Fest's a family affair for Uncle Tom's Band

Toby Fuss lives in Wartrace and has for some time, but Saturday will be his first visit to the RC-Moon Pie festival in neighboring Bell Buckle. The New York native, his father, Tom Fuss, and James Bolin will be taking the stage throughout the day as Uncle Tom's Band.

"It's always on a Saturday and I've always had to work," said Toby, explaining why he's missed out on the annual celebration of those classic Southern treats, the marshmallow cookies and RC Cola.

But he and his dad's band -- Uncle Tom's Band -- will be providing some classics of their own.

"It's '60s and '70s classic rock 'n' roll music," he said. "Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Beatles ..."

Toby, 38, has been playing drums to his father's guitar work for most of his life. Bolin, who lives in Unionville and has a concrete company, plays bass -- but not ordinary bass.

"With only three of us, there's a lot we can't do," said Toby. "James fills on bass. He's really good. All he's ever wanted to do is play bass."

The band started up about five or six years ago, he said.

"People started to listen to that music a lot. It was on the radio a lot," said Toby. "It was stuff I had never played but always wanted to, so we thought, why not form a band? It works."

It really is a family affair, too. Occasionally Toby's mom, Sue Fuss, can be talked into singing along, usually to The Mamas and The Papas or Jefferson Airplane songs. Toby's son, Zach, 14, has already started sitting in when the band jams at home. Toby's father-in-law, Rocky Bynum, got them started with Beatles music.

"He said once we should learn Beatles songs -- everybody likes The Beatles. We gave him a surprise birthday party once. Our house is hidden up under the trees and you can't see it until you're right up on it. We told him we were out of town and asked him to come feed the animals," said Toby. "We were all set up and ready for him. We started playing Beatles songs as soon as he got there. Only Beatles songs."

Toby's wife, Emily, is supportive, but doesn't get to go to the band's gigs often.

"She gets enough of it at home," Toby said, laughing. "That's where we practice."

The band gets his name from his dad. When the family moved down from New York years ago, Toby, an only child, was suddenly surrounded by a mass of cousins.

"They were the only ones we knew down here, and they knew Dad as 'Uncle Tom.' Even before we started the band, they'd say, 'Let's go listen to Uncle Tom's band'," he said.

Everyone will get a chance to listen to Uncle Tom's Band Saturday, at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Bell Buckle.

SCHEDULED RC-MOON PIE EVENTS

9 a.m. -- Art & Craft Fair/Food Court -- Open All Day

9:30 a.m. -- Cloggers

10 a.m. -- RC-Moon Pie 10 Mile Race Awards

10:30 a.m. -- Bluegrass Express Cloggers

11 a.m. -- RC-Moon Pie Recipe Cloggers

11:30 a.m. -- Southern Country Cloggers

Noon -- Contests - Family who traveled the Farthest, Oldest Person Present, Youngest Person Present

12:15 p.m. -- Synchronized Wading "A Midsummer's Nightmare"

1 p.m. -- Uncle Tom's Band

2 p.m. -- Coronation and Opening of Olympic Games

2:15 p.m. -- People's Bank of Bedford County Games - Moon Pie Toss, RC Dash, Moon Pie Hoops, Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest, Hog Calling Contest

3:45 p.m. -- King and Queen select Knights. World's Largest Moon Pie Cut & Served by the King and Queen and Knights of the Moon Pie Round

4 p.m. -- Uncle Tom's Band