Pickin’ and grinnin’ for a good cause

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard

Soulful country singer Naomi Morrison treated the crowd to a variety of songs in her signature style during her set with the Mountain Melodies at the Jacky Jack White show Friday.

The Civic Center was filled with the sound of country, bluegrass and sacred music Friday night as the “Songwriters Night with Jacky Jack White and Friends” got under way with performances from Nashville mainstays as well as local singer/songwriters. The annual show benefits Families in Crisis, a local shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The sets featured everything from “Muleskinner Blues” to Hank William’s “You Win Again” to Cindy Walker’s “Child of the King,” delivered in the inimitable styles of the various performers, who included Sean Cheek and Nick Sharp, Joseph Stotts, Clair Cochran, Barry Medley, Nashville producer, singer and songwriter Clark Williams, Jacky Jack White and wife Jody, New Zealand native Kevin Greaves, Steve Phillips, who also just happens to be the manager of Wal-Mart, and McMinnville’s own songstress Naomi Morrison and the Mountain Melodies.

Morrison was making her third appearance at the annual event, and said the main reason she was there was because it was such a great cause.”

“I think Families in Crisis is the best non-profit organization here in town,” she said with a grin, “and I’m a part of that.”

Even though she’s a board member of Families in Crisis and most interested in continuing that service to the county, she said she also enjoyed just performing for her family and friends.

“I like to meet with the hometown people and see all kinds of people I know,” she said. “I want to encourage the younger people to come out,” she added. “You’ve got the older people who come out, the regulars, but I like to see the younger people come out too.”

Greaves, whose banter with the crowd kept everyone in stitches during his set, said he was glad to be back for his second year.

“I met some people coming in,” he said before his set. “Some who remembered me from last year and had some great comments. Met some new folks. I’m just looking forward to it.”

Several incidents elicited general laughter from the crowd, including one where David Morrison of the Mountain Melodies was informed, after he had performed “Wal-Mart Shopping Spree,” his humorous take on shopping at Wal-Mart, that the actual manager of Wal-Mart, Steve Phillips, was there and would be performing later.

“It was a great turnout,” said Thomas B. Vaughn who helped with securing the talent for the show. “I was really amazed at the numbers.”

Vaughn said the crowd reaction was excellent.

“I thought the crowd was really into the entertainment,” he said. “We had a lot of Jack’s old friends from McMinnville who were here. Of course, Kevin Greaves did a fantastic job. Right on down the line I think each one of the entertainers brought their own little bit to the spectrum of the entertainment. Naomi was outstanding. Sean Cheek and Nick Sharp were great. Kevin and Jack and Clark, the Singin’ Judge. Steve Phillips did a super job on the dulcimer. So I think we just had a great evening. It was a lot of good fun, a good turnout, and it’s such a great cause.”