20 South Productions Inc.     Honeybirds

 

Honeybirds 

Based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia, the Honeybirds combine country, bluegrass, folk, and old-time rock and roll to create a band steeped in classic American music. Led by renowned singer-songwriter Jan Smith and complemented by a versatile group of area instrumentalists, the Honeybirds’ diverse catalog and wealth of live experience enables them to please clients ranging from newlyweds at wedding receptions to promoters for summer festivals.

"They set the perfect mood for our wedding rehearsal dinner in the Virginia mountains. The little ones, the thirtysomethings, and the old-timers alike all had a great time. I honestly could not have asked or hoped for a better evening," says Skip Maier of Bluemont, Virginia, who hired the band for a private party.

The Honeybirds offer several different lineups, ranging from a delicate acoustic duo or trio perfect for a small wedding, to a plugged-in electric quartet or quintet for larger parties and outdoor shows. The band can even add a pedal steel or banjo player to fit the specific tastes of any country or bluegrass fan.

With a repertoire that varies from the timeless “Walkin’ After Midnight” to more contemporary hits, the Honeybirds can craft a set list that satisfies young and old.

Listen to these songs:

Passionate Kisses ~ Walkin' After Midnight ~ Johnny B Goode

Still The One ~ Friend of the Devil ~ When You Say Nothing at All

Honeybirds Song List

Above and Beyond (Buck Owens)
Angel From Montgomery (John Prine, Bonnie Raitt)
Big River (Johnny Cash)
Blackout Blues (Bob Wills)
Blue Bayou (Roy Orbison, Linda Ronstadt)
Blue Moon of Kentucky (Bill Monroe)
Blue Ridge Mountain Home (bluegrass standard)
Buckets of Rain (Bob Dylan)
Carolina In My Mind (James Taylor)
Country Roads (John Denver)
Fever (Peggy Lee)
Foggy Mountain Top (bluegrass standard)
Forever and Ever, Amen (Randy Travis)
Forever and For Always (Shania Twain)
Forever (Ben Harper)
Forever Young (Bob Dylan)
Friend of the Devil (Grateful Dead)
From This Moment On (Shania Twain)
Georgia (Ray Charles)
Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)
Hava Nagila
Hey, Good Lookin’ (Hank Williams)
I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You (Elvis Presley)
I Feel the Earth Move (Carole King)
I Need Attention Bad (Ernest Tubb)
I Will (Beatles, Alison Krauss)
I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight (Dylan)
I’m Alright (Jo Dee Messina)
If I Needed You (Townes Van Zant, Don Williams)
If I Should Fall Behind (Bruce Springsteen, Faith Hill)
Jambalaya (Hank Williams)
Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry, Buck Owens)
Kathy's Song (Paul Simon)
Love (John Lennon)
Love Me Tender (Elvis Presley)
Love's Gonna Live Here Again (Buck Owens)
Me and Bobbie McGee (Kris Kristofferson, Janis Joplin)
Moon Dance (Van Morrison)
Not Fade Away (Buddy Holly)
On the Road Again (Willie Nelson)
Orange Blossom Special (traditional bluegrass)
Passionate Kisses (Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter)
Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash)
Rocky Top (Osborne Brothers)
Roseville Fair (Nanci Griffith)
San Antonio Rose (Bob Wills, Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline)
Shoot the Moon (Norah Jones)
Shower the People (James Taylor)
Sleepwalk
Still the One (Shania Twain)
Take It Easy (Eagles)
Tennessee Waltz (standard)
Turn Me On (George Jones, Norah Jones)
Walkin' After Midnight (Patsy Cline)
Wear My Ring Around Your Neck (Elvis Presley)
When I’m 64 (Beatles)
When You Say Nothing at All (Keith Whitley, Allison Krauss)
Where You Lead (Carole King)
You Send Me (Sam Cook)
You’ve Got a Friend (Carole King, James Taylor)

Plus:
Variety of fiddle tunes and instrumentals
Jan Smith originals upon request

Accolades:

I wanted to thank you again, so very much, for the beautiful music on Saturday night at the wedding. Although my head was in a million places, a could hear your sweet music that helped bring me back down to earth! It was so wonderful having the opportunity to
have [your band] play at the celebration!
Rebecca Tweel, bride, Charlottesville, VA

The band was perfect. Josh and Rebecca, as well as guests, enjoyed their music. They were very pleasant and easy to work with.
Lynda Tweel, mother of the bride, Charlottesville, VA

