There is a soundtrack of summer on Hilton Head Island. Across our beaches, it’s the steady rush of the surf, with the cawing of gulls overhead. In the marshes, it’s the nightly chorus of frogs croaking to one another through the Spartina grass towering over their heads.
But nowhere does summer sound sweeter than at Coligny Center Stage. Above the gentle echo of the beach’s tidal rhythm, it’s heard in the rustle of palmetto fronds dancing in the breeze, the laughter of children between slurps of an ice cream cone, the hum of families enjoying some well-earned time together, and the buzz of local businesses entering the busy season.
This summer soundtrack will reach its crescendo every day at 6:30 p.m. when Coligny’s Summer Music Series brings a fresh act to the main stage. More than just a schedule of performances, this series is a celebration of the island’s rich musical culture, with a lineup of musicians who have played their own indelible part in our community’s song.
“We’ve always prided ourselves on our commitment to our island’s local musicians,” said JR Richardson, whose family founded Coligny 70 years ago. “There’s a rich heritage on Hilton Head Island of fostering talented musicians. We consider this our opportunity to show them off to the thousands of visitors and locals who make us part of their summer.”
The lineup for Coligny’s Summer Music Series always represents a cross-section of the best players in town, and in this year’s Platinum Jubilee summer they have pulled out all the stops.
Jevon Daly
On Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, kids of all ages will make their way to the stage for the always-popular Jevon Daly Kid’s Show. Side-splittingly funny, wonderfully interactive, and fueled by Daly’s celebrated musicianship and boundless creativity, this show has become a treasured tradition. Kids get to join Daly onstage, sharing what their superpower is and making music of their own. It’s those kids, and the parents who get to be a kid for a few hours, that have brought Daly back year after year.
“Families come back every year and they have their ‘Sharks Are Our Homies’ shirts on,” said Daly, referencing both his signature song and his penchant for merchandising. “I’m kind of a part of their family for a week then they get to give me back to mine. It’s my dream.”
Nick Poulin
The two halves of the incredibly popular local duo Pretty Darn, renowned for their unique blend of heartfelt tunes and magnetic stage presence, bookend Daly’s Wednesday shows, with Kyle Wareham performing Tuesday and Nick Poulin performing Thursday. Each gets a chance to showcase their solo shows, blending originals and covers in a style all their own. On Saturday, Mike Kavanaugh takes the stage, pulling from his incredibly deep setlist of more than 750 songs to put on another in a string of legendary shows that have been keeping island toes tapping for decades.
Mike Kavanaugh
Rounding out the lineup, on Monday nights, John Cranford and Eric Reid will showcase their versatile musicianship. As half of the iconic island band Cranford Hollow, their performances as a duo carry the DNA of their band’s Southern rock, dialed down to a blissful acoustic sound.
“The Coligny Center Stage shows are some of my favorites of the year,” Cranford said. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase both original and cover music to a huge variety of tourists from all over the world.”
Each musician brings their own signature sound to the Summer Music Series, adding to a soundtrack that’s unmistakably Coligny.