Mama's Love to 'spread the joy'

By: JENNIFER PAXTON

Posted: 11/29/07

Friday night, students can "come get some mama's love" downtown as a young Athens-based band performs its homegrown tunes at The Library.

Four University students play in Mama's Love - lead singer and rhythm guitarist Thomas Galloway, bassist Patrick Atwater, drummer Ben Torbert and lead guitarist Taylor Knox. Keyboardist William Boyd completes the quintet.

Mama's Love thrives on a love of music but also believes music can inspire an atmosphere of positive change in the community.

"We love playing music, but you can use that joy you get from playing music to convey a positive message," Atwater said.

All of the members hail from Atlanta, where they each studied music in high school and played in various short-lived bands. Mama's Love was born - although under the title Funkward Bound - in the fall of 2006 when Torbert and Boyd traveled to the Classic City to perform before permanently uniting here in 2007.

As for the apt name change, Atwater said it was inspired by a slogan found on the wall of The Georgia Theatre.

"Going up the steps of the Theatre is a slogan (that reads) 'make mama proud.' We really liked the essence of that saying, and we made it our own into Mama's Love," he said. "It's a good vibe that we like to put into our music."

MAMA'S LOVE

With Anjeco and Bobby Cool
When: Midnight
Where: The Library
Cost: Free
More Information: www.mamaslove.net

The group's music blends elements of rock, funk and soul in both original tunes and classic rock covers and has been a hit with fans at the 40 Watt, Tasty World, The Georgia Theatre and The Library.

In October, the band got its first bittersweet taste of a sold-out music festival after being selected as part of the lineup for the newly formed Echo Project in Fairburn, Ga. The lineup for the festival ranged from local acts such as Mama's Love and a variety of other Athens bands to nationally touring, multi-platinum bands.

"It was great to play in the midst of some of our musical heroes," Galloway said of the experience. "But it was humbling, because in a way we were at the bottom of the line, but we got a good crowd and hopefully gave them a good show."

As a way to combine its fondness for both music and goodwill, the band created a student organization called Mama's Community Love, which takes profits from fundraising events and concerts which are then donated to various community service organizations.

"Our love is music, and that's why we play. We hope to spread the joy that we get from music to as many people as we can," Atwater said. "The benefit shows are a way to channel that positive energy toward people who are in need."

Mama's Love has no plans to stop spreading that energy anytime soon. The post-graduation plans are to continue the band with as much ambition as before.

"We're going to try to get some tours going regionally, and hopefully expand it out further as far as we can," Gallo-way said.