GREENFIELD – As a musician, it makes Joe Shelton’s heart happy knowing how many new listeners he’s introduced to local singers and songwriters through his National Road Music Series, held at the H.J. Ricks Centre for the Arts in Greenfield.
Since his first show at the Ricks in the spring of 2023, Shelton has brought a series of local musicians to the stage to play their unique brands of original songs – with one show a month each spring and fall.
The upcoming fall series kicks off Sept. 21 with performances by Matthew Marcelle, American Beech and Mother the Band.
It will be the ninth show in the series so far. Tickets are just $10.
Tony Seiler, a fellow musician who manages the Ricks Centre as well as the Greenfield Music shop, said Shelton has done a great job of exposing audiences to both local artists as well as the hometown theater.
“It’s been going well. He’s had groups like Jennie DeVoe and all kinds of original artists. He’s brought in some really good talent,” said Seiler.
While ticket sales vary from show to show, Shelton said it’s been great to see people show up to hear great original music by homegrown artists from the greater Indianapolis area, including several from Hancock County.
“It’s a roller coaster. It’s really good one month then down a bit the next, but I think it’s been going really well in terms of building the series up slowly,” he said.
“The songwriters will come out and shake hands after the show — things you’d never get to experience at a big concert,” he added.
Shelton produces the monthly shows in association with the Moonshine and Music Network on YouTube, as well as the Moonshine and Music Podcast.
The Greenfield guitarist is devoted to supporting fellow artists dedicated to writing and performing their own songs, and opens each Music Series show with one of his own songs.
Shelton had high praise for each of the three acts scheduled to take the stage Sept. 21 at the Ricks.
“I love them. All of the acts we bring in are just fantastic and up and comers. A lot of people in the music scene say they’re really good,” he said.
“Matthew Marcel is always a lot of fun to watch because he connects with people so well,” said Shelton, who said the artist is known for playing smaller venues and house parties.
“He took a tour on this bike to play shows at different venues like that. He literally bicycled backroads all over central Indiana to get to his shows,” he said.
“He’s an interesting guy. Everybody feels his energy and gets sucked into that,” said Shelton, who is also a fan of American Beech, a country/folk/rock/indie band based in Indianapolis, and Joshua Powell, who has four albums and more than 900 shows under his belt.
The Nov. 9 show features Joshua Powell and two other bands, yet to be announced.
Shelton and his fellow podcast hosts are intent on pumping up interest for such up and coming artists through their Moonshine and Music podcast, which is available on all streaming platforms.
“We get between 3,000 and 5,000 listeners for each podcast,” said Shelton, who said many are listening outside the United States.
That’s great exposure for music artists, many of whom have their songs available to stream worldwide.
“All the artists performing Sept. 21 at the National Road Music Series show have albums available on all streaming platforms, like Spotify, Pandora and Apple Music.
Many artists who perform through the series use videotaped footage of their shows at the Ricks for their social media channels, or to send out to potential customers to book more gigs.
That’s exactly what Shelton loves to hear.
He plans to continue producing the music series – named for the Old National Road, or U.S. 40, where the Ricks Center sits – as long as people keep coming out to listen.
“We would love it if everyone in town wanted to come out and fill up the place,” he said.
Shows in the National Road Music Series are held at the historic Ricks Centre, at 122 W. Main St.
Food and beverages including beer and wine are available for purchase at each show.
For more information, visit moonshineandmusic.com or rickscentre.com.
