Jefferson County native Billy Jeter returned to the Live@5 monthly concert at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, part of the ARTx3 Campus.
Held at the Black Box Theatre at The ARTSpace on Main, the concert drew more than 30 fans. As usual, food and beverages were provided by MK Distributors.
In addition to brand new songs, the Wabbaseka-born singer/songwriter gave a two-hour acoustic set performing original compositions from 2023’s long-play release, “Hysteria.” The roots-genre record has held a spot on the Roots Radio chart for a year, recently climbing to No. 5 nationally.
Joining Jeter’s trio for the evening were a couple of his regular bandmates, Perry Israel on acoustic lead guitar and Pat Lindsey on percussion.
Jeter kicked it off with “Labor Day Blues,” followed by “Denim in the Dirt” and “House on Fire.” The artist switched from electrified acoustic to steel-topped resonator for “The Ballad of Goosey Willie.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Each selection was introduced with a backstory explaining the inspiration behind its composition.
“These are mostly tales from the Delta north of the Arkansas River from my little corner of the world in north Jefferson County,” Jeter said.
A couple of new numbers, “Storyville Star” and “Hambone Stomp” were introduced to the audience.
Before launching into “Church in the Field,” the singer told how it was a brand-new, unrecorded song he had co-written with his brother that captured the story of an African-American church near his childhood home where the siblings were first introduced to high-spirited gospel music.
When Jeter broke out his harmonica on the number, the crowd clapped along, invoking the spirit of the country church.
Ten other songs filled out the evening, including an impromptu version of “Lodi” by Credence Clearwater Revival. Jeter said it was the first time he had performed the song in public. Despite his trepidations, the song had the audience singing along with the well-known number.
When Live@5 wrapped around 7 p.m., the Black Box Theatre crowd moved next-door to the Catherine M. Bellamy Theatre of the arts and science center’s main building to hear the 30-plus member University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Vesper Choir give an outstanding vocal performance.
Choir director Jerron Liddell and assistant director Andee Book guided their singers through a melodic mingling of soaring harmonies that overflowed the stage, resonating through the acoustically perfect room.
Other offerings open for public viewing at ASC include a visual art exhibit of pen-and-ink by Erica Daborn titled “Dialogs with Mother Earth: Drawing to Save the Planet” and a collection of work by assorted artists titled “Quotidian Moments: Different Lenses.”
