Bella Vista band leader Mitchell calling it quits
Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/64937/
BELLA VISTA — The sound of music here will soon change forever. Jack Mitchell and his wife, Betty, are relocating to Tennessee to be closer to family.
Mitchell is the leader of Jack Mitchell and His Big Band, an icon in Bella Vista since the 1990 s.
Mitchell and the band will perform their final concert Sept. 7 at the Arend Arts Center at Bentonville High School.
Mitchell, a self-taught drummer, began his musical career nearly 70 years ago in his home of Paducah, Ky., where he was chosen to play drums in Harry Berry’s allgirl band, Sunkist Vanities, a gig that took him around the vaudeville circuit.
During World War II, he served in the U. S. Army Air Corps and played with a number of military bands.
Following his time in the service, he moved to Chicago, then Kansas City before coming to Bella Vista in 1988, where he became leader of the Bella Vista Big Band in 1990.
Mitchell toured with the band, which performed at both of former President Bill Clinton’s inaugurals, in 1993 and 1997.
Mitchell later formed his own band, then a smaller praise band.
Like many musicians with families, Mitchell had to find a career with a bit more stability. He spent nearly three decades as an importer, which, along with his music, allowed him to travel to nearly 90 countries.
Now, as Mitchell said, “ It’s time to move on.
“ I’m doing what I have to do, ” he said, indicating the main factors in the decision are his age — he’s nearly 85, his health and wanting to be closer to his children and grandchildren.
As for his plans, Mitchell said he isn’t sure, but he knows one thing: “ I don’t want to lead (a band ). ”
He said he might play in a band part time, and he wants to keep a praise band and continue to make CDs and distribute them at no cost to the country’s truck stops.
The decision to move Cleveland, Tenn., has been a couple of months in the making, Betty said.
“ No place in the world has given me the opportunities I have had here, and we have truly enjoyed our lives here, ” Jack said of his years in Bella Vista. “ This town has really been good to me. ”
The band and its members mean a lot to the band leader.
“ There are some really good musicians in there, ” he said. “ I have some fine friends in that band. ”
Mitchell said he expects the band to continue: “ They’ll just need to get a new drummer. ”
Band member Bob Christensen, who plays tenor sax, lauded Mitchell.
“ He is quite an individual, ” Christensen said of his friend. “ Without exception, the band members hate to see him go. ”
Christensen said Mitchell’s strength is his ability to give and ask for nothing in return. Oftentimes, the musicians received nothing for their work.
“ If Jack got paid, we got paid, ” Christensen said. “ He did a lot of charitable things. ”
Christensen said the band has begun talking about the future without their leader, and one thing is almost certain — the music will go on.
“ The general consensus is we are going to continue, and we have Jack’s blessing.
Christensen said Mitchell will be difficult to replace, describing his importance to the group as more than a drummer.
“ He is a very unusual man, ” he said. “ He writes poetry and music; his mind never stops. ”
Betty said she definitely had something to do with Jack making this change in his life.
“ If I didn’t get him out of here, he wouldn’t stop, ” she said.
She noted how many concerts he has left, with one or the other band, before their departure from Bella Vista on Sept. 29.
On Sept. 7 is the concert in Bentonville to benefit the Village House Adult Day Program.
Then, on Sept. 13 and 14, he will perform with the Bella Vista Men’s Chorus.
And, while no firm commitment has been made by either side, he is considering a concert to benefit the Greenland School District, which, like several in the state this year, is operating in the red.
In between those appearances, he and Betty are keeping busy packing their belongings and spending time with old friends.