TownTalk: The Story Of Drewry

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ACC basketball fans may know it as the hometown of the 1980’s Duke player David Henderson.  History buffs may know it by its earlier name of Enterprise. But anyone who remembers Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! may be able to recall that it is the teeny community of Drewry that, in the 1940’s had an old-fashioned well. Right in the middle of town.

“There was a town well in the middle of the crossroads,” Pace said, which caught Mr. Ripley’s attention. The well remained there until about 1947. “When the state paved the road, they took it up,” he said.

Leave it to local historians Mark Pace and Bill Harris to discuss in detail a community that straddles the present-day Vance/Warren county line.

“Before Kerr Lake came along, you could drive from Townsville to Drewry in seven minutes,” Pace said. Its first name was Cedar Fork, according to Pace, North Carolina Room specialist at Oxford’s Richard Thornton Library. In the 1840’s and 50’s, it was known as Enterprise. But when the Roanoke Valley Railroad came through, it was renamed because it was Drewry Marrow who took care of the railroad there.

By 1881, Drewry held the distinction for being the smallest township in Vance County in terms of size and population, Pace said. It later melded with the Middleburg township.

“There was a time when Drewry was actually a thriving little community,” he noted. “It wasn’t a bustling metropolis,” but there was a café, two barber shops – one for Blacks and one for Whites – a school, butcher shop, school, dry cleaners, fire department and railroad station. It was the halfway point for the railroad, which went back and forth between Manson and Townsville.

In 1940, Drewry was the very first precinct to report results in the Nov. 6 Presidential election. All votes were cast and counted by 8:53. In the morning. The 24 registered voters “all got together and agreed to cast their votes at the same time,” Pace said. “FDR won 100 percent of the votes” cast at Walston’s store in the Drewry precinct.

But folks in and around the Drewry community were interested in politics well before 1940.

A schoolteacher from Virginia named George Sims moved to the area in the 1750’s. He wrote the Nutbush Address, a treatise that pointed out how politicians of the day were abusing their rank and privilege at the expense of the common man. Later, when Samuel Benton (a founding father of Oxford) wrote the Halifax Resolves, there were echoes of Sims’s address. “And the Halifax Resolves was one of the documents that Thomas Jefferson used for a template for the Declaration of Independence,” Pace explained.

“For such a small place, it has an interesting history,” he mused.

Hear the full Around Old Granville segment at wizs.com.

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TownTalk: Freedom Life Church Of God’s Camp Meeting Returns

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According to Pastor Jeff Prewer, the upcoming camp meeting at Freedom Life Church of God will have all the markings of a traditional revival – there will be guest speakers and lots of special musical entertainment over the four-day event.

But when you add technology – from video screens to social media platforms and podcasts – the traditional revival setting gets taken up a notch or two.

And that’s just fine with Prewer, because he has David Cole, who is the church’s technology specialist and A/V team director, to make sure everything’s running smoothly for those who attend the revival in person and for those who may watch via livestream or later on the church’s YouTube channel.

As with so many other things, the COVID-19 pandemic threw a monkey wrench into how the church conducted services, Prewer told WIZS’s Bill Harris on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

Prewer said he found it different, but not difficult, to preach in an empty sanctuary which pre-pandemic could be filled with hundreds of people.

“Though the pews were empty, I knew that people were hearing the Word,” Prewer said.

As recorded sermons evolved to parking lot services, Prewer led the church as it made its way back to in-person services.

“We refuse to sit back any longer,” Prewer said. “We decided we’re going forward.
The camp meeting kicks of Sunday, Sept. 25 with services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. and continues through Wednesday with services at 7 p.m.

Special guest speakers include Craig Stone from Braselton, GA, Steve Edmondson of Wilson, NC, Tracy Stone, a pastor in Lawrenceville, GA and Steve Hargrove, of Oxford’s White Rock Missionary Baptist Church.

Planning a camp meeting can take months, Prewer said. It’s important to select speakers and musical entertainment that “fit” the church, he added.

“God has blessed us to break barriers and build bridges,” he said, and to “lift up Jesus…I’m looking for men that share that heartbeat.”

Cole said he and his team have to do a lot of preparation as well in advance of each service. “I have a wonderful team behind me,” he said, to make sure that all the equipment and lighting is ready each week.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have caused some headaches at the outset, but from that came creativity and innovation that allowed Prewer’s message to continue to be delivered.

