Billy Joe Bob Gnarly (formerly known as Bubba Gnarly)

Born in Jamaica, Georgia, Bubba always felt connected to the island by the same name. Obsessed with tracing his roots, he was stoked to find that his DNA test came up 1% Jamaican. In honor of his ancestors, he bought snap-on dreadlocks and a tie dye tee shirt, traded in his banjo for some steel drums and started the first redneck reggae band. He even went so far as to officially change his name Bubba to Billy Joe Bob Gnarly.

Billy Joe Bob made his way to Nashville and played his first and last showcase at the Exit/In where he was politely shown the exit out. Turned away by the powers that be on Music Row, Billy Joe Bob felt misunderstood and discouraged and began spending his days taking online philosophy courses and his nights playing on street corners down on 2nd Avenue and Broadway. The tourists were amused by his mixed up reggae redneck style, and from time to time would toss a coin in his hat.

He had come to the end of his rope and it was either hang around or head back home. But dragging his defeated dreadlocks back to Jamaica, Georgia and becoming Bubba again was not an option. Just about that time, he met a singing waitress named Lily, and she told him about a cool place where she worked called the Waterhole Bar, where they welcomed all kinds of characters and original music. He packed up his steel drums and headed north on Highway 12. Now he’s a fixture there, playing his music and philosophizing from his stool at the bar.

Wikipedia note:

While Billy Joe Bob Gnarly’s music genre was never recognized by the music world, his philosophical quotes have been adopted by songwriters everywhere, most of whom have visited the Waterhole on occasion. Examples are regular philosophical lines spouted at the Waterhole Bar like “You Can’t Always Get Want You Want Mon,” “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere” “Money Can’t Buy Happiness Mon, But I Can Pull My Yacht Right Up Next to It: and his favorite line “Blame it all on My Roots.” (it’s rumored that Billy Joe Bob Gnarly got a piece of the profits on that last one–ain’t that right Earl Bud?)