Performer says festival needs new organizer

Just because the James Brown Soul of America Music Festival has ended doesn't mean it's over.

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This week, Florida musician Tony Wilson, who filed charges of breach of contract, unjust enrichment and fraudulent inducement against festival organizer Charles "Champ" Walker Jr. on Monday, told The Augusta Chronicle that he'll stay in Augusta until Mr. Walker steps down as the organizer of a planned second tribute festival next year.

Mr. Wilson, who headlines a James Brown tribute act, said he wants to reorganize the festival under the guidance of a board of experienced and professional festival planners.

"This isn't a reflection on Champ Walker," he said. "He has great ideas, a big heart and big dreams for Augusta. But that doesn't mean he knows how to organize a festival. I don't, either."

Mr. Walker responded by reinforcing his past statements that The Augusta Chronicle is working to depose him, that Mr. Wilson's lawsuit is unfounded and, most important, that he still has the support needed to mount a second festival.

"You can ask the president of IBM to step down, but it probably wouldn't work unless you have some support," he wrote in an e-mail. "Furthermore, how can you tell someone they have to step down when they own the rights?"

On the surface, Mr. Wilson's plan seems good, perhaps even great. Despite what Mr. Walker might believe, very few were, or are, opposed to the idea of a festival honoring James Brown. Instead, the event's problems seemed to stem from poor organization, bad public relations and an inability on the part of Mr. Walker and his board to admit that the event might have been too ambitious for novice organizers.

As eager as I am to see the James Brown festival salvaged, I'm hesitant to throw my full support behind Mr. Wilson - for a variety of reasons.

The first is that Mr. Wilson is an entertainer. By his own admission, however, he does not have festival experience. Mr. Wilson has said he plans to let professionals handle the bulk of the planning, but if there is going to be a visible James Brown festival spokesman, shouldn't that person contribute more than merely enthusiasm? Shouldn't that person have skills to aid this festival's renaissance?

I also would like to see an Augusta resident step up and take the reins here.

Perhaps it's selfish and a bit narrow-minded of me, but performances and praise heaped on the deserving Godfather of Soul are not enough. This also needs to be a home-grown event.

That said, Mr. Wilson is the only person who has stepped up so far. Are there local organizers willing to take on this bruised, but, it is hoped, not broken, festival?

Can this admirable idea bounce back after the controversies that have dogged it?

Those are questions that remain unanswered, but answer them we must if the James Brown festival is ever to get back on the good foot.

Reach Steven Uhles at (706) 823-3626 or steven.uhles@augustachronicle.com.