When Greenville wisely decided to move the annual Fall for Greenville festival from early October to Nov. 8-10, there was at least one musician scheduled to perform who fully supported the idea.
Country singer-songwriter Conor Clemmons, who was able to rearrange his schedule to perform at Fall for Greenville on the new dates, was actually caught in the middle of Hurricane Helene and saw its destructive capability firsthand.
“There’s actually a national story that’s running on Fox News that features me,” Clemmons said. “We got caught on I-40 and had to sleep overnight on the interstate because we had flooding all around us and we couldn’t get anywhere.”
The experience taught Clemmons an important lesson that he promises to carry with him to his Greenville performance.
“What I do for a living is fun. And it’s also a moment for people to let loose and relax,” he said. “So being able to come back to Greenville means you’re bringing joy and happiness and a moment of ease to a community of people who genuinely need it, not just people looking to have a good time.”
It’s interesting that Clemmons talks about learning a lesson from his Helene experience, because his new single, “Growin’ to Do,” is a honky-tonk raveup all about learning lessons as you grow older, punctuated by the chorus, where Clemmons sings “This great big world will be right here waiting on you/ While you’ve still got growing to do.”
Clemmons said he looked to his grandfather for inspiration while writing “Growin’ to Do.”
“My grandfather just turned 95 years old this past July,” Clemmons said, “and I just reminisced about stories that he would tell me. My grandfather is still doing new things and growing and experiencing and it never ends. And so I wanted to make it an anthem for all of us to remember to take a second and live in the moment and know that there are still more days to come.”
“Growin’ to Do” features prominently in Clemmons Fall for Greenville setlist, but beyond that, he’s remaining tight-lipped about the show.
“This show is like nothing I’ve done before,” he said. “It’s so energetic from start to finish, and everything has been intentionally placed. There’s some really special moments that I cannot wait to reveal. I’m very excited about it, and I can’t wait for Fall for Greenville and to put this show into the world.”
Visit fallforgreenville.net for Conor Clemmons’s showtime and stage location.
