‘Great to be home’: Massillon native and Tim McGraw drummer playing Neon Nights in Stark

By in Native

‘Great to be home’: Massillon native and Tim McGraw drummer playing Neon Nights in Stark
Tim McGraw, seen playing CMA Fest on Sunday, June 11, 2023, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, will perform Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023, at Neon Nights at Clay's Resort Jellystone Park in Stark County.
  • Shawn Fichter, Tim McGraw’s touring drummer since 2012, is a Massillon native.
  • Fichter will be performing with McGraw, a country music superstar, at Neon Nights in Stark County on Saturday.
  • Fichter also has performed with Trisha Yearwood and Peter Frampton.

Shawn Fichter said he doesn’t know what path his life would have taken if he hadn’t joined a songwriting friend on a trip to Nashville a few years after graduating from Washington High School in Massillon.

Accountant. Teacher. Police officer. Software engineer. Artist. Nothing came to mind when the question was posed Thursday afternoon during a break from his job as touring drummer for country music superstar Tim McGraw.

Fichter, a 1988 Washington High grad, will be performing with McGraw when he headlines the Neon Nights music festival Saturday at Clay’s Resort Jellystone Park in Stark County. Neon Nights starts on Friday with headliner Travis Tritt. Other artists during the two-day event include Rodney Atkins and Wynonna Judd.

Tickets are for sale at https://www.theneonnights.com/.

Massillon native Shawn Fichter is shown drumming in the studio. The 1988 Washington High School graduate will be performing with Tim McGraw on Saturday at the Neon Nights music festival at Clay's Resort Jellystone Park in Stark County.

“I don’t know how to explain it, but I always felt like I never really had a choice,” said Fichter, who played in the symphonic and jazz bands at Washington High School while playing weekend gigs with rock and country bands. “It was something I was so set on. Doing music does something for me, and it’s kind of my No. 1 hobby. When I’m not working playing music, I’m usually listening to music or writing new music.

“I just can’t help it,” the 53-year-old percussionist said. “That’s just what I feel like I’m meant to do, and I’m very fortunate because I know there’s a lot of talented people. I’m just very thankful I’m able to keep playing music.”

Country music fest in StarkWhat to know about Neon Nights: Tim McGraw, Wynonna Judd coming to Clay’s Resort in Stark

Fichter has been McGraw’s touring drummer since 2012. He previously toured with Trisha Yearwood.

Fichter lives in Nashville with his wife of more than 20 years, Roberta, who is also from Massillon. They have two sons, Dylan, 21, and Michael, 19.

During the rest of the phone interview, Fichter discussed touring with McGraw, visiting his hometown, making his own music in the studio, and his love for Massillon Tiger high school football. Highlights from the conversation follow:

Returning to Ohio for concerts

Previous Ohio shows included McGraw headlining a concert at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium during the 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival. McGraw also headlined a show at Blossom Music Center last summer.

Another home state appearance was in 2012 when McGraw and Kenny Chesney co-headlined a tour and performed at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

“It’s always great,” Fichter said. “I usually see quite a bit of family, and that really makes it great to be home and visit and do the show.”

“We’re going to take a tour bus from Nashville Friday night, and we’ll get in Saturday morning,” he said of Neon Nights. “I think my brother’s just going to pick me up, and I’ll spend the day at my mom’s house (in Massillon) and see more family. That will be fun. I’ll get the whole day to visit.”

Massillon native Shawn Fichter has been the touring drummer for Tim McGraw since 2012. The 1988 Washington High School graduate will be performing with McGraw on Saturday night at the Neon Nights music festival in Stark County.

What’s life on the road like these days?

“I’m pretty fortunate that with Tim’s schedule, he doesn’t do like a ton of dates all year-round, so part of it is probably easier than in the past. I’ve done longer tours where you stay away from home much longer, so the schedule is a little easier I guess than it used to be.

“… I like getting out and playing the shows. The traveling part is what definitely takes most of the time, and that’s the toughest part, but we have it pretty nice. I’m thankful I get a lot of time at home and can do recording sessions and do other things and work on my own music and things like that.”

Why is Tim McGraw so successful?

