WAIM #070 - Eddie White And Awendaw Green

Eddie White is the sort of man who never stops. By day, he is a dentist in the Charleston, SC area. Every Wednesday night is the impresario of the Awendaw Green, a spacious outdoor compound hosting live music every week unless there is a holiday or a hurricane. Eddie describes the Green as “arrogantly shabby”. It’s a perfect descriptor. Old instruments, broken bicycles, reclaimed lawn decorations and more hang from the trees overhead at Awendaw Green. There is a ramshackle splendor to the large open space under the trees and their massive ornaments. The green is littered with picnic tables, vendor booths, a wood fired pizza oven, a series of dire pits, and a huge stage fitted with yet more shabbily arrogant accoutrement. What Am I Making is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The Green began as a series of house shows and through Eddie’s ambition and never ending drive has become a weekly series of live music that draws well more than a hundred people each and every Wednesday. Of course, Eddie did not build this alone, nor does he manage it all himself. He has a crew of terrific volunteers that show up week in and week out to make the Green a reality. He also has had some help from a few famous friends in a little outfit you may have heard of called Hootie & The Blowfish. Ultimately, Awendaw Green is a space built around community. It might be forged on music, but the people are what keep Eddie so hard at work. We talk about the privilege of being able to give someone a transformational experience with a night of music and community. Eddie also shares how his Dad gave him a love for throwing a party and showed him the weird world of Renaissance fairies as a kid. Even during our conversation Eddie White is on the go. As we chatted, he headed off to Costco to snag more fixings for the pizza kitchen at the Green. You’ll hear a bit of digital dropout at a couple of spots during our interview, but don’t fret, we recover quickly. Here now is the whirlwind that is Eddie White, the man behind the amazing Awendaw Green. Enjoy.Cheers,Matty C Get full access to What Am I Making at whatamimaking.substack.com/subscribe