Spring, 1988. A tall, lanky, dark-haired kid sits in the back of my creative writing class in Greenville, South Carolina. Johnny Burgin is a really fine writer, but honestly, he’s more interested in his guitar than he is poetry or fiction. All he talks about are his guitar lessons and how he’s picking up the blues and how much he loves to play. He tells me he’s been accepted to the University of Chicago. I warn him to bring a heavy coat. He says he’s taking his guitar with him. I figure I’ll never see Johnny Burgin again, because when you’re a teacher, that’s what happens with students. They flash briefly across your life, then disappear. Oh, you might bump into one or two here or there, at the gas pumps or in a restaurant, but most of them evaporate like busy ghosts. s off to raise his daughter…

Scott Gould can be forgiven for plot structures that are a little too on the nose and convenient. The events that unfold in his book, Peace Like A River (Regal 2025),  are neatly stacked, making the story feel a bit contrived. He can also be forgiven for being a trifle too liberal with endowing each and every character with some quirk. The formula chaffs; indeed, it compromises Gould’s ultimate thesis, which, in the end, very much manages to transcend stylistic choices and blossom into a poignant and, in this day and age of father-knows-nothing, timely rallying cry for the uncompromising importance of being a dad and what that means in terms of navigating death, aging, guilt, and loss while at the same time summoning up the guts to be hopeful despite it all.

The Metropolitan Arts Council (MAC) celebrated its annual meeting and awards ceremony on March 10 at the Gunter Theatre in downtown Greenville, highlighting significant achievements from 2024. MAC’s total assets grew by nearly $1 million, surpassing $6 million, while substantial grants totaling over $600,000 were distributed to local arts organizations, individual artists, and schools. Additional funding of $110,000 supported major institutions like the Peace Center and Greenville Symphony Orchestra, and the Greenville County Museum of Art received $10,000 for art acquisitions. Greenville Open Studios showcased 157 artists, attracting over 27,000 visitors and generating nearly $435,000 in sales. MAC also recognized outstanding contributions to the arts with various awards, including Scott Gould receiving the Carl R. Blair Award for Commitment to Arts Education. The nonprofit continues its mission to support and preserve cultural arts in Greenville County through extensive funding, programs, and events.

The story follows the author’s journey to Tennessee to visit the legendary "World Headquarters," a rustic backyard cookhouse and gathering place built by songwriter Phillip Lammonds. Lammonds, a well-established country songwriter, moved to East Nashville after years of traveling between the Carolina coast and Music City. Inspired by the devastation of a 2020 tornado and the isolation of the pandemic, he built World Headquarters from salvaged materials, creating a unique, welcoming space where songwriters, musicians, and industry insiders gather to share stories, food, and music.

During the visit, the author experiences firsthand the warmth and camaraderie of Lammonds' world. He explores the songwriter's home, filled with vintage guitars, joins him on a visit to Music Row, and witnesses the slow, intentional rhythm of his creative life. As the evening unfolds, a growing crowd of songwriters and industry figures arrive, drawn by the promise of Lammonds’ barbecue and the shared love of storytelling. Conversations flow, music fills the air, and the gathering embodies the deep connection between food, music, and community.