The Blackwater Band remains a popular band in Tyrrell County.

Local venues consistently book the band.

The band got its start about 2005 with Ty Fleming, Tracy Godwin, and Jimmy Fleming entertaining at Flemz Market & Deli on Friday nights at open mic.

“The Blackwater band is a party band and plays high energy shows which specialize in southern & classic rock with a great mix of many other types of music. The band plays bars, pig pickings, bike rallys, festivals, weddings, parties all around eastern NC. The band also plays acoustic,” reads an online description of the band.
But before 2005, before mp3s, Itunes,Youtube,Spotify, and the rest of Internet there was another band.

The band was called Rainbow and the group of guys played together about 1970/71. They are pictured in the photo to the left.

They played Christmas Parties, community dances, and clubs in neighboring counties.

The band practiced in a small building on Road Street in Columbia that was formerly Roughton’s Grocery and later Warren’s Pool Hall.

“The building was owned by Warren Roughton, who was gracious enough to let us use it through the loud music and large group of kids that hung out there,” said Jimmy Fleming, who is on the drums in the picture beside this story.

The group was made up of  Kevin Roughton(lead guitar and vocals) and Dennis McClees(bass guitar and vocals), Bill Cooper(rhythm guitar and vocals), and often times Lee Edwards(vocals and showman). All members were from Tyrrell County.

The band went on to play shows at the Soundside Community in Tyrrell County, East Lake Community in Dare County, the Long Branch Saloon in Manteo, the Wilderness Lounge in Hertford, and Legion Beach in Tyrrell County.

Several of the group continue to make music today.  Kevin Roughton made music his lifelong occupation and continues to play on the Outer Banks of NC today. Dennis McClees made music his lifelong occoupation as well and continues to play bass and sing in the Hawaiian Islands today. Jimmy Flemming as mentioned above plays with his son Ty and Tracy Godwin.

Playing in the band was a formative experience for everyone involved.

“Looking at this picture from so long ago makes me feel thankful to those guys in the picture and to others like Donald Hassell my high school band director who offered a deeper level of knowledge in music which I have used to make a living for many years,” said Dennis McClees.

This band of brothers and even cousins would jam and improvise for hours and love every minute of it.

Dennis McClees made music his lifelong occupation and continues to play bass, and sing in the Hawaiian Islands today
“We loved the idea of being musicians and wanted to live life that way, and most of us did, and still do. From this idea and background I have travelled many miles, met many people and even married a singer, my wife Pauline. I’m proud to be from Columbia, NC and I enjoy telling people of its small population, simple life and great cast of characters, unequalled in books and movies. When I speak of my hometown and it’s legends, people must think I’m lying about these fabulous people and their stories, it’s so colorful. To Jimmy, Kevin and Bill in the picture with me, thanks for giving a kid a chance in the band,” said McClees
A web commenter on an article about Outer Banks music wrote about Kevin Roughton:, “Kevin Roughton has long been recognized as one of the “godfathers” of our local music scene.  He is a true southern gentleman with a bit of bite, and dryness floated on a base of talent”

Kevin has played solo or as a part of a small band called the Wilder Bros for over 30 years on the Outer Banks.  His venues are restaurants, restaurant decks, hotels, nightclubs and special events.  Acoustic gigs are his specially.

Unusual to find three out of four folks still loving music and the therapy it brings.