Fountain Express

[Fountain, NC] The Steve Creech Sextet, with vocalist Carol-Ann Tucker, returns to Fountain General Store this Friday night for a concert of classic jazz standards, new stylings, and ballads.

A Kenly native and long-time Greenville resident, Creech has been playing guitar professionally since the 1950s. He grew up in Kinston and formed the popular dance band Steve Creech and the Creatures while a student at Wake Forest.

Retired from Pitt County Mental Health since 1997, Creech keeps a busy schedule throughout eastern North Carolina performing with a variety of excellent jazz musicians.

"This is the same group he brought here in March," said Fountain General Store proprietor Alex Albright, "and they put on an excellent show."

Carol-Ann Tucker's latest CD, Love Me, Love Me Not, was released earlier this year. It was made with Larry Jones, who will be on keyboards for this show. Tucker specializes in romantic ballads performed in her unique jazzy fashion. (Click here to listen to Carol-Ann Tucker sing "I'll be Seeing You.")

Also in the band are Fred Moye on tenor sax, Keith Dobbins on bass, and Larry Seigler on drums.

"Mr. Moye has moved back to Kinston from New York City," said Albright. "He's a great regional treasure -- a superb musician."

The Steve Creech Sextet with Carol-Ann Tucker will perform at 8 p.m. on June 2. Admission is $5.

---

Thursday night's featured performer, Don Helms, has cancelled his appearance due to poor health. Billed as a Hank Williams tribute with Chris Malpass and the Malpass Family, the show will now be a Malpass Family concert. Clyde Mattocks will be part of the Malpass band. [See article below for further details, including how to receive a refund for reserved seats.]

---

Chet Nichols returns to Fountain on Saturday night for a concert of original alt-Americana. Nichols has been called "an eastern Carolina Springsteen" who writes gritty narrative songs drawn from his own tobacco-belt roots as opposed to Springsteen's rustbelt-inspired work.

Nichols, who lives in Wilson, studied art at ECU, and his concert is scheduled to coincide with the opening of the international mail art show "Crossroads: World," which will be on view at Fountain General Store through the summer.

He has released two CDs, Local Vocal Session and Somewhere Out There. (Click here to listen to Chet Nichols sing "California Shore." Click here for a high-resolution jpeg of Chet performing live at R.A. Fountain.)

Nichols' June 3 concert begins at 8 p.m. It will be preceded by an opening, from 5-7 p.m., for the "Crossroads: World" show. Artists in attendance will be treated to barbecue and brunswick stew.

The show includes 120 pieces, with entries mailed to Fountain from 14 international artists representing 12 countries and 55 artists from 14 states. Local artists in the show include Mel Stanforth of Greenville and a couple from the Greene County town of Walstonburg who identify themselves only by initials.

Also showing work in "Crossroads" are former Greenville residents Barbara Ray, Kevin Hardy, and David Norris.

"We got a flyswatter and three flies from Chicago," said Albright, "a nicely decorated Frisbee from Minnesota, and a surprising number of very fine paintings, collages, and pieces of stamp and photocopy art."

R.A. Fountain, General Store and Internet Cafe, is located in historic downtown Fountain, at the intersection of US 258 and NC 222. Its family atmosphere is smoke- and alcohol-free.

Reserved seats are available for all shows at an additional charge. Prices are always posted on our up-coming events page. For further information, phone 252-749-3228.

Health Problems Force Don Helms to Cancel Thursday Show in Fountain
Don Helms' sold-out Thursday night concert with the Malpass Family at Fountain General Store has been postponed indefinitely because of Helms' health.

The Malpass Family will still be performing, and ticket prices have been reduced to $7.

"We'll refund full prices for anyone who would rather us do that," said Fountain General Store proprietor Alex Albright.

Helms has been suffering from a virus that has proved difficult to clear up, according to Andrea Malpass. He's resting at home, she said, where he also is recovering from cataract surgery. "He finally had to call and say he'd have to sit this one out," added Malpass, who noted that Helms has repeatedly called Fountain General Store his favorite place to perform.

"We're disappointed," said Albright, "but we look forward to getting this event re-scheduled, as soon as Mr. Helms' health allows."

Thursday night's patrons will be asked to sign a get-well card for Helms, whose steel guitar playing defined Hank Williams' sound. Helms is the last living member of Williams' Drifting Cowboys Band.

The Malpass Family concert will begin at 8 p.m. on June 1.

Patrons interested in obtaining a full refund should contact Fountain General Store at 252-749-3228 or e.mail the proprietor at alex@rafountain.com. Partial refunds will be available at the door, for patrons who wish to still keep their reserved seats.

Click here for a high-resolution photo of the Malpass Family performing at R.A. Fountain.

---

Don Helms & Chris Malpass Hank Williams Tribute Now Available
The much anticipated Hank Williams tribute CD by Chris Malpass and Don Helms, called Turn Back the Years, features new covers of 11 classic Williams songs. Helms, who played steel guitar on most of the original recordings, has been traveling with Malpass throughout the country, performing Hank Williams tributes in Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Canada.

Clyde Mattocks doesn't think it will be long before Malpass is a fixture on the Nashville music scene, and few that have heard this amazing talent would argue. Mattocks, who often plays dobro and banjo for the Malplass Family shows, plays bass on the new CD. He is joined by fiddle champion Tim Smith and Taylor Malpass on electric guitar. Kenny Dail plays steel guitar on one track, and Lisa Hill plays piano on another.

Turn Back the Years is $14.95 and can be ordered from Fountain General's secure e.store, where you can also hear three of the tracks. Click here to listen to Chris and Mr. Don perform "I Dreamed About Mama Last Night."

What You're Reading:
Each week, we send out a news release to 17 area newspapers. The primary contents of each issue of the Fountain Express is that news release. The Express is distributed via an e.mail list in a version that contains no attachments.

To add friends to our e.mail subscription list, send their e.mail address to fountainexpress@rafountain.com. To remove yourself from the list, send an e.mail to the same address with "unsubscribe" as either text or subject.

Our e.mail list is not sold or traded or otherwise shared with anyone.