University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Yearbook (Oxford, MS)

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Before touring with Jewel and Train, former Ole Miss student Josh Kelley stopped off in Oxford to give a performance at the eighth annual Double Decker Arts Festival. by Robin Freeman The 2004 Double Decker Festival featured a lineup of talented musicians with rising new star and Ole Miss alumnus Josh Kelley headlining. Double Decker, now in its eighth year, has been a highlight in the community, always occurring on the last weekend in April. The day starts off with the Chamber of Commerce 10K run and 5K walk and ends with an evening of good food and music. After you start your day out with a run, catch a ride on the double-decker bus that runs through Oxford and the Ole Miss campus. Imported from England in 1994, it is how the festival got its name. Local artists and vendors bring their art to display and sell during the 12-hour festival. The sidewalks and streets are lined with booths and carts full of pottery, paintings, crafts and food, ready to appeal to just about anyone. Local restaurants set up booths to sell food, and shops on the Square open their doors and set up displays on the sidewalk making all of Oxford ' s finest accessible. The balconies that overlook the Square will begin to fill up as the day goes on. Once the night hits, they are full. Regular Double Decker attendees know that is the best places to be when the evening music begins. Musical performances that include all forms of music from bluegrass to jazz were heard on the two stages set up on the Courthouse Square. On the north end of the Square was the Budweiser stage and on the south end, the Coca-Cola stage. One of the more anticipated performances was by Josh Kelley. Before making it in the recording industry with a top 15 single, Amazing, Kelley was a student at Ole Miss and a member of the men ' s golf team. During his time at Ole Miss, he started recording his music on his computer at home. He put his songs on Napster to begin gaining recognition. He then sent his songs to Eric dinger, a representative for A R Records. Kelley signed with Hollywood Records in 2002 and began recording at the studio of John Alagia, who produced such artists as John Mayer and The Dave Matthews Band. Kelley ' s debut album, For the Ride Home, was released in 2003. Kelley found time from his touring with bands like, Third Eye Blind and Dave Matthews Band, and interviewing with Conan O ' Brien, to come home to Oxford and play. Recently, Kelley was asked if he had plans on returning to Oxford. I ' d love to, Kelley said. As soon as I get some free time I ' m going to call up some of the local places and see about arranging some solo acoustic acts. This year Double Decker proved to be, once again, a day full of enjoyment for people of all ages, and it still remains one of Oxford ' s best traditions. rocking th QUQfQ

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Red and Blue Week 2003 kicked off with Spring Fest and ended with the traditional Ole Miss vs. Ole Miss football game. red blue w eek 17

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Josh Kelley gets the Oxford crowd asking for more with his hit single Amazing.