< Previous30 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2022 CURRENTS | MUSIC A ‘FRESH’ TAKE Island singer and songwriter reflects on first solo tour and the future story by SARAH GRUNAU | photo by STUART VILLANUEVA “T he show must go wrong,” is- land singer and songwriter Lyda Plummer told herself in the middle of her first musical tour. Plummer, 26, traveled alone through three states during that first tour — The Fresh Tour — playing six shows from July 22-30 this year. Plummer, who hit a personal landmark of creating and sharing music for 10 years this summer, was born and raised on Galveston Island. She has been performing under the artist name Lyda since she began per- forming in different musical venues. “I got my start singing in church, but my first solo opportunity was at MOD Coffeehouse,” Plummer said. Plummer, an alternative acous- tic artist, has played at MOD Coffeehouse in the island’s down- town for years, and credits the popular gathering place for being a big part of her development as an artist. She released her first CD album, “Paper Heart,” in 2016. After years of performing locally, her first musical tour took her to four different venues in eight days. She started off her tour in Lafayette, Louisiana, where she performed at The Wurst Biergarten. Next, she performed in Orange Beach, Ala- bama, where she performed two shows in two days. Then she was off to Nashville, a favorite of hers. She finished off her tour in La- fayette, where she performed July 29 and 30. “It was a solo journey for me,” Plummer said. Plummer was met with several mishaps, including car troubles, on her solo road trip, but those were all just part of the journey, she said. Those mishaps haven’t discour- aged her from plan- ning another tour in the future. “When I per- formed a show in Nashville last year, I fell in love,” she said. “It just instantly felt like home to me.” Plummer released her new single, “Fresh,” in October. “The Fresh Tour” this summer was meant to promote the release of her new single. She plans on moving to Nash- ville to continue pursuing her music career in the near future, and anticipates playing different venues around the city often. “Doors just open for you in Nashville,” Plummer said. But while big dreams lie ahead, Plummer gives credit to her island hometown for the evolution of her musical career. “It was a solo journey for me” LYDA PLUMMER During the summer, Galveston singer/songwriter Lyda Plummer, 26, traveled alone through three states performing her first musical tour. COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2022 31©2022 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. 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Anaward-winningroboticsprogramwithlocal,state, andworldchampionshiptrophiesisjustoneofthe educationalofferingsthatsetsourdistrictapart. elevatingthefuture,onestudentexperienceatatime. learnmorebyvisitingwww.gisd.org.34 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2022 CURRENTS | BOOKS STORIES TO TELL Fifth-generation islander writes about the people and places of Galveston story by TRACE HARRIS | photo by STUART VILLANUEVA J an Johnson is a fifth-generation Galvestonian — and proud of it. Her family has been in Galveston since the late 1800s, some working the railroads. Some of her family organizing a benefit for Texas City in 1947 after an indus- trial disaster sparked by the fire and explosion of the SS Grandcamp killed from 400 to 600 people and injured as many 4,000 others. A noticeably intoxicated Frank Sinatra attended the ben- efit, she said. Johnson worked as a tour guide during the 1980s and ’90s, getting to know every corner of the city she loves and calls home. “One day, a friend of mine said, ‘You know so much about Galveston, why don’t you write a book about it?’ and that gave me the idea to share my knowl- edge of the city with others,” Johnson said. Johnson’s first book, “Walking Historic Galveston: A Guide to its Neighborhoods,” was pub- lished in March 2009. The book took a look at the interesting sights and history of every street in downtown Galveston — and even got a recommendation on the back from KPRC-TV Chief Meteo- rologist Frank Billingsley, who has kept a home on the island for years. Johnson’s second book — “Beyond the Beaten Paths: Driving Historic Galveston,” published in April 2013 — picks up where the first left off, tak- ing the reader from the eastern tip of the seawall all the way to Jamaica Beach, giving a full look at the island. “In my first book, I want- ed to lay out a walking tour for readers, but I knew in my second book, that to show the rest of the island, the reader would need to take their car,” Johnson said. For her third book, “Unfor- gettable Galveston Characters,” Johnson took a step back from focusing on the sights and architecture of Galveston, and focused on those who made the city one of a kind. The book also received a foreword from Billingsley and was released in September 2018. “I decided to take the book in a different way than the other two,” Johnson said. “The first two were about what to see and visit, but this was about the historic families who made their mark on the city.” The book examines char- acters involved in financing the Texas Revolution, concert pianists, and survivors of the devastating 1900 Storm in Gal- veston — just to name a few. To follow up on her layout of “Unforgettable Galveston Characters,” Johnson focused on those who died and survived though a silent epidemic in the 19th Century — yellow fever. “I was so surprised that nobody had thoroughly studied the impact yellow fever had on Galveston,” Johnson said. “I decided to cover the topic, but avoid the confusing medical terminology for the reader.” “Yellow Fever on Galveston Island” explores the mysterious disease that emerged in Galves- ton in 1839 and the 4,000 lives lost between that year and 1867. By the time of the last epidemic in 1903, residents were pre- pared to fight it. Johnson pointed out several characters highlighted in her book, including Dr. Carlos Juan “One day, a friend of mine said, ‘You know so much about Galveston, why don’t you write a book about it?’ and that gave me the idea to share my knowledge of the city with others.” JAN JOHNSON COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2022 35 Finlay of Cuba, who discov- ered the disease was spread by mosquitoes. Johnson’s favorite character is Olga Samaroff, a survivor of yellow fever and a renowned concert pianist who married and helped uplift the career of Leopold Stokowski, a talented church organist. To close out the book, John- son compares and contrasts yellow fever to the Spanish flu, small pox and COVID-19. “Yellow Fever on Galveston Island” was released July 22. “I do not have a plan set for a fifth book currently,” Johnson said. “But I am considering up- dating some of the information in my driving guide.” Jan Johnson, a fifth-generation Galvestonian, has written several books chronicling the island’s past. Her latest, “Yellow Fever on Galveston Island,” explores the outbreak of the deadly disease on the island in the 1800s.TICKETS ON SALE NOW! TheGrand.com | 409.765.1894 THE GRAND 1894 OPERA HOUSE 2022–23 PERFORMING ARTS SEASON Saturday, November 19, 2022 | 4 PM & 7 PM Charles M. Schulz’s award-winning story has been a longstanding tradition, warming the hearts of millions of fans since it first aired on television over 50 years ago. 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They make all the pieces from what they find on Galveston’s beaches. Winkler and Stanton had been collectors of shells for years, but when they decided to launch Sea Shells Arts, there were learning curves, they said. “When we first started, we had no idea what we were doing,” Stanton said. The first products created under their venture were napkin holders, which quickly became popular. “The shells are painted and are dipped in a two-part resin,” Winkler said. “Many people avoid using a two-part resin because it’s very difficult. It’s worth it because it enhances the appearance of the shell, makes it waterproof and food-safe.” COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2022 39 Bill Winkler and Debby Stanton have turned their love of beachcombing for shells into an artistic endeavor. The islanders turn shells into colorful serving trays, jewelry dishes, napkin holders and ornaments. (Opposite) Bill Winkler finds inspiration from the surf for his hand-painted shells.Next >