Open Mic, November 17, 2018
Last Show of 2018
The turnout for Saturday's performing arts and open mic show was lighter than usual, but that didn't stop the performers and audience from having a great time. Arts Center president and open mic host Ron Hackett suggested rearranging the sofas in the first two rows into a circle and having the performers take turns leading a song. Other performers could join in if they felt comfortable with the song. Robert Foster started the show with “Whiskey and You by Chris Stapleton and “Ventura Highway by the Eagles. Thunderbyrd Newman performed vocal and guitar renditions of Autumn Leaves and Over the Rainbow as ballads. Hackett recapped these songs with upbeat jazz instrumental versions played on guitar. Thunderbyrd also performed “Peace in the Valley,” which was written in 1937 by Thomas A. Dorsey. Our youngest performer, 3-year-old Hayes Mitchell, did "You are my sunshine", "Old McDonald", and “The ABC's Song" with the help of Elliott from Petersburg. That inspired Hackett to try “Puff the Magic Dragon,” written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow, and made popular by Yarrow's group Peter, Paul and Mary in a 1962. Elliott's selections also included “Little White Duck,” “Paradise,” and “ If I Only Had A Brain.” Todd Mustin performed a lovely version of “Tennessee Whiskey” that was written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove. Robert Foster accompanied Mustin on the guitar and Hackett add some lead guitar to the song. This was Mustin's second appearance at our show. Although it is a little early to be performing Christmas songs, that didn't stop the group from playing and singing favorites like: “Jingle Bell Rock,” composed by Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe and first released by Bobby Helms in 1957; “White Christmas,” a 1942 Irving Berlin song believed to be the world's best-selling single with estimated sales in excess of 150 million copies worldwide; and the traditional “What Child is This?” that is based on an old English folk song. Thunderbyrd performed a beautiful version of Billy Hayes' and Jay W. Johnson's “Blue Christmas.” Hackett and Elliott teamed up again for “Winter Wonderland” that was written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith. Elliott added a humorous verse about “walking ‘round in women's' underwear.” Hackett performed an instrumental version of Orleans “Dance with Me.” Hackett and Elliott teamed up to perform John D. Loudermilk's “Windy and Warm.” Then Foster added vocals to Jerry Jeff Walker's “Mr. Bojangles.” The team finished with Elizibeth Cotten's “Freight Train.” Elliott closed out the show with “Goodnight Irene,” while Hackett added lead guitar licks to the song. The specific origins of this song are unclear. Huddie ‘Lead Belly’ Ledbetter was singing a version of the song as early as 1908, which he claimed to have learned from his uncles. A 1892 song by Gussie L. Davis has notable similarities, and this song may have been based on an even earlier song which has not survived. Regardless of where he first heard it, by the 1930s Lead Belly had made the song his own, modifying the rhythm and rewriting most of the verses.
