We know the Atlanta BeltLine bus tours are a great way to tour the massive redevelopment project’s reach in the city, but it may come as a surprise that they’ve also been a source of creative inspiration for some fans of the Atlanta BeltLine. For Alan Thornton, that’s exactly how the song “Never Alone on the BeltLine” was born!
Alan, his wife Terri Thornton, and the rest of their band, Woven Pines, have been playing together for a few years. Consisting of Alan on ukulele and harmonica, Terri on bass, Bill Brady on guitar and ukulele, and Zac Denton on fiddle and guitar, the Americana plays band a monthly show at a Tucker barbecue restaurant, which includes an open mic for ukulele players, as well as festivals, and even churches.
When Alan took the Atlanta BeltLine bus tour, it left such an impression on him that he penned “Never Alone on the BeltLine” shortly after. They got the band together to record the song, and it worked so well they started planning the video shoot. They shot the video over 5 – 6 trips to the Eastside and Westside Trails, including a misty Sunday morning in Historic Fourth Ward Park.
Now, the video is making its internet rounds, even earning a shout-out from Atlanta BeltLine visionary Ryan Gravel:
When asked why Woven Pines wanted to perform a song about the Atlanta BeltLine, Alan said it’s because the 22-mile corridor “makes the city feel smaller.” Terri said:
“Every time I went to the Eastside Trail to shoot, I’d see something else I never noticed before, like the giant pinwheels. And some things I expected to see had changed. It was a lot of fun.”
The couple said that the band felt inspired because the Atlanta BeltLine is “about the connections you make.” Indeed, they attracted a small outdoor audience during the shoot, and were able to attend the event that Art on the Atlanta BeltLine artist Julie Ann McKevitt threw for the community to celebrate her mural and met lots of folks in the West End.
These connections that we make on the trails and in the parks are some of the reasons why the Atlanta BeltLine is where Atlanta comes together. It’s great to see community love from folks like Alan, Terri, Bill (who edited the video) and Zac reminding us that we’re never alone on the Atlanta BeltLine!
Watch the video below, and visit the YouTube page for full lyrics.