So whether he’s preaching in front of one person who is operating a camera, or 500 people inside a church building, for Prewer, it’s all the same.
“I just preach out of my heart…to please God (and) to bring the word of God to people.”

Just a couple of months ago, the church reached 5,000 people across the different social media platforms. That number has surged to 9,000 since then, with 20 percent of the views from Henderson and the rest from across the nation and globally.

“It’s just awesome to see how God moves,” Cole said.

Visit www.freedomlifecog.org/campmeeting to see a schedule of speakers and musical guests. The church is located at 1001 Martin Creek Rd. in Henderson.

 

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TownTalk: National Cemeteries

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Military veterans and their families may know about particular benefits that are available to them because of their service to the country, and those benefits extend to burial in a national cemetery.

Through perseverance, carefully documented research and the help of a genealogist, Phyllis Maynard is planning a springtime memorial service at Salisbury National Cemetery for her grandfather, who served during World War I.

The cemetery is the only one of its kind in the state that is currently open for burials and memorial services, according to Phillip Smyre, cemetery director. And, in fact, Maynard’s grandfather is taking the very last spot in the memorial section of the historic cemetery. Plans for an expansion are underway and that project could begin next year, Smyre told guest host Maynard and John C. Rose during the monthly installment of “Former Active Duty, Still Boots on the Ground segment of TownTalk.

Genealogist Kim Knight helped Maynard, herself a military veteran, locate information regarding her grandfather, Willie Maynard. He died under tragic circumstances when Maynard’s father was only 4 years old. And his service to his country was not acknowledged. Until now. Maynard said she and Smyre are planning a service to officially recognize her grandfather’s military service during warmer weather to accommodate elderly family members who want to attend.

Usually, cemetery officials can confirm a veteran’s service through social security numbers, army ID numbers or the discharge DD-214. But Maynard’s grandfather was not issued a social security number when he was born, so the process took a bit longer. Knight, the genealogist, first found a death certificate and then had to work back from that point to find information about his military service.

“He deserved to be memorialized with honors,” Knight said.

Smyre said it was a group effort, with Knight’s and Maynard’s input, along with the scheduling office in St. Louis, MO “to confirm that Mr. Maynard was indeed a member of the Armed Forces during WWI.”

No matter the need, Smyre said he and his outreach staff are ready to help family members who have questions or need assistance. Phone 704.636.2661 to learn more. Staff conduct ongoing outreach programs with local churches, community centers and veterans’ groups to get the word out about the services that are available to military veterans.

On land that once housed a prison during the Civil War, the Salisbury National Cemetery originally interred both Union and Confederate veterans; it had to continue to evolve, however, at the conclusion of World War I, then World War II, then Vietnam.

About two years ago, pre-placed crypts were placed to give more room for burials, Smyre said.

National cemeteries are held to slightly stricter “standards of upkeep” than state cemeteries, he said. “Headstones are set at a certain height, the grass, depending on the type is cut to a certain height,” he said, adding that there’s “a little bit more of a microscope on the national cemetery.”

State cemeteries do a great job, he said, but often don’t have the funding that a national cemetery has, which affects resources and staffing.

Sonya Leazer, administrative specialist at the cemetery, said a national cemetery will accept any eligible veteran, regardless of where they lived. State cemeteries require that a person live in the state for at least 10 years to be eligible for interment. National cemeteries accept interment of a spouse of the veteran at no cost to the family.

“They can be interred as long as they’re eligible,” Leazer said, and if the veteran is eligible, the spouse also is eligible. There are certain additional requirements for a child to be interred in the cemetery with parents.

 

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TownTalk: McGregor Hall Continues Positive Impact With Upcoming Shows

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From the stage, actors delight and entertain audiences with their performances. But the way Mark Hopper sees it, the local and regional actors who perform at McGregor Hall have important roles off-stage as well – Hopper sees them as ambassadors for the regional venue and for the community of Henderson, too.

Rehearsals have begun for the upcoming production of “The Little Mermaid” and Hopper old John C. Rose during Monday’s TownTalk that close to 100 people are – or will be- coming into Henderson seven nights a week for rehearsal. “And that’s just the cast that’s participating,” he said. When cast members go back to their home communities and talk up the shows or just the beauty of McGregor Hall, they promote ticket sales and more visitors to the area.

“The reach of that cannot be overstated,” said Hopper, who serves as McGregor Hall’s director of operations and heads the board of directors.

Henderson residents should be proud to say that McGregor Hall brings world-class entertainment right into the community. “It’s extremely important to us that we be a venue for all in the community…it’s part of our mission that we provide something for everyone, and do it affordably,” Hopper said.

