Poplin band out of Farmington performed on the Opry. In a way, Picker's Creek Winery is a community venue in the mold of those early rural performances.
And yet, people from all over the country come to hear the performers, who hail from everywhere. Bird and Bear, originally from Wyoming and Holland, now based in Nashville, were recently featured on National Public Radio's Tiny Desk Concert. The duo boasts over 500,000 music downloads. They are featured performers at Picker's Creek.
On a personal note, Picker's Creek Winery is a mom's answer to the question, "What are we going to do tonight?" Instead of the usual cookie cutter experience of the chain restaurant, I can slowly sip a glass of muscadine wine with a whimsical name (Rockabilly Red, $27.00) or the newest peach blend (Give Peach a Chance, $18.00), while my kids enjoy the picnic lunch I packed for them as the best bands in Nashville's eclectic music culture light up the night with sound, surrounded by rolling hills, seasonal foliage, and acres of grape vines, not to mention the biggest front porch for miles around. Picker's Creek is a community, a home for wine, song, visual art, and the creative spirit, but most of all it's a place where family is welcome, and that is the most magical aspect of Picker's Creek Winery.
The family heritage of the winery includes Phil and Lydia George, who left a thriving law practice in Smyrna, Tennessee, to pursue their dream, Phil’s brother David, who created the stained glass in the tasting room, and Phil’s brother, Kenneth, who also lives on the farm in the original house and manages the vineyard and the music venue. Kenneth can be heard some evenings doing a bit of tune-smithing himself. Picker's Creek Winery is located at 1986 New Columbia Hwy, Lewisburg, Tennessee, 37091 or you may vist at pickerscreekwinery.com