GARFIELD -- From the toe-stomping rambunctiousness of "Jambalaya" to the melodic strain of "I Don't Remember Loving You" in the key of C to the haunting folk-pop hit "House of the Rising Sun," members of The Black Oak Band delighted their audience Saturday night.
"Hank Williams is at the Walmart Amp and we're not," band leader Ken Bell grinned Saturday night as he started the evening's entertainment. "But, because we're here and he's there, we'll do a Hank Williams song."
Music at the Firehouse has been sponsored by the Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department for the past six years in the NEBCO Station No. 1 community room. Before that, the band played in the old Coal Gap school house.
"Every time they're here, we're here," John Brach and his wife, Sandra, of Bella Vista, said. "We don't miss them. They're so good, so entertaining."
Band members include Ken Bell, 73, who plays rhythm guitar and lead vocals; Valerie Bell, fiddle; Don Halsey, steel guitar; Scott Wade, lead country guitar; Mike Gray, lead blues & rock guitar; Don Kotouc, drums; Ken Mounce, bass guitar; Ray Millon, harmonica; and John Rainone, keyboard.
And, the musicians' backgrounds are as diverse as their music. All play by ear; some read music.
"We all enjoy playing music ... and we enjoy being able to interact with each other as musicians. It's the music that brings us together," Bell said.
"We play classic country and some blues and some '70s rock," Bell said. "We've got about two hours to get in 14 hours of music."
Bell, a retired math teacher, was a senior manager for Boeing in training and development. He retired to Lost Bridge Village.
Bell has played rhythm and bass guitar since the mid-'60s. His wife, Valerie, had never played a musical instrument but learned the fiddle about five years ago.
"I played music from the mid-'60s to mid-'80s in Kansas and Oklahoma," Bell said, adding that he had a band called The Whiskey River Band, which played at openings for Roy Clark, Mel McDaniel, Gene Watson.
Mike Gray, retired school teacher, currently works part-time with the Boston Mountain Cooperative. He was the assistant superintendent of schools in Fayetteville for four years, was school superintendent in Farmington and has since retired to Lost Bridge Village. At one time, he was the band director in Paris and Warden and was a music teacher.
"I enjoy the camaraderie," Gray said. "I play in a little jazz band in Apple Blossom retirement center. I enjoy music."
Gray plays with three different groups -- The Black Oak Band, a big band in Bella Vista and a jazz band out of Lost Bridge.
Scott Wade works in construction for Ground Zero in Siloam Springs. A heavy equipment operator, he plays the guitar for the band.
"I've just played music all my life. I grew up in a bluegrass band family; learned the mandolin at 3, the guitar at 6 and taught myself the banjo," Wade said. He said his older brothers were in the bluegrass band Sugar Hill Express and his father, Ray Wade used to twin fiddle with Frankie Kelly.
"There are several of us who used to play music back in our younger days in various places. We all ended up living in Lost Bridge Village and began having jam sessions at the old Coal Gap school house," Bell said, adding that they formed the band and eventually partnered with NEBCO and play "as a community service."
"We practice a couple of times a year before we open the season. Several of us play different venues around, some in nursing homes in Rogers and Bentonville," Bell said. "This is quite a versatile, very talented group of musicians."
"Let's get wild and crazy," Bell said to "Harmonica Ray" Millon, who entertained the crowd with his harmonica playing. Then, John Rainone played a solo on the keyboard as the audience clapped, swayed and tapped out the rhthym with their feet.
"I got a request for 'Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,'" Rainone said. "We gotta do this for those folks from Chicago back there."
Several members sing and each usually has a solo during the two-hour concert.
As Harmonica Ray played "Orange Blossom Special," Bell accompanied him with a train whistle and Dorothy Tackett of Garfield tap danced in front of the band in a red, white and blue costume.
For the past six years, the band often closes the show with "Johnny, Be Good."
"People really like it; they react to it. It's a good fast tune and we can feature all the musicians on it," Bell said.
"We all enjoy music; we enjoy playing music. The audience reaction is one of the things that makes it fun; the fact that so many people that follow us and will be there most times we play is rewarding," Bell said. "Last year we played 13 shows and two couples there for every show. We've gained quite a following from Bella Vista."
This past Saturday, Bell's grandson Brody Caster, 18, from Douglass, Kan., joined the group. Brody, a freshman at Pitt State College, has written several songs and recently produced a CD. His younger brother, Kolby, played on the drums Saturday, spelling Kotouc.
Millon is a retired pharmacist who previously worked at Walgreens and Kmart. Originally from the Chicago area, Millon has been in the Garfield area for 20 years. He's played the harmonica for 45 years, he said.
Kotouc who retired to Beaver Lake from Indiana said he worked in biotechnology sales. He plays the drums.
Mounce is the newest member; he plays the guitar.
Halsey is retired from a telephone company.
"The old clock on the wall says we've about overstaying our welcome," Bell said, as the evening wound down. "Now, get us outta here, Mr. Rainone. You got us into this mess. Now get us out."
The band is available for different functions and have played for dances in Seligman, Mo., and other venues. If interested, contact Bell 479-330-0604 or ken [email protected].
Two more shows are scheduled at NEBCO this year -- Saturday, Sept. 12, and Saturday, Sept. 26. Then, the Bells head south to Texas and The Black Oak Band will hibernate for the winter.
Community on 08/26/2015