The McGregor Hall Live! Series kicks off later this month with a show called “Smokey & Me,” featuring Charl Brown, who performs the biggest hits of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on Sept. 25.

“This guy is pretty amazing,” Hopper said, calling Brown “the real deal.”

McGregor Hall patrons can purchase tickets to all five shows in the 2022-23 series for $115, which Hopper said is a real bargain.

How can the venue attract such a high caliber of talent? Lots of agreements with national companies that license productions and lots of phone calls with agents and other groups that represent touring companies and musical groups.

“We have to pay a pretty good chunk of change just to have permission to present it,” Hopper said of the Disney production. But these large-scale, professional productions help to showcase the talent on the stage, and also, well, the stage itself. “We’ve really made a name for ourselves here,” Hopper said of McGregor Hall.

“We really have an all-star cast,” he continued, adding that 2017 Miss North Carolina Victoria Huggins returns to McGregor Hall as Ariel. Jonathan O’Geary has the role of King Triton.

In addition to the Smokey Robinson tribute and the fall production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” Hopper said McGregor Hall will host a holiday concert by the Raleigh Ringers and America’s Got Talent finalists and audience favorites Sons of Serandip in February, followed by Ballet Magnificat in April.

Although it’s not a part of the McGregor Hall Live! Series, a special concert, sponsored by Mast Drug, is set for January 28, 2023, Hopper said. The Oak Ridge Boys will perform at McGregor Hall and tickets will go on sale later this week, he said.

“That was a big catch,” Hopper said, adding that it’s taken several years to land the group, because they continue a rigorous touring schedule. “They do a lot of touring with The Gaithers,” Hopper said. “They haven’t slowed down one bit.”

Visit https://www.mcgregorhall.org/ for a complete listing of show dates and times, and to view videos of some of the groups that will take the stage locally during the 2022-23 season.

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Queen Elizabeth II Defined an Era, Part of the Story of our World

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WIZS News Special Report —

These days, twenty-somethings have their life ahead of them to do as they wish: some 25-year-olds are in graduate school, others are well into their life in the world of work. Some are married with children and some are enjoying the singles scene.

But in 1952, one 25-year-old woman began her reign as queen of England. Today, that 70-year reign came to an end when Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96.

The WIZS News team joined others across the world Thursday to offer remembrances of a woman who shared the world stage while 14 U.S. Presidents came and went.

Queen Elizabeth II made four official state visits to the United States and, no doubt, met innumerable dignitaries during her time on U.S. soil. But WIZS friend and special correspondent Brandon Boyd said she met with the same person on each of her four visits: golfer Arnold Palmer. “She followed Arnold Palmer all during his golf career,” Boyd told John C. Rose and Bill Harris during a special report at the top of the 5 p.m. newscast.

Perhaps it was her love of golf, so revered in her native Scotland, that drew her to Palmer. Or it could have been his nickname that did it: Palmer was known as The King. Whatever the reason, Palmer and Queen Elizabeth enjoyed a special friendship.

Regular listeners to WIZS know that Bill Harris is a genealogy enthusiast with a keen nose for history.

“Most folks of English descent,” Harris said, whose ancestors came to the Colonies back in the days before 1776, could trace their lineage back to shared ancestors with the Queen. Harris said he has done just that, and finds that he is an 18th cousin – twice removed – to Queen Elizabeth II.

That’s more than three U.S. Presidents can claim: Martin Van Buren was of Dutch heritage, Dwight Eisenhower was of Swiss heritage and John F. Kennedy was of Irish heritage.

Queen Elizabeth II will no doubt be remembered for many things, from her historic reign to her love of the Corgi dogs that were always seen by her side. It was said she loved that breed “because of its energy and untamed spirit,” Boyd noted, adding that that was symbolic of the way she reigned. “She had a remarkable life and an amazing run.”

During that run, she appointed 15 prime ministers to their roles – some longer than others, depending on how long Parliament enjoyed their performance in office. Her first prime minister was none other than Winston Churchill. And just three days ago, the Queen was photographed at her Scottish home, Balmoral Castle, welcoming Liz Truss as the newest prime minister.

Churchill was born in 1874. Truss was born in 1975, nearly a century apart.

President Joe Biden issued a lengthy statement upon learning of the Queen’s death. “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a monarch,” he said. “She defined an era,” adding that she was “a stateswoman of unmatched dignity.”

