| STAATS STILL PERFORMING 2016
By Bob Weaver 2/2001
The Johnny Staats concert was a "wish you were here" event last night
at Calhoun
Middle/High School auditorium. Staat's may well be one of the
countries best mandolin
pickers, he and his group "The Delivery Boys," put on a rip-roarin',
finely tuned stage show A
to Z - entertaining and professional all the way.
Staats delivers a dynamic performance 
Fiddlin' Jake Krack is opening act.
Krack and his group, which includes his mom Dara, opened the evening's
entertainment.
Calhoun High student Krack gave credit to Calhoun and Braxton counties
old time fiddlers
for mentoring him. His fiddling talent and skills are amazing for a
young man. "He's a great
kid and a hard worker," said a spectator. Krack has recorded several
CD's and performed at
the Kennedy Center last year, in addition to most of West Virginia's
folk and bluegrass
music festivals.
Jake Krack and Mom, Dara
Staats, known to many local residents as the UPS man, is brilliant
with his picking and
exuberant with his singing. The group introduced a new song they will
be recording called
"Savannah," which was written by Staats' sister. The audience was
moved by the words and
music, a real crowd pleaser.
Staats and The Delivery Boys get standing ovation
It seems that Staat's has already been recognized for his professional
talent, including the
musicians which surround him, and many believe he is on the edge of
moving ahead with his
musical career. He has played at the Grand Ole Opry, appeared on
numerous national TV
shows and dozens of the better venues in the area. He is good,
folk.
A woman sitting next to me said "I'll go home and pray he becomes
successful. We all know
he deserves it." Staats is a natural, easy going, down-home kind of
guy. Beyond his nature,
he is a highly skilled musician.
Many of Calhoun's well known musicians were there last night,
including the backstage
crew. Most of them go back a long way, performing since the 1970's.
Grantsville's Bobby Vaughn is one of the Delivery Boys
Drummer, Bush and McCormick still doing it with style
Art Bell has a long history at backstage controls
Jim Burrows of MegaZound
So, if you're sitting at home saying $15-$20 bucks was a little steep.
Forget you said it. You
would have gotten your money's worth and then some. A large crowd
attended the event, a
fundraiser for the Calhoun County Athletic Complex Committee.
Staats performs new tune "Savannah" |