Funny thing about music: When you start playing, it just rolls on and on and on.
That’s what happened some time ago at Ford’s Tire Pros in Orangeburg, S.C., where Freddie Ford spends his days selling and servicing local and very loyal customers with the best in tires and vehicle service.
One night a week, though, Freddie turns his spacious showroom into a show room where a dozen or so professional and amateur musicians gather to trade licks, jam and generally have one heck of a good time.
It all started when Freddie and a friend started playing together as an after-hours hobby. Pretty soon another person joined, then another and another and another. The tight two-man group swiftly became a combo, then a quartet and now its nearly a full-fledged orchestra.
They play just about every kind of music around – from jazz to rock to country – often to a full house of folks who come in for the free music sessions. And everyone has a blast.
The Lug Nutz, as they have been labeled, have also left the safety of the shop for some local charity gigs and events.
But for these folks, it’s never been about selling tires. It’s been about using the power of music to relax after a tough day, make some new friends and share an interest that crosses age groups and backgrounds.
Check out the Facebook group "Jammin’ at Freddie Ford’s" for more information.
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The global Internet power struggles have reached the tire world…well, sort of.
Earlier this month, acclaimed restaurant review firm Zagat was bought by Google for a significant yet undisclosed sum….perhaps as much as $200 million, by some estimates.
Zagat’s, founded in 1979 by Tom and Nina Zagat, started out with printed restaurant and city guides, combining the experiences of their staff with input from consumers who visited the restaurants and gave their own views.
Google said it plans to integrate Zagat and its city survey strengths into its Google Places and Maps features as well as search results, and will continue publishing guidebooks as “a cornerstone of our local offering – delighting people with their impressive array of reviews, ratings and insights, while enabling people everywhere to find extraordinary experiences around the corner and around the world.”
There has been no word from the folks at Michelin, which also published well-known city and restaurant guides (not to mention its restaurant star system) on Google’s foray into its turf.
