Athens artists of various musical styles gathered Saturday at Donkey Coffee and Espresso for a show in appreciation of local musician J.D. Hutchison.
Hutchison — referred to as a “towering force” in the music community by Bram Riddlebarger, a regular local performer — recently suffered from two abdominal cysts. Saturday’s event showed consideration for the artist but was also meant to defray some of his medical costs.
“I felt like it was tender and loving, and I was very grateful,” said Hutchison, who did not attend the show because he was recovering from his stay at the hospital.
Troy Gregorino, booking manager at Donkey Coffee and Espresso, made a point of inviting performers who had been influenced by Hutchison and his work.
“The show was a fun whirlwind of a thing intended as a gesture of appreciation for J.D., who means a lot to a bunch of us musically and locally,” Gregorino said.
Hutchison, a folk music legend in the Athens area, has participated in local performances, including Stuart’s Opera House’s Cabin Fever Festival, as well as many events nationwide.
“I’ve been in and out of the scene for a number of years, so I’ve seen a lot of things,” Hutchison said. “(The Athens music community) is a thing unto itself. There’s a lot of good players here, and there are a lot of good players that are thoughtful and good songwriters.”
Megan Cameron, Tony Xenos, Mike Elliott, Chris Biester, Laura Nadeau, Riddlebarger and Bruce Dalzell were among the artists who performed Saturday night. Styles ranged from Cameron’s piano compositions to Riddlebarger’s Hank Williams-inspired country music.
The crowd was lively, Gregorino said, with artists cracking jokes and the mood remaining light. Gregorino said he was pleased with the turnout, which filled Donkey’s back room at various points of the night.
“It felt like half the town played the show and the rest of them watched,” Gregorino said. “There’s a rich history of (people coming together) in the Athens music community. People just look out for each other.”
Riddlebarger, who plays Uptown regularly, said he had heard local musicians often sing praises of Hutchison’s reputation and musical prowess.
“Many musicians I had played with were influenced by him,” Riddlebarger said. “A lot of my friends who grew up in Athens know him really well and view him as a huge influence. He’s had a huge impact on music for a really long time — both with the older and younger generations.”
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