Another Kind of Sentimental Journey
How strange is it that on the same day I posted a blog entry about my father, titled Sentimental Journey, I attended an event in the evening that was also called a Sentimental Journey? The emphasis on the second SentiMENTAL Journey was on the word MENTAL. It was a benefit concert at the Floyd Country Store to raise money for mental health awareness, headed up by Tommy Edwards, former Virginia Tech star football player who was once known as “Touchdown Tommy.” In between musical sets, one of which was his, Edwards talked to the crowd about his own experience with mental illness. He started the Heart of Virginia Foundation in response to the Virginia Tech shootings last April. You can read more about The Heart of Virginia on their webpage HERE.
Bernie Coveney, who I recently wrote about in a story for The Floyd Press HERE, is the one who prompted my husband and me to attend. Bernie’s latest band, Bernie Coveney with Natural Selection, was some of the music featured. The Natural Selection of this evening included (from left to right) Mike Mitchell, Abe Gorsky, Bernie, and Martin Scudder. There was a bass player playing behind Mike whose name I didn’t catch. Here is a clip from the evening of them playing Bernie’s song, Cherry Wine. Other bands that played during the evening were No Strings Attached and Blue Mule.
Mike Mitchell performed two tear jerkers. One was John Prine’s song, Paradise, about the destruction of land by a coal mining company, which you can hear Mike sing HERE. The other was from his current CD, Thirteen Hours. Natural Selection also played a selection of songs from Bernie’s new CD, Whispering Pines. In between bands, raffle drawings, and silent auction prize giving, we had carrot cake and neighborly chats with friends in booths in the front of the store. I bought some penny candy but had to spit out the fireball because it was too hot.
March 2nd, 2008 10:03 pm
Hi. MIchele sent me.
Normally I’d read farther down, but may pager just went off and I probably won’t be back online tonight. But I like what I’ve seen and I’ll be back tomorrow to read in depth. Save me a cup of coffee, OK?
March 2nd, 2008 10:55 pm
I remember listening to some of that Whispering Pines when you mentioned it before. Good stuff! You have a lot of interesting things to do in Floyd!
March 3rd, 2008 5:21 am
you live in such a fascinating community!
March 3rd, 2008 10:05 am
isn’t it great that the great stigma growing up mental illness can be discussed openly , without reprisal, and with understanding..
March 3rd, 2008 11:46 am
Sounds like it was a wonderful evening filled with music. I love those kind of evenings! I’ll be checking all the links, too!
March 3rd, 2008 3:27 pm
You have a very nice blog, good post. I promise I’ll be back, Oh and nice pics also. 😉
March 3rd, 2008 8:42 pm
Another great post. Wonderful evening of music… sounds so relaxing and joyous.
March 4th, 2008 3:55 pm
Thanks for posting the YouTube link for Mike Mitchell’s cover of ‘Paradise.’ Always nice to hear another rendition. I used to live in Warren County, KY, not far from Muhlenberg Co.
March 4th, 2008 4:13 pm
Nice to hear from you, John. I wonder if you know that you know me. I’m a fan of Dot Dot Dash and have garnered some tech help from you in the past at RU.
October 31st, 2012 11:53 am
[…] player who has dealt with his own mental health issues, played a Heart of Virginia benefit concert at the Floyd Country Store in 2008. After moving to Nashville, he formed Music 4 Mental Health, the national incarnation of the […]