MICHAEL BROOKS
PUB LETTER
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
ABOUT THE COVERS
See more with John Sandifer on page 28
THE LAST RUN
AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR OF MISSED CONNECTIONS , INCOMPATIBLE SCHEDULES AND THE USUAL CHAOS OF MAGAZINE LIFE , IT WAS FINALLY GOING TO HAPPEN : OUR BURT REYNOLDS PHOTOSHOOT HAD FINALLY BEEN SCHEDULED . I ’ d lost count how many times we ’ d moved the goalposts trying to get the iconic actor into our pages , but to finally hear , “ We ’ re going to make this happen . You guys come on down Friday for the shoot ,” was equal parts exhilarating and surreal . It had always seemed like one of those features we ’ d get some day . And some day had finally come .
His manager , Gene Kennedy had been very gracious as we ’ d attempted again and again to pin down a shoot , working around the schedule of an actor who was busy meeting fans and filming movies right up until the end . We got word on Monday that we ’ d been given the greenlight . That gave us four days to prepare .
I called Mark Staff , the photographer , with the good news and the buzz around the office intensified as we counted down to
Friday . A year of working the phones , shaking hands , making plans and it was all about to pay off .
All eyes were on Friday . None of us could have imagined what would happen Thursday .
It was our editor Cory Hott who broke the news at the office , reading off of his phone during an editorial meeting that Burt Reynolds had passed . Everyone reached for their phones at the same time and we all reached the same sad conclusion simultaneously . Not only had the South lost an icon , but South magazine had lost its cover story , less than 24 hours before it was finally going to happen .
The loss of a story was closer to home , but the loss of an icon was heartbreaking to all of us . Just the same , the show must go on and we quickly scrambled as deadline neared . But then , hope . Renowned Burt Reynolds impersonator John Sandifer was one of the first people I reached out to after hearing the news , since he had been instrumental in landing us the story in the first place . I asked if he wouldn ’ t mind slipping into character for one last homage to a great southern actor . John had just wrapped a movie , and was thrilled to “ fill in .”
A surreal week was capped with a surreal photoshoot , John hamming it up and joking with the team in his spot-on impression of Bandit . You could almost imagine Burt Reynolds cracking the same jokes and shining the same light if only we ’ d been able to get the timing right .
It goes to show that there are a lot of things in life we say we ’ ll get to someday . There are a lot of plans we pencil in . You never know when life is going to get in the way of those plans . For our part , even though the silver screen has lost one of its brightest stars , we ’ re glad we still have guys like John around to remind us what we ’ re missing .
MICHAEL BROOKS
PUBLISHER / CREATIVE DIRECTOR
She ’ s shared a stage with the likes of Madonna and Lady Gaga during a career that has taken her around the world . And now , Sarah Sandin has come home to the South where she runs “ The Stables ,” a gallery of her own mesmerizing works of art . Check out The Art of Fame on page 58 . Photographer D . Paul Graham . Cover Design Michael Brooks .
HUSK carries on a tradition of taking authentic Southern ingredients and breathing new life into them through reverent yet radical new techniques . Executive Chef , Chris Hathcock ’ s passion for the flavors of the South infuses every dish , like the mouth-watering Shrimp & Grits , pictured . See how Hathcock is reinventing the region ’ s culinary reputation in South ’ s Food Show 2018 on page 112 . Photographer- John Alexander , Cover Design Michael Brooks . publisher & creative director Michael Brooks print & digital editor Cory Hott account executives Kelcie Beausir , Mariel Tillet office manager / circulation Laura Major art director Julius Woodard art assistant Katie Manning , Francesca Shaw contributing writers Skyler Allen , Madelyn Brown , Nazli Flores , Gen Fuller , Kinsey Giddick , Jan Gourley , Kelly Harley , Cory Hott , Justin Jarrett , Barry Kaufman , Emilie Kefalas , Shelby Kennedy , Skylar Lanier , Jennifer Melville , Jim Reed , Jordan Saxon , Hadley Passela contributing photographers D . Paul Graham , Blake Crosby , John Alexander , Josh Branstetter , Jamie Weaver , Traci Scarpati , Cedric Smith , Erick Anderson , Mark Staff , Eric Guillemain editorial assistant Blake Ciccio editorial interns Skyler Allen , Madison Donaldson , Nazli Flores , Skylar Lanier , Jordan Saxon South magazine is published bimonthly by Bad Ink , ( Brooks Advertising Design , Inc .). Views expressed in the editorial pages do not imply our endorsement . Please forward inquiries to Editor , South magazine , 116 Bull Street , Savannah , Georgia 31401 . We cannot be responsible for unsolicited product samples . Subscription rates : U . S .: $ 19 for one year ; $ 28 for two years ; single copies : $ 4.95 . Change of address notice : six to eight weeks prior to moving , please clip the mailing label from the most recent issue and send it along with your new address to : South magazine , Change of Address Notice , 116 Bull Street , Savannah , GA 31401 , attn : Circulation | South magazine : A Division of Bad Ink , phone : 912.236.5501 fax : 912.236.5524 , southmag . com . Copyright © 2017 South magazine . All rights reserved . Reproduction in whole or any part without express written permission is prohibited .
16 SOUTH October | November 2018 PHOTO BY BLAKE CROSBY