Open Mic, October 7, 2017

Open Mic Season Four Begins

The fourth season of performing arts and open mic shows premiered at the Arts Center in Fayetteville Saturday night, October 7th. There have been a number of improvements since the last season. The gallery walls have been reconfigured to make the gallery more open and inviting, and a piano and drum kit have been added to the stage. "We hope this will encourage more pianists and drummers to participate, because they don't have to bring in their own equipment for a 15-minute set," said Arts Center president Ron Hackett.

Show host Taylor Hoch and guitarist Jay Jernigan opened the show with several original songs by Hoch. Performing as "Tay & Jay," they played Let's Me Seem Sane, What Should I Do Now, and It Must Be Love. Jernigan accompanied Hoch on guitar and harmonica.

Co-host Robert Foster followed Hoch to the stage to perform a set of Lynyrd Skynyrd songs that include Ballad of Curtis Loew, Tuesday's Gone with the Wind, and Freebird. Jernigan accompanied Foster on guitar and played a slide solo for Freebird.

Pete Crim, a regular performer from our third season, returned to perform three Christian songs that included The Anchor Holds by Ray Boltz, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, a Christian hymn written by Joseph M. Scriven, and Arise by Don Moen. Scriven originally wrote the popular hymn as a poem in 1855 to comfort his mother who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada.

Newcomers Tom and Lou Slater took the stage next to perform a country music set that included Angel from Montgomery by John Prine, You and Me and the Dark End of the Street by James Carr, and That's How I Got to Memphis by Tom T. Hall. Tom Slater played a slide Dobro solo in the Hall song.

Travis Leimer, who is now serving as an apprentice host for the show, played guitar and sang three popular tunes that included I Will Follow You into the Dark, a song by indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie, Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker and Bob Dylan, and Colder Weather by Zac Brown and Coy Bowles.

Arts Center president and guitarist Hackett performed three instrumental solos on guitar. He started with Windy and Warm, written by John D. Loudermilk and first recorded and released by Chet Atkins in 1961. Next, Hackett played a jazz rendition of Autumn Leaves, a French tune written by Joseph Kosma. The title literally translates to "The Dead Leaves." Johnny Mercer was a bit more poetic when he wrote the English words to the song. He finished with Mr. BoJangles, a popular tune written by Jerry Jeff Walker and made famous by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

Singer and songwriter Greg Mitchell closed the show with three of his original songs with Hackett accompanying him on guitar. Mitchell's songs included Dirt Road Heart, an upbeat song about a country boy coming home; Take Me, a Jimmy Buffett inspired song about the beach and a lost love; and Second Day in Paradise, another Jimmy Buffett inspired song about the beach.

"Our next show will be Saturday, October 21st," said Hoch. The shows are open to the public. Everyone is welcome. "I hope to see you there."