 

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Corbitt Trucks

TownTalk: Preserving The History Of Corbitt Trucks

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The 20th annual Corbitt Truck Show and Reunion is coming up next month on Oct. 15, and it’s a great time to come out and view some of the vehicles that were manufactured right here in Henderson.

Corbitt Preservation Association Vice President Tom Burleson said the reunion coincides with the Show, Shine, Shag and Dine event, which brings thousands of car enthusiasts from all over into town for a weekend of fun.

Burleson told John C. Rose on Thursday’s TownTalk that his group is selling raffle tickets for some nice prizes – tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. First prize is a Milwaukee tool set, which retails for $750-$800. Second prize is a Hobart welding accessory kit, valued at $300.

Tickets are available from anyone in the Corbitt Preservation Association, their social media page, as well as at the museum on the day of the reunion – and Burleson said you don’t have to be present to win.

The Corbitt museum, located at 180 Church St., has plenty of Corbitt merchandise for sale. “We’ll be open for business that day and look forward to seeing people,” he said. There are Corbitt caps and t-shirts for sale, among other items. This year’s t-shirt features an image of a 1929 fire truck, whose chassis was built by Corbitt, which once known as the South’s largest truck manufacturer.

The fire truck originally was property of the U.S. Navy, but Burleson said it had more recently been used on the campus of the Maryland Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Officials there contacted the preservation association when it was ready to be retired, and it is now in the process of being restored to its former glory.

That very truck should be among the rolling stock of Corbitt vehicles that will be on display near the fire department on Garnett Street during the car show, Burleson said.

It’s not an everyday occurrence, but he said the group does hear from folks who have Corbitt vehicles.

“I enjoy it because it’s living history,” Burleson said of his interest in Corbitts. “So many people don’t know or appreciate what the Corbitt Company did for the country and for the community.”

The company began making buggies in 1899 and then produced horseless carriages when they began installing motors on the backs of the buggies. Although most known for their trucks, Corbitt also manufactured cars and tractors.

During World War II, Corbitt produced “big ol’ beasts” to transport all kinds of heavy cargo. “That was their niche and they sold a ton of them,” Burleson said. They’ve turned up in Europe, leftovers from the American presence.

And there are a couple of farm tractors that have been located in Brazil, the result of a deal between the U.S. and the South American country. A couple of shipments made it to Brazil before the deal broke down, Burleson said, but he said someone made contact with folks here to say he had one and his neighbor had one, too.

The Corbitt enthusiasts are keen to keep the vehicles in working order. “These are real things that are wonderfully still rolling,” Burleson said. “We have a good handful of folks who keep these things up and ride them and drive them and display them and love to talk about them,” he said.

To learn more, visit www.corbitttrucks.com or phone 252.767.2247 or 252.432.6476.

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TownTalk: G.R.A.C.E. Ministries Reaches Out To Those With Addictions

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Jamie Elliott hopes to have a good turnout at the G.R.A.C.E. Ministries Addiction and Recovery Rally this Saturday. It’s a time for people to learn more about community resources for those who need help, and it’s also a time to hear from individuals in recovery who have turned their lives around.

The rally will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10 at G.R.A.C.E. Ministries, 961 Burr St. “I’m looking forward to this weekend,” Elliott told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk. And he plans to stream the event live on social media for those who can’t attend but want to see and hear the day’s activities. Visit https://www.graceofhenderson.org/ to learn more.

Several men and women, all recovering addicts, are going to be on the agenda to share their stories, Elliott said, “how they first started in addiction and where they are now.”

Whether through information from community agencies or form first-person testimonials, the main focus of the event is education.

“We want to educate families on what drug addiction has done…you have to be there to listen and see with your own eyes what addiction does” to individuals and to their families, Elliott said.

People find themselves in the throes of addiction from a variety of ways, whether it’s becoming dependent on prescribed pain medications for a medical condition or to block traumatic experiences.

“Once the drug wears off, the trauma comes back,” Elliott said.  Addiction knows no age – Elliott said he’s worked with pre-teens as well as a woman in her 80’s who abused pills – “it all started from her messing up her hip,” he explained. “We have to educate people on how to use medicine the right way,” he added.

Addiction so often starts out small, and then snowballs out of control. It starts out with one seemingly harmless interaction with drugs or alcohol and then progresses to more and more dangerous abuse. “Then you see your life just disappearing in front of your eyes,” Elliott said.