Thank you for helping make our wedding such a special time. Your music was perfect! And you got some new fans out of the deal, too!
Susan and David Holtzman, bride and groom, Hillsboro, WV

I am not sure if you remember me and my wife, Alyce, but you performed at our wedding on November 1st, 2003 at the Mark Addy Inn in Nellysford. I hope you are doing well. We often think of you, listen to your music and remember how much excitement and fun you added to our wedding.
Andrew and Alyce McCoy, bride and groom, Blacksburg, VA

You guys were more than we expected, EVERYONE there LOVED the music! We're still getting compliments, and people asking where they can get a CD.
My mom was especially touched that you went the extra mile and (on the fly) looked up the lyrics to Forever Young. You really made her day with that one.
Hunter Pruitt, bride, Scottsville, VAI am e-mailing to thank you for a wonderful performance last night. I've been looking through the completed feedback evaluations and almost everybody commented on the great music selection. So thank you for a job well done!
Carrie Petersik, intern, Ernst & Young, Vienna, VA

It's been about a month since our wedding and as I listen to "Don't Give A Woman Your Guitar" on my iPod, I'm taken back to the cocktail party after our wedding where Jan Smith and her partner played for our guests. Her music created the exact mood we were trying to achieve - relaxed, yet festive, and a feeling of home (Charlottesville, VA). It was a perfect way to begin an evening of celebration.

Jan was incredibly accommodating, responsive, and professional. In fact, she and her partner even played a song just for my husband and me after the guests went into the ballroom for dinner since we were busy taking photos during the cocktail hour. They were already packing up, but took the time to unpack and play us a song. That was by far one of my favorite moments of the evening.
Michelle Tolbert, bride, Charlottesville, VA

My 20-month-old son is dancing with a HUGE smile on his face to your music right now! :) Song just ended and he yelled .... MORE!! MORE!!
Shannan Barber, mother, Richmond, VA

My wife and I made a special point of hearing your performance Saturday at Floydfest, having heard you and Jeff least year at the same site. You two have a wonderful sound. We were especially moved by your new song about old love and dancing in the kitchen.
Bill McIlwain, fan, Floyd, VA

They set the perfect mood for our wedding rehearsal dinner in the Virginia mountains. The little ones, the thirtysomethings, and the old-timers alike all had a great time. I honestly could not have asked or hoped for a better evening.
Skip Maier, groom, Bluemont, VA

Jan & Jeff are amazing musicians! They played and sang beautifully for my daughter's wedding ceremony at The Colonnade Club. So many guests commented how much they enjoyed their music. It was a perfect selection of bluegrass, traditional, and contemporary. I'm still humming "I Will". Both are true professionals and Jan was a delight to work with on the arrangements.
Jan Silverman, mother of the bride, Charlottesville, VA (Aug 23, 2008)

Jan and the whole Honeybirds band did a *GREAT* job. Everyone absolutely loved them, and danced up a storm. We were not the easiest people to deal with-- we had a
problem getting my grandmother to the ceremony site so the whole thing
started quite late, my sister had some technological needs for her video
presentation, etc-- and Jan dealt with all of this in a completely gracious
fashion. We also really appreciate that she and her husband recorded a
version of our first dance song so that we could practice, and that they
learned the Hava Nagila for us.

In sum, the Honeybirds were absolutely fantastic to work with, and I would
be happy to recommend them to anyone else looking for a super wedding band.
Jennifer Rubenstein, bride, Luray, VA (Sep 8, 2008)

Everything went perfectly, we couldn't be more pleased with how the music turned out for our wedding! Our guests were particularly impressed with the quality of the music -- the main comment my uncle (who happens to have four daughters who have all recently been married) said to me that night was that "this is the best wedding band I have ever heard....and I of all people know a LOT about wedding bands!!!" I also
had several emails from friends after the event asking again for Jan's name so that they could download her music to listen to. Jan was incredibly easy to work with and everything was all set up and ready to go as scheduled. I would certainly recommend Jan Smith and/or the Honeybirds for any event -- we also would highly
recommend to download their CDs from Itunes -- we've really enjoyed listening to her music and now those albums will always have special memories for us when we play them in the future!
Amy Jost, bride, Keswick, VA (Nov 10, 2008)

"Thank you so much for playing on the patio today. We had a lot of nice comments and all of the staff are big fans of your music. You really made an impact on our sales in the restaurant."
Chris Straker, Restaurant Manager, Omni Charlottesville Hotel (Apr 18, 2009)