Charity Raffle Benefiting
The 5th Annual
Winter Jam Texas
February 3rd, 2018
Admission is Free
Music Starts @ 5:30 PM
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Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsors, we have gathered the greatest musical talent from around North Texas
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Mark Shelton & The Greater Good
Songwriting and vocals are nice, but to turn songs into experiences, one needs a band that is powerful enough to add fire, passion, or any other emotion to whatever song you are playing. That is exactly what The Greater Good does. The trio of Matt Hinchey, Eric Grider, and Ben Wade add a whole separate range of dynamics that draw any listener in and forces them to take in the whole picture.
All seasoned musicians, they are often co writers in many of the original songs that you here at the live shows. They each bring their styles to the group, many times writing their own instrumental parts, then adding them together to create what has become a truly original sound. One that is extremely hard to pigeonhole into one particular genre. All the guys know is, if it feels good, then the song is right for them. They all have an almost uncanny way to play to, and for, each other. One musician inspiring the other to push themselves to be as expressive in their parts as the next guy. Every member of The Greater Good (Mark included) agrees that they are a live band, playing first for themselves, then to the crowd, but never into any one’s expectaions.
Matthew Bell and The Next of Kin
Based in North Texas, Matthew Bell & The Next of Kin is quite simply a family affair. Born out of marital luck, and bound by a drive for the creative and the authentic.
We are brothers, sons, fathers, husbands. And outside of our Creator, our families are not only the reason why we do what we do, they’re the reason why we’ve been able to achieve any success at all.
At heart, we are storytellers, and whether the story belongs to us or to our fellow man, we strive to offer justice to both the triumph and tribulation of human experience. We must not forget that life is a journey, and we all have a tale that is worth hearing. Our desire is to share those stories with the world.
MBNOK is Matthew Bell, Daren Denniston, and Jarod Schmitt. Folk-soul with tight harmonies and emotional musicianship, and as entertaining as it is intriguing.
Welcome to the family.
-MBNOK
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Jeff Hopson
Born in the Appalachian region of Tennessee, Jeff Hopson was sure to come into contact with music. He has lived all over the southeast – numerous places in East Tennessee, Orlando Florida, Charlotte North Carolina, Greenville South Carolina where he attended seminary, then a move back to Tennessee, this time Nashville, and finally Dallas Texas in 1989.
This variety of experience has lent itself to plentiful fodder for his songwriting, just as it had for those that have inspired him – Hank Williams, Haggard, Cash, Kristofferson, Jennings, the usual suspects. Later on writers like Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, and Don Henley brought a literacy to the table that captured his imagination in ways that transformed his understanding of what songwriting ought to be. Today he is the father of two sons, two daughters, and still resides in the same Garland, Texas he came to in 1989. Texas has been home to Hopson since then and it has certainly been the place where he has flourished as a songwriter, performer, and as a contributing writer for Outlaw Magazine.
Greg Hargrove
From the Texas/Oklahoma border along the Red River, to the pines in Northeast Louisiana, to East Texas and the DFW area as well – Greg Hargrove’s original music is drawn from the culture found in each of these locales. His lyrics celebrate life’s empowering triumphs and lament the crushing defeats.
He is also known to mine spirituality, temptations, betrayal, forgiveness, redemption and the art of balancing on the line that runs through the whole thing. The music behind his simple, rustic, yet powerful verse is a loosely woven blanket of open-throttle highway anthems, smoke-filled barroom blues, and dark, swampy soulful country. But the best way to experience this music? Live and in person!!!
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Town Walsh
Town Walsh is a singer/songwriter that has been a fixture in the North Texas music scene since the late 80’s contributing vocals, bass and acoustic guitar for many bands and friends. In 2011 Town started performing solo, but you will also find him performing with other friends often. Town’s major influences are the Rolling Stones, Dwight Yoakam, and Steve Earle.
Stacey Shope
Stacey’s passion for music was embedded at an early age. She was raised on heavy doses of the Carter Family and Bob Wills provided by her Granny and music was always on the stereo at home. From Willie and Merle to Chuck Berry and Little Richard with everything in between. “I remember being fascinated by my sister’s album collection, particularly The Rolling Stones “Some Girls” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell”.
It wasn’t until her early 20’s that she picked up a guitar. One had always been around, her Granny would often pick and sing for the family. “She taught my brother how to play over one summer so naturally I wanted to learn as well.” Tucked away in her bedroom with an occasional lesson from her brother or Granny she would learn by ear to play and sing and eventually try her hand at songwriting. She kept that tucked away as well, until a year and a half ago. Her mother, at age 61, learned to play guitar. “She would go out to bluegrass jams knowing all of 3 chords and sing her heart out, fearlessly.” Inspired to let go of her insecurities, she tried her hand at an open mic night and has stuck with it. “I’ve met so many influential and supportive people on this local circuit of songwriters. Some of the best singer/songwriters I’ve ever laid ears on are in our own backyard. I’ve come to realize in this short year and a half, I learn something new every time I get the opportunity to get up in front people. About myself, life, perceptions and visions. Who knows what the future hold but right now I’m having a blast and our family jams can shake the block!
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Ben Shurr
Ben Shurr was raised in rural Ohio near the banks of the Vermilion River. He moved to Dallas in 2002 and began to meet friends who also liked to play music. They formed a cover band, The Sum of All Beers, and began to play around the area. Ben was the lead singer and 12 string rhythm guitarist. All the while his brother-in-law was beginning to inundate him, per his request, with this strange new sound: Red Dirt Music/ Texas Country.
Ben who was deeply steeped in folk, classic rock, oldies and grunge found that this music was like a refreshing tidal wave and he could not get enough of it. In 2010 he went to the Larry Joe Taylor Music Festival and was changed forever on live performance and the way music is presented.
Ben had dabbled in writing his own music but began to grow more confidence the more he listened to these wonderful artists he had just found. He began to write more originals and continues to do that to this day. He is influenced by his past, influences that shaped him (CSNY, Springsteen, Joe Cocker, Marc Cohen, etc.) and what shapes him now (Max Stalling, Tommy Alverson, Jason Boland, etc.).
He plays all over when he can and is the co-founder of Jam Texas, a very small company that puts on two music festivals each year, Summer Jam Texas and Winter Jam Texas.
He has played every winter jam texas since it’s inception and is thrilled to be playing again!