Southern rock gypsies Tishamingo reconvene in the homeland

A little twang goes a long way, sometimes all the way out west.

Tishamingo's roots are in Athens, Ga., but their branches have spread wide. Lead man Cameron Williams now calls Aspen, Colo., home, and bassist Chuck Thomas hangs his hat in Telluride.

After three albums and eight years of touring, Tishamingo's four core members split off last year to pursue new projects. Drummer Richard Proctor soon will graduate from seminary, while guitarist/keyboardist Jess Franklin tours with country act Brantley Gilbert.

"We love making music together, but it's been nice to branch out," says guitarist and singer Williams, balancing Preview's phone call with his duties managing the live music at a food and wine festival in Aspen.

"The fun thing is that now, we're not trying to make payroll, pay for the van and that kind of thing," he says. "We get to go out and play the places we love, like Charleston and Atlanta and Italy. I think everybody's pretty happy doing that right now."

Tishamingo's current four-show Southern tour concludes in Destin, Fla., where Williams plans to take a brief fishing vacation deep in the crook of the panhandle at Alligator Point, the namesake of the band's last studio album, "The Point."

From there, the group flies to Italy, where they've garnered a following over five years of playing various summer blues festivals.

Tishamingo's four original members last played together at the Daytona 500 in February 2008. Whether they're playing for racing fans or high in the Italian Alps, the energy behind their driving rock, slipping smoothly between wailing electric guitar and organ-laden grooves, remains consistently soulful and genuine. When Williams lays fingers to neck and rips into a blazing guitar riff, it sounds like home to any Southerner in the audience.

Charleston is a homecoming of sorts for Williams, who spent enough time here last year to be mistaken for a local. His haunts? "(Fiery Ron's) Home Team BBQ. The food's amazing," he says. "And Fuel, with the bocci (ball court) in the back. I have a really good time eating there."

Williams was last in town just a month ago, playing with Sam Holt (Outformation) at The Brick as the duo S.C.A.M.

Tonight's show at The Pour House is significant: It's not only Tishamingo's second concert in more than a year with their original four (they played Atlanta on Wednesday), but also marks the return of pianist Jason Fuller, who played on the band's first two studio albums. He's since toured with Ween and the Last Waltz Ensemble.

"We really wanted to make this special, and we thought having him along would make it unique," says Williams. " 'The Point' has parts with Jess and I both on guitar, plus keys, so that'll give us a chance to reproduce it even more like it sounds on the album."

Williams promises they'll be digging out some deep cuts from early tours and breaking out some exciting covers, such as The Band's "Chest Fever."

"Everybody's got a couple of songs they're talking about wanting to introduce," says Williams, who flew into Athens on Tuesday to rehearse. "Maybe we'll even run some stuff at sound check and add some brand new songs to the repertoire."