And it’s not just the addict who is affected, he said. “People tend to forget about the families,” Elliott added. Family members watch helplessly – or enable the addicted person – “they don’t know what to do or what to say…they worry themselves sick, day and night.”

The Saturday rally is designed to promote awareness – opening people’s eyes to the dangers of addiction, the possibilities for recovery and for the resources in the community to help people get the help they need.

“The more people we can get together, the more people will see what’s going on,” Elliott said.

If your organization would like to participate or set up a booth, contact Elliott at 252.204 3617 or Danny Satterwhite at 252.425.3620.

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TownTalk: Tourism And Its Impact On The Local Economy

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We spend money every day, during trips to the grocery store or the pharmacy, for example. But each day, Vance County residents shop alongside visitors to the community who may be camping at Kerr Lake or who are in town for a dance competition or one of a number of annual events that draw folks from all over.

The data comes from an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. If you break down that number,

Vance County received about $164,000 a day last year in tourism dollars.

That money supports the local economy in a variety of ways – it means that people are shopping and dining locally, and they’re spending a night or nights in area motels and hotels. Tourism spending was up in all 100 North Carolina counties last year over the previous year. But considering that the previous year – 2020 – was basically a tourism “bust” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it stood to reason that any improvement in 2021 over 2020 would be expected.

Vance County is gearing up for a couple of its annual events that traditionally attract throngs of visitors – the Show, Shine, Shag and Dine is set for Oct. 14-15 in Vance County.

There’s a pre-show barbecue dinner and cruise-in at Kerr Lake on Friday, Oct. 14, and then the Southern Classic Cruise-In will take place the next day at 117 Horner St. in downtown Henderson. This is the 20th annual Show, Shine, Shag and Dine, sure to delight classic car enthusiasts.

And just in case those car enthusiasts need a bit more, the 20th annual Corbitt Truck Show and Reunion will take place Saturday, Oct. 15. The Corbitt Preservation Association works throughout the year to remember that workhorse vehicle that was manufactured right here in Henderson. The show and reunion runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Corbitt Museum, located at 180 Church St.

Whether it’s an annual car show, performances at McGregor Hall or families who enjoy all recreational activities on Kerr Lake, Vance County benefits. Gas tanks get filled, appetites satisfied in area restaurants and then those visitors return to their homes. But their money gets spent here and stays here.

In 2021, that money amounted to more than $59 million.

In Warren County, visitors spent just more than $63 million in 2021. Although the Commerce Department statistics didn’t break down spending by event, but did list a handful of categories that are including when capturing the visitor spending. One category is second homes, and Warren County has a lot of second homes situated along the Lake Gaston shoreline.

Maybe the people who used to visit their lake homes on the weekends decided to stay longer during the pandemic, or maybe they’ve continued to live there and work remotely. Whatever the reason, Warren County took in roughly $63 million from visitors during 2021.

Granville County is the largest of the three counties in the area, and it reported visitor spending at $50 million in 2021 – a 26.9 percent increase from 2020.

Granville may not have the same volume of lake traffic as Vance and Warren, but it makes up for it in the sheer volume of events and attractions that seem to pop up most any time during the year.

Perhaps the largest annual event is coming up this weekend when the 16th annual Hot Sauce Festival and Contest takes center stage in downtown Oxford.

Food and beverage vendors, local craftspeople and dozens of hot sauce stands set up all along College, Williamsboro and Main streets for the all-day festival. There are a couple of stages for live music performances, a classic car show and, of course, the ever-popular pepper-eating contest.

The Creedmoor Music Festival tunes up next weekend to entertain concert-goers with all genres of music, from Gospel to classic rock.

No matter the draw – peppers, cars, lake activities or music – the counties all benefit from having tourists visit, enjoy and spend – their time AND their money.

 

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TownTalk: Classes For Caregivers

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A six-week online class designed to help family caregivers do the very best they can for their loved ones – and for themselves – is set to get underway in early September and Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments staffer Susan Tucker wants folks to know how helpful the program is. Tucker speaks from first-hand experience: not only did she complete the class, but she went on to become an instructor.

“I know that it works because it worked for me,” Tucker told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk. The class is called “Powerful Tools for Caregivers,” and she said the impact it has had in her own life has been transformative. She has been a caregiver to her mother for the past six years and the tools that she learned from the class have proved invaluable.

The class runs on Tuesday mornings from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. beginning Sept. 6 and continuing through Oct. 11. It is free and designed for any non-paid caregiver; all participants will receive a workbook as part of the class.

