Art Jam rocks out Walton
Published 11:03 pm Saturday, December 27, 2014
atterson Hood performs an acoustic show Saturday night during the Blackbelt Benefit Group’s second annual Art Jam. Patterson was co-founder of the Southern Rock band Drive-By Truckers and has relatives in Dallas County, including uncle and aunt Scott and Mary Ann Patterson. The Band of Heathens sung and played for about an hour before Hood took to the Walton Theater stage. (Justin Averette | Times-Journal)
Art and music lovers filled the Selma Walton Theatre on Saturday for the Blackbelt Benefit Group’s second annual Art Jam.
The event included a free art show, meet-and-greet with performers, food and, of course, plenty of music.
The sold-out show featured performances from Destiny Brown, The Band of Heathens and Patterson Hood.
“It feels great to see it come together,” said Clay Carmichael, with the Blackbelt Benefit Group and Grow Selma.
The profits from show will help fund Grow Selma’s community garden project.
“We all value food, local farms and the local economy,” Carmichael said. “That all comes into play with that community garden.“
Jamie Alvey looks at some art by Selma resident A.C. Reeves. (Sarah Robinson | Times-Journal)
Kristen Jones was a first-time participant in the art show.
“I love to see what the other artists have come up and what they’ve done,” Jones said. “I think [the art] is a big drawing factor.”
Dothan resident Bryan Blackwell traveled to Selma to see Hood, who met his fans during a meet-and-greet before his 8 p.m. show.
“I’m a big fan of Drive-By Truckers, which is the band he co-founded,” Blackwell said. “I heard about this event, and it seemed like a nice event to come to get out of the house after Christmas.”
Carmichael said planning for this year’s Art Jam started immediately after last year’s event with Jason Isbell, a former member of the Drive-By Truckers, and was thrilled to see another sell-out this year.
He said Blackbelt Benefit Group is always willing to take suggestions on ways to improve Art Jam.
“If there is a complaint we try to fix it,” Carmichael said. “We want to get doing our events every year and raising money for this community garden because it’s going to take a lot of money.”
