waverly Archive

Music Finds a Home in Waverly, AL

Words and photography by Jones Willingham

The first thing I noticed about Waverly, Alabama, is that it takes forever to get there. You’re on Highway 280, the hell among highways, for a solid hour and a half — ebbing and flowing through towns like Childersburg and Sylacauga and eventually hitting a whole lot of nothing. Then you turn off of the highway, seemingly in the middle of nowhere; little do you know that you’re about to enter an oasis for live music.

15 minutes northwest of Auburn, Standard Deluxe exists as a peculiar but incredible institution for live music, art, and so much more. Established in 1991 by owner and president Scott Peek, the halcyon property seems like your grandfather’s friendly farm in the country. However, Standard Deluxe offers much more than initially meets the eye; for nearly two decades, Standard Deluxe has hosted artists such as Jason Isbell, Charles Bradley, Hurray for the Riff Raff, and countless others that have made the pilgrimage to Waverly, AL for the Old 280 Boogie, which is a festival that brings hundreds to… [read more…]