Michael Patterson, a family caregiver specialist with Kerr-Tar COG, said participants learn how to take care of themselves as they provide care for their loved ones, which at times can be a delicate balancing act. The class provides information about community resources, as well as techniques and skills necessary to handle and manage stress.

“That’s the wonderful thing about the class – that’s the whole point,” she said, of finding ways to manage the stress of caring for a loved one. It can be incredibly overwhelming, she added, and rarely is the caregiver prepared for or aware of what they’re getting into.

The class is different from other programs that may be focused squarely on the person who requires the care, which may provide a checklist of all the things that should be done for that person to receive proper care.

“(This) class really gives the caregiver the tools to handle their role as a caregiver,” Tucker said. “It puts tools in your hand to perform those tasks so that you can thrive while you’re caring for your loved one.”

The biggest takeaway for Tucker, she said was a feeling of confidence. “II actually felt – all of a sudden – that I could do it. I didn’t feel alone.”

Call 252.436.2040 to register for the Powerful Tools for Caregivers class.

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McGregor Hall

TownTalk: Love Of Performing Keeps Alston And Manhattans On Stage

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The smooth, sultry sounds of The Manhattans is a balm for anyone who grew up listening to R&B and Henderson’s own Gerald Alston has helped to create that sound for, well, a few years now.

Alston will perform this Friday evening, Sept. 2 at McGregor Hall alongside Troy May and newcomer Lawrence Newton, with the band East Coast Connection providing the accompaniment.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. Purchase tickets at https://www.mcgregorhall.org/

Alston, now 70, talked with WIZS’s Bill Harris on Wednesday’s Town Talk, and said he is always happy to perform in the place where he got his start.

“Over the years that I’ve been singing, we’ve always been well supported by my hometown,” Alston said. “It’s a joy to me to be able to come home and perform for friends, family and fans.”

Earlier this month, the group celebrated its 60-year anniversary. Although the faces may have changed over those six decades, the sound remains true. Alston joined the group at the young age of 17 and he said his love of singing is what keeps him going. “My love of singing and love of family,” he said.

He became lead singer in 1970 and has never looked back. Concert goers can expect to hear some of the group’s biggest hits – think “Shining Star” and “Kiss and Say Goodbye,” just to name a couple.

“We’ll be adding a couple of songs that we don’t usually do,” but are regional favorites, he hinted.

Over the years, as vinyl albums made way for cassettes, CDs and now streaming platforms, Alston said he and his group have enjoyed how the “old” fans come together with new fans to appreciate the music they create.

“Social media and Internet radio have been our friend,” he readily acknowledged, adding that fans can download particular songs to create their own playlist and don’t have to depend on traditional radio stations or other traditional formats.

If all goes according to plan, the Manhattans will have 35 or 40 shows this year, bouncing back after the COVID-19 pandemic. Their latest single, “Get It Ready,” climbed high on the soul independent charts, and Alston said he expects the group’s touring schedule to continue to pick up speed.

“The point is that we love singing and God has granted us the ability to still be doing it,” he said.

Having said that, however, Alston did suggest that touring the country and the world to perform can be tiring.

They recently did a two-day gig with the O’Jays down in Florida, he said, playing Tampa one night and then Miramar the next. “Believe me, the traveling is what gets you,” he said. “Traveling takes its toll on you at times.” Between early flights and late check-ins, sound checks and finding a spot to eat – and then heading back to the venue for a two-hour show, Alston said it’s not as easy to bounce back at 70 as it was earlier in his career.

As for Friday night’s venue, McGregor Hall, Alston is seriously pumped.

“Mark Hopper… has done a wonderful job,” he said. “McGregor Hall is one of the best venues that we’ve played – the sound is great, the hall is beautiful…and the staff there is top-notch.”

McGregor Hall is on the smaller side of venues where the Manhattans have performed – dwarfed certainly by the Houston Astrodome and the Atlanta Braves Stadium, where the group has performed to crowds of between 30,000 and 40,000.

 

Alston said he prefers the smaller venues because of the closer, more intimate setting they provide – there’s literally less space between the fans and the stage. “I love being close to my fans and the audience,” he said.

But whether in an intimate setting or a cavernous sports arena, the response from the audience is the same. “They give you that energy,” Alston said, “their appreciation for our music and their support” pumps up the performers and makes it all worthwhile.

“At some point, I may slow down with the work,” Alston said, perhaps picking and choosing performances. “But I think I’ll always be singing.”