This spring, Paste Studio “On the Road” returned to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park to capture another round of intimate live sessions during the beloved Suwannee Spring Reunion. Tucked just beyond the flow and energy of the main festival, past winding oak-covered paths and the fragrant food-trucks, the backdrop for this Paste session was unexpected yet perfect for what the session evoked—a quiet stretch of horse stables, sunlit and peaceful where Donna the Buffalo’s Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear delivered a deeply human performance during the 2025 Suwannee Spring Reunion.
A small crowd gathered close by, drawn in by the pull of the music. The unplugged set saw Nevins switching between guitar and fiddle, with Puryear steady on guitar, and both taking turns at the mic. No frills, no bells and whistles—just two longtime friends and collaborators sharing their talent.
They opened with a song called “Everybody’s OK”, an optimistic anthem that allowed the two collaborators to showcase how well they could work together, trading vocal lines and guitar parts masterfully. Tara delivered the lyrics with a steady and warm kind of confidence that only emphasized the song’s powerful message of reassurance.
Next came “Tumbling Dice,” a fiddle-driven original that leaned more into groove. The whole tune revolved around three alternating chords, where Nevins’ fiddle work brought texture and brightness, while Puryear’s playing anchored the rhythm with an easy looseness. The song also allowed Puryear to show his vocal talents. It felt casual but not careless—like two pros sharing songs the way they might on a back porch at a party.
Adding to the magic of the set was the presence of a young girl in the audience, fiddle tucked under her arm, eyes and ears locked onto the music. In a special moment after the set, the band had invited her to join them for their full festival set later that night—a gesture that said everything about Donna the Buffalo’s enduring openness, generosity, and commitment to passing music on.
Thanks to Tara, Jeb, and the ever-welcoming Suwannee Spring Reunion team for this quietly unforgettable session. More Paste x Suwannee performances are on the horizon—stay tuned.