“He definitely has something, and for one thing he’s a really hard worker. … I can’t really speak for him, you know, but I just feel like he works hard at staying current and is constantly checking out new tunes and wanting to make great albums, and he’s really motivated to put great shows together.

“And I just think he has a really high energy live performance. I think people still love the shows and get a lot out of it.”

What is a Tim McGraw show like these days?

“Every year he’ll mix up the set list and incorporate different songs, and there’s a lot of the classic hits we do, and almost every year, we kind of do a fresh version of those, and so if you’ve seen the show three or four years ago, you’ll hear a lot of the same tunes, but you’ll hear some slight revisions to those songs to keep them fresh, and I think this year it’s probably the most packed with his biggest hits we’ve ever done in one tour, and I think that’s just been great. People seem to love hearing of course the songs they know and spanning several decades.”

Playing drums for Faith Hill and Peter Frampton

“I rarely do any other shows like bigger live shows other than Faith Hill (McGraw’s wife). She has toured on and off sometimes with Tim. Sometimes we’ve done a few shows just of hers, so it’s the same band that will play for either one of them, or both, and then back in January, I played a show with Peter Frampton, who I used to tour with in the mid-2000s … so that was a blast to get back together with him and play his music.”

“Peter is great. We’ve remained friends for a few decades, and he’s actually played on two of my albums where we wrote together and he played guitar, and he’s in his 70s, and he’s so enthusiastic about music and so creative, and he’s just incredible sounding, so I was thrilled that he would play on one of my records, and it was great to do that show with him in January.”

Making his own music

“I play sessions for a lot of different people, some country artists, some artists in rock or whatever, and then I’ve been making my own records for a while now. I think I’ve put out six albums on my own. It’s instrumental music, so it’s not the widest audience; it’s just something I really enjoy doing.

“I bring in a lot of other musicians. I play drums, and usually write the song on piano and usually I’ll play piano or keyboards, but sometimes I hire an additional piano player and a lot of my friends. There are really great musicians (in Nashville). I’ll add their guitar parts and bass.”

“… It would probably be considered instrumental rock … and it lends itself a little more towards jazz. Some of it sounds a little bit more like movie soundtrack kind of stuff. I just let each song go wherever it wants to go.”

Massillon native Shawn Fichter has been the touring drummer for Tim McGraw since 2012. The 1988 Washington High School graduate will be performing with McGraw on Saturday night at the Neon Nights music festival in Stark County.

Rooting for the Massillon Tigers and Cleveland Browns

“I love to watch football, and there’s been times in the past several years where Massillon was in the (high school) playoffs. I got on my computer and bought the game on whatever site that is where you can stream it live, and me and my family would watch. Yeah, I’m still rooting for the Browns and Massillon all the time.

“I remember watching Brian Sipe and the ‘Cardiac Kids.’ Man, that was really exciting. I’m hoping one day we get all the way to the Super Bowl. That would be amazing.”

Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com

On X (formerly Twitter): @ebalintREP

Do You Need a Tilt-Shift Lens for Architectural Photography? |

By in Photography

Do You Need a Tilt-Shift Lens for Architectural Photography? |

Tilt-shift lenses are considered standard equipment for architectural photography, allowing you to correct common geometric issues to ensure your images both realistic and of the highest possible quality. But with modern cameras and software, do you really need a tilt-shift lens, or can you get by using other techniques? This excellent video discusses the issue to help you decide. 

Coming to you from Matthew Anderson, this great video discusses whether you really need a tilt-shift lens for architectural photography. There is no doubt that tilt-shift lenses are tremendously useful and that once you get used to working with them, they can save you a lot of time in post and ensure the highest levels of image quality. On top of that, they can allow to create some rather neat creative effects. That being said, tilt-shift lenses are some of the most specialized options out there and are quite expensive, so if you do not regularly have a need for their capabilities, it is worth considering if you are better served by post-processing techniques for dealing with the issues they address. Check out the video above for the full rundown Anderson. 

If you would like to learn more about architectural photography, check out our “Where Art Meets Architecture” series!

