The Accidentals

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Celebrating songs of Leelanau: The Accidentals’ “Michigan and Again”

Our story series celebrating songs inspired by Leelanau County and the Sleeping Bear Dunes continues with The Accidentals’ ballad “Michigan and Again”—a love song for the band’s home state. The song’s music video features footage of the Sleeping Bear Dunes along Lake Michigan. “I started writing ‘Michigan and Again’ in the backseat of the van when I was probably 19 or 20 years old,” band member Sav Madigan told the Sun. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘Great state, what state am I in?’ and writing that down in a little notebook I always kept in my jacket. A few minutes later I thought, ‘Michigan and again and again and again and again …’ and realized that the two lines kind of rhymed.

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Leelanau’s influencers of 2024

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With 2024 in the rearview mirror and 2025 upon us, we’re recognizing 25 “influencers” we covered in the Glen Arbor Sun this past year who are making a meaningful impact on Leelanau County communities, commerce, and culture. Read below about those 25 local influencers, who include everyone from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, to Leelanau Investing for Teens, to Empire’s polar dippers, to popular new destinations River Club Glen Arbor, the Sleeping Bear Inn, and the Lively’s NeighborFood Market.

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French Valley Vineyard hosts The Accidentals FAMgrove

It’s for family and more. The Accidentals’ annual FAMgrove party takes place at French Valley Vineyards on Oct. 12. “It’s become one of our favorite events,” says Katie Larson, who co-founded the group with fellow string player and songwriter Savannah Madigan when both were still in high school. Now all these years later–12 to be precise–the band gathers members of its fan club and hometown fans for an end-of-season bash with a number of special guests. This year that list includes the Rebel Eves, Luke Woltanski, One Hot Robot, Low Phase and A to Z. Derived from the song “Mangrove” off the band’s ​Bittersweet​ album, The Accidentals’ FAMgrove community began in 2012 as a Facebook group. Now it is an interactive, personalized fan club on Patreon, and the FAMgrove party is the band’s way of giving back. FAMgrove members are admitted free of charge, while those who are not (yet) members can purchase tickets.

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Trillium Groove, local young artists find their voice

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The local music scene in Leelanau County not only highlights the dedicated and seasoned professionals we see playing at venues through the year, but is unique in the way it welcomes and enriches the lives of young artists on the rise. From young performers like The Accidentals and Billy Strings who grew up singing and playing next to our shore of Lake Michigan, to the rising Trillium Groove, Leelanau is the perfect place for young artists and musicians to find their voice and place their roots. Trillium Groove’s upcoming Leelanau County schedule include performances at Leelanau UnCaged in Northport on Saturday, Sept. 28, and Thursday, Oct. 3, at Jacob’s Farm on M-72.

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Fountain Point’s successful music series continues with Djangophonique

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The sounds of music have been wafting across Lake Leelanau this summer, and there’s one more chance to catch a show at Fountain Point, though with a change from the original plans. The annual Accidentals Famgrove party originally planned for Aug. 11 is being moved to French Valley Vineyard due to some timing issues around licensing. That show will now take place Oct. 12, and tickets purchased for the original date and location will be honored at that show. There will still be an Aug. 11 show at Fountain Point. It will still feature the Gypsy jazz of Djangophonique and the indie-folk stylings of Spencer Lajoye. Best of all, that show will now be free. Series coordinator Amber Buist says it’s a way of saying thanks to those who have attended the shows this year and potentially bring in people who haven’t.

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Elijah Allen sets scene for The Accidentals’ “Eastern Standard Time”

The Accidentals released the music video Friday, Feb. 4, for their beautiful new song “Eastern Standard Time.” The visuals feature local hobby videographer Elijah Allen’s awe-inspiring footage of himself ice skating across frozen Lake Leelanau in January. Click here to watch the video. The Glen Arbor Sun caught up with Allen to learn more about his incredible video and how he teamed up with The Accidentals.

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