KASU's Bluegrass Monday to Feature Shelton and Williams
In photo, left to right: Johnny Williams, Jay Shelton and Jeanette Williams
JONESBORO – Shelton and Williams will perform a concert of bluegrass and acoustic music on Monday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. at Collins Theatre, 120 West Emerson Street, in downtown Paragould.
This acoustic-music supergroup features husband and wife Johnny and Jeanette Williams along with Jay Shelton, all of whom sing and are known for their vocal harmonies. The band plays traditional bluegrass, classic country music, original songs, gospel tunes, Americana music, and even bluegrass arrangements of songs from rock-and-roll, disco and blues music. The group’s debut album, “So Much Time So Much Love,” was released in 2022.
Jeanette Williams is a three-time winner of the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music (SPBGMA) in America’s Female Vocalist of the Year award, and she has been nominated for over a dozen other SPBGMA honors. She has also received two International Bluegrass Music Association awards, and has won multiple honors as a songwriter including the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest and the IAMA Songwriting Contest. Her debut album as a solo artist spent nine months on the Bluegrass Unlimited national album chart, and she has also recorded albums leading her own Jeanette Williams Band and in collaboration with her husband.
Johnny Williams is also an award-winning songwriter, being a two-time winner of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest. He is also a past nominee for SPBGMA’s Male Vocalist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year honors.
Williams has co-written songs with Country Music Hall of Fame member Tom T. Hall. Numerous bluegrass artists including Doyle Lawson, Special Consensus, Junior Sisk, and Larry Cordle have recorded songs written by Williams. He has, either as a songwriter, performer or producer, appeared on over 90 recording projects.Jay Shelton began performing bluegrass music in the 1970s, but he switched musical genres, leading a rock band for many years. He later became an in-demand singer-songwriter performing solo concerts. He returned to his first love, bluegrass music, in 2019. He released a solo album titled “Home,” which also featured Johnny and Jeanette Williams.
For their concert in Paragould, Shelton and Williams will be joined by two special guests. Trustin Baker will play banjo and fiddle for the group. Baker is a two-time winner of the Grand National Fiddle Championship and has also won state championships in six different states.
Jeff Daughtery will play mandolin at the concert. He was a founding member of the Wyoming-based bluegrass band BeatGrass, and he currently plays with the Colorado-based traditional bluegrass group the Red Mountain Boys.
This concert is part of the Bluegrass Monday series presented by KASU, 91.9 FM. Tickets are $10 for adults, and children aged 18 and under are admitted free. Advance tickets are available at www.kasu.org/Tickets. Doors to the theatre open at 6 p.m.
In addition to the concert, KASU hosts open, acoustic, bluegrass jam sessions for local musicians on the fourth Monday night of each month. These sessions begin at 5 p.m. in the Joe Wessell Building which is adjacent to the Collins Theatre. Musicians are invited to bring their instruments, to connect with other bluegrass musicians, and to enjoy making music together.
The Bluegrass Monday concert series is a non-profit presentation of KASU-FM, providing music fans with an affordable and outstanding evening of entertainment. All ticket proceeds are given to the performers to compensate them for their time and talents. Sponsors of the series include the Paragould Advertising and Promotion Commission, Bibb Chiropractic Center, Gardner-Milner Law Firm, the Posey Peddler, Hyde Park Café, Holiday Inn Express and Suites of Paragould, and KASU.
For more information, contact Marty Scarbrough, KASU program director, at mscarbro@AState.edu or 870-972-2367. Additional information is also available on the Bluegrass Monday Facebook page.