F5: Elad Yifrach Loves Local Artists, His Hometown + More

By in Design

F5: Elad Yifrach Loves Local Artists, His Hometown + More

“It really did start, like many of the greatest things in one’s life, as a passion turned hobby,” said L’Objet Founder and Creative Director Elad Yifrach of his start in home decor. “I was very young and without any training. My background was in interior architecture and I wanted to expand beyond curating a space to creating the actual objects. I started L’Objet and, about two years in, the market started to react in a serious way to the design language. That was when I realized it wasn’t going to be a hobby, it was already my career.”

Born and raised in Israel, Elad went to school in California and began his interior design career in Los Angeles before making the move to New York. A lifelong traveller and international spirit, his main source of inspiration is the cultures and craftsmen of the Mediterranean. It was while working for discerning clients in Los Angeles that he recognized a gap in the market for luxury tabletop and objects for the home. Having always felt that these pieces should be beautiful while embracing craftsmanship and functionality, he set out to launch L’Objet. Founded in 2004, the brand still employs many of the same families of craftspeople whom Elad met on his early travels.

Elad Yifrach Photo: Daniel Schafer

When we asked Elad what other creative medium he might try, he said it had already become a reality. “I would have said personal fragrances, but we actually launched our first ever Eau De Parfum collection in March,” he shared. “Each creation is an olfactory impression, plunging us into the heart of nature. We’ve been working with home fragrance for a long time, and a few years ago we introduced an Apothecary line. But it has been special to work with olfactory impressions for personal fragrance.”

But if it weren’t personal fragrance, “I would most likely switch to cooking. I love playing around in the kitchen and, once again, the entertainment aspect of it all has essential relevance for me. Cooking is a medium through which I can express my creativity, but it’s also one of my preferred ways to engage with others, to entertain them.”

Elad also has an untapped talent: producing music. “It is a wonderful way to express yourself and entertain others. From a creative standpoint, in my work as a designer I tend to draw inspiration from so many different experiences, inputs, things, people, and so forth,” he said. “I consider myself fairly good at doing the same with music – maneuvering different genres, styles, and artists, and expressing my vision through sound.” There’s no denying creativity when it strikes.

Today, Elad Yafrich is joining us for the weekly Friday Five!

multicolored beaded bracelet on white background

Photo courtesy Luis Morais

Luis Morais is my favorite jewelry designer, as well as my best friend. We met 13 years ago, and even though we live on two different continents, we manage to see each other frequently. I own a beautiful collection of bracelets made by him that I wear all the time.

city and coastline view

Photo: Gil Cohen-Magen / AFP via Getty Images

2. Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is my hometown, so I go there often to spend time with my family, friends, and to reconnect with myself. It’s such an vibrant beach city to spend time in – I love the weather and the food, especially.

brown-skinned woman with long dark hair holds a cup in a styled interior space

Photo: Bela Silva, © Angela Martin- Retortillo, courtesy Gallery Rui Freire – Fine Art, Lisbon

Now that I’m based in Lisbon, I love to discover local artists. Bela Silva is an extremely talented Portuguese artist and ceramist whom I had the pleasure of meeting recently. Her work is so inspiring. The ceramics, especially, are very appealing to me. They are simple, yet so strong and elegant.

bowl of indistinguishable food

Photo courtesy Sahbi Sahbi

Sahbi Sahbi is my new favorite restaurant in Marrakesh. As my family are from Morocco, it is great to know a place that serves authentic Moroccan food, cooked by empowered local women. The space is so beautiful, designed by Studio KO. Design, light, music, and food mix perfectly at Sahbi Sahbi.

palm tree surround outdoor restaurant seating on the water

Photo courtesy Casa Reia

Casa Reia is one of my favorite spots around Lisbon. It’s the perfect place to go to relax on sunny days. Located on the beach in Costa da Caparica, the food is really good and they have the best live music curation. I love to go there and watch the beautiful sunsets, whilst spending time with my son and my friends.

