A community’s musical sub-culture rallies around one of its own

Happy Father’s Day, dad – James and Reno share a moment during a packed schedule socially and musically just seven weeks after James’ series of two strokes essentially made his right side dysfunctional. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini

We caught James at his usual spot behind the drum kit about 15 minutes before the music was scheduled to start – But not today, just helping with the sound check he explained as he continues to deal with motor issue consequences of his strokes.

With keyboardist Donnie Walton

With Outlaw Country’s Donnie Poe

James with two more musicians, drummer Andy Rogers, center, and bass player Mike Chapman, the latter a former Vaughan brothers band mate in Lovewreck.

Hank Williams Sr., I mean Buddy Holly, or is it musician and musical stage actor Robbie Limon wishing James well on his road to recovery.

As his Aftershock bandmates with the aid of drummer Gary Peacemaker ready for next number on stage, James may be thinking ‘Who’d have ever thunk I was this popular?’

As Donnie Walton at keyboards behind her studies the itinerary with a scowl – ‘How many bands am I playing with?’ – Reno handles moderating duties in prepping the crowd for a little music and a lot of love.

On solo/duet stage 1, Hank Gorecki kicks off the music just after 1 p.m., as full band stage 2 PA dynamics are still being sorted out with the help of Aftershock’s Lenny Barnhart. Below, later Gorecki retook stage 1 with a little help from a ‘bucket-bass’ player.

Then it was From the Heart’s John Landes on vocals and guitar, with a little help from Chuck Ritenour on bass, and later Jeff Settle on drums.

Mid-afternoon to fill a brief itinerary gap, Aftershock – or was it billed as Afterstroke yesterday? – took to the stage for a rendition of The Hollies classic ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ which Reno introduced with a little Father’s Day spin – ‘He is heavy, he’s my dad’. Say what, dad James may be thinking further below.

Two perspectives of The Other Band, above from left drummer Pete Deutschmann, Chuck Ritenour, and guitarists Ralph Fortune and Billy Lucas sandwiching keyboardist Donnie Walton; below in reverse.

Shae Parker’s River Driven was up with a slightly altered lineup, which I’m pretty sure I heard introduced as River Bend with the lineup of, from left, Tim Grant, Parker, Stacy Horton, drums, Chris Howerton, guitar and Donnie Walton keyboards.

And there was food – above, C&C Frozen Treats William Huck goes off the ice cream diet for a well-dressed burger; below, So Mote It Beef’s Will Bryan indicates it’s thumbs up at the food stand. – Hope you got to try some of Bryan’s ‘to-die-for’ beef brisket from which all proceeds went to the fundraising effort.

And it was service with a smile from Brittany, left, and Brooke in the Va. Beer Museum’s Helltown Saloon.

Despite the midday heat and humidity the crowd continued to expand through the afternoon taking advantage of shade from any angle: tents, nearby buildings, the perimeter fence, trees – and the AC was kicking inside.

Hugs all around: above, as Shae Parker looks on, his drummer Stacy Horton hugs James Vaughan’s sister, Beth. Below, James and former Eyesoar guitarist Pat Flowers, left, discuss a reunion lineup set.

Excel, from left, Keith Will, brothers Greg (bass) and Bev (vocals) Williams and the ever-present Paul Shaffer, I mean Donnie Walton, with Rick Wines drum propulsion, attract some more contributions to the donation drum stage front.

I wasn’t expecting Beethoven: From stage 1, Joe Martin attracted the attention of musicians and non-musicians alike with a little guitar-riffing of Beethoven’s Ninth, including the Ode To Joy chorus. Oh thank you, it’s just a cover.

Rumor had it Dewey Vaughan may have been possessed by the ghostly voice of Jim Morrison during a cover of The Doors Roadhouse Blues. The accompaniment of sax player Justin Eller, and Seven Bends bassist JR Almquist and drummer Gary Peacemaker may have helped. Vaughan was filling in for Seven Bends vocalist Dustin Pence, absent on first child-delivery duty.

Reno Vaughan is accompanied by backup vocalists Cindy Abramo and daughter Adrian, far left, during the set.

Maybe we should invite dad back to the stage, Reno may have been thinking – so they did. Perhaps he wasn’t ready for an attack on the full drum kit yet, but the tambourine is one small step for mankind in that direction.

Cell phone videoing became popular at various points …

… as did dancing for those not video-phoning.

Guitarist Chris Howerton attracted some attention with some deep leads, including if I’m not mistaken, a stirring rendition of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb.

Donnie Poe led Outlaw Country to the stage, where they were soon joined by vocalist Lucille Ball, below. – I swear that’s what Dewey told me, explaining that she is the wife of band guitarist Kevin Ball. So, her parents didn’t do that to her, it was her choice.

If you missed this epoch party-concert, that’s on you. It was well-advertised online and physically, as illustrated on the windows of two nearby Chester Street businesses, John Landes’s Barbershop and Ann Shaffer’s New Creations Hair Salon. The poster, featuring photos of James Vaughan’s musical forays starting at an estimated (by brother Dewey) age 17 in second photo down.