A new place that recently opened in Central Georgia, Twang, is the culmination of a series of serendipitous events for co-owners Tori DeGraw Jennings and her husband, Jerry Jennings. The Jennings are a newly-married couple, as well as new business owners and their new business is helping to revitalize enterprise in Payne City by providing the community with “Southern Tastes and Sounds.”
Prior to meeting, each had known about the other because both worked in the advertising industry: Tori was employed at WPGA-TV when the station was the local ABC network affiliate and Jerry worked for Autotrader. Each would relax and unwind at the old Shamrock Bar & Grill after work. After months of playing and working in the same circles, the couple finally met at Shamrock during the 2008 Bragg Jam and soon began sitting next to each other at the bar.
Tori and Jerry married in 2012 and it wasn’t long before they realized that one day they wanted to open some type of hospitality center in the area. They agreed that it would be the perfect goal for them for retirement, so they added it to their long-term “to do” list.
The Shamrock had been in Payne City since 2000 — five years before that it was located on Riverside Drive. The business permanently closed its doors due to the downturn in the Central Georgia economy in 2012, which created a window of opportunity for something new in the area.
About the Twang’s opening, Tori stated, “We’ve always had lots of family and friends in our home and would have 200 to 300 people over on occasion. Both of us enjoy entertaining and catering, so we knew that together we would do well in the hospitality industry. When the old Shamrock building became available, Jerry came up with this idea of securing the building and opening Twang.”
Twang: Southern Tastes & Sounds (as it is officially named) bills itself as the “best little juke joint in town” and offers down-home southern hospitality every day and live foot-stomping music every weekend. The menu of fresh regional favorites — or as the Jennings like to say “Signature Southern Staples” — includes daily specials for entrées and desserts and the food, which is off the chain, is reasonably priced! There are so many delectable selections that you might find making a choice difficult, but be sure to try a grilled pimento cheese with tomato and a bowl of those cheesy gouda grits during at least one meal at Twang.
A recent featured artist, contemporary organist Mose Davis, serves as the perfect example of the type of entertainment that graces Twang’s center stage.
Mose Davis and his crew appeared as part of an after-party celebration for an annual “Jazz & Arts on Riverdale” festival. Accompanying Davis at this concert were Chandra Currelley (vocals), Anthony Lockett (guitar), Marcus Williams (drums), and Larry Young (backup vocals). Check out these photos taken at their Twang’s set:
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