Work by Elad Yifrach:

white shell-shaped centerpiece bowl

Neptune Bowl Centrepiece From L’OBJET’s newest collection, L’ATELIER, The Neptune Bowl Centrepiece is hand-crafted in porcelain and gilded three times in 24-karat gold to achieve the perfect glow.

five black apothecary bottles with white labels styled on all white surfaces

Apothecary A collection of essentials for the bath ritual. It comes in three different scents and includes a Bath Salt, Hand and Body Soap, Bar Soap, Hand and Body lotion, and Room Spray.

one white and one gold squat bulbous character embrace each other

L’OBJET x Haas Brothers L’OBJET’s collaboration with the Haas Brothers, turns the ordinary into the extraordinary, bringing to life characterful creatures with the highest quality of finish and function.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Newburyport Art presents Ink & Paper

By in Printmaking

Newburyport Art presents Ink & Paper
NEWBURYPORT — Newburyport, MA – Newburyport Art (NAA) is pleased to announce Ink & Paper, a featured Iinterest goup show by the North of Boston Print Collaborative. This exhibition showcases

Beyond faces: The untold story of fingers and toes in portrait photography

By in Photography

Beyond faces: The untold story of fingers and toes in portrait photography

Portrait photography goes beyond just capturing faces. Every element in a portrait contributes to the narrative, emotions, and depth of the image. The eyes may be the windows to the soul. However, fingers and toes play an equally vital role in telling a story through a portrait. These seemingly insignificant details have the power to enhance the connection between the subject and the viewer. As such, they can make the pose seem forced or natural.

Expressive gestures

Fingers and toes are extensions of our emotions and personality. They are also capable of communicating more than words sometimes can. In portrait photography, the positioning and movement of fingers can reveal a myriad of emotions. Clenched fists can symbolize determination or rage or simply being comfortable. Gently touching the lips can evoke contemplation, and fingers interlocked can represent connection and unity. These gestures bridge the gap between the subject and the viewer. In turn, they allow us to resonate with the emotions portrayed and fostering a deeper connection.

Conveying narrative

Incorporating fingers and toes into portrait compositions adds depth to the narrative. A portrait isn’t just a picture; it’s a visual story. Including these details helps to weave a tale about the subject’s environment, interests, and experiences. For instance, a musician’s calloused fingertips tell of countless hours spent perfecting their craft. Meanwhile, a hiker’s slightly worn toes narrate adventures taken on rugged terrain. These minute features become essential storytellers, enriching the overall context of the image.

But it can go beyond that. I am often telling my subjects to soften their fingers (for women) and unclenched fists (for men). Soft fingers and pointed toes can add an element of grace and beauty to a woman’s portrait. In contrast, straight shoulders and slightly clenched fists for men can add strength.

Personal connection

The presence of fingers and toes in portrait photography offers a relatable and personal touch. We all have them, and seeing them in a photograph humanizes the subject. The vulnerability and rawness they portray make the subject tangible and relatable, inviting viewers to step into their shoes. This human connection is what sets impactful portrait photography apart from mere snapshots.

Authenticity and uniqueness

In an era of digital perfection, embracing the imperfections of fingers and toes adds authenticity to a portrait. Imperfections are beautiful; they make us who we are. Capturing the natural lines, wrinkles, scars, and nail colors on fingers and toes is a celebration of individuality. These distinctive details remind us that each person is a unique story waiting to be explored, and that’s where the true beauty lies. Sometimes, the hands or even the feet can tell a vital role in a person’s story and should be captured on their own.

I love to incorporate rings, and other jewellery, even gloves can add a sense of luxury, especially when dealing with vintage or glamorous looks.

Technical and creative aspects

From a technical standpoint, focusing on fingers and toes can present challenges that push a photographer’s skills to new heights. Achieving the right depth of field to keep the subject’s face sharp while also maintaining a subtle blur on their extremities requires mastery of camera settings and composition techniques. Moreover, creatively integrating fingers and toes into the frame demands an artistic eye that understands balance and harmony within the overall composition.

Remember, anything closer to the camera will look larger and sometimes distorted, having hands and feet on the same focal plane can stop these distracting elements.

Final thoughts

In portrait photography, fingers and toes are not just appendages; they are threads that weave together stories of emotion, experience, and individuality. These often-overlooked details can become powerful tools for photographers seeking to create captivating and evocative portraits. The next time you pick up your camera, remember the significance of those delicate gestures and rugged toes. They unlock the essence of your subject and invite viewers to embark on a visual journey filled with authenticity and emotion.

And remember, point those toes and soften those fingers. Trust me, they really can make a huge difference.

Models: Holly Mackenna, Matthew Pick, Emily Reinhard and Andrea Gardiner

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