Ex-hillbilly to play concert to benefit school
Chris Higbee sat in a preschool classroom at All Saints Regional School in Masontown, asking for a coloring book. “I drove all the way here to color something,’ joked Higbee, a Dawson resident who grew to national fame with his PovertyNeck Hillbillies country band.
Teacher Paula Volansky obliged as Higbee shared a page with 7-year-old Robbie Lancaster.
“Oh, no! Look, I colored outside the line,’ Higbee joked with students from different grades who had turned out to take photographs with the talented musician.
Higbee then took a look at Lancaster’s work, noting, “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?’
Higbee has also done this before – mixing with students and staff at All Saints Regional School where he has become a friend. The PovertyNeck Hillbillies performed benefit concerts for the past two years for the school and when several original members of the band left in February, Higbee decided to make good on their promise to do another concert for All Saints this year.
“This is where I came up with the idea of going out as the Chris Higbee Project,’ explained Higbee. “I have become real close with the faculty and students at All Saints. We’ve done a benefit every year and I spoke to (parent) Charlotte DeCarlo and I decided to do the show. While I’m re-forming the PovertyNeck Hillbillies, I thought why not go out and play? I had to do everything in my power to do something for these kids.’
All Saints students and staff are thrilled that Higbee will do this benefit concert, which will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 14 at the State Theatre Center for the Arts on Main Street in Uniontown. The Stickers, a band from Pittsburgh, will be the opening act.
Volansky said, “We’re very grateful he’s doing this. He’s very gracious to us.’
Bernard Kubitza, principal, said, “We’re looking forward to the concert. It’s fun. The parents, students and community enjoy the music and we appreciate Chris Higbee’s involvement with the school. He really seems to like our kids. He spends time with them. It’s a great fund-raising opportunity but it’s also a great experience for the school.’
Indeed, the benefit concerts have helped the school financially but Higbee’s personal attention to the students has been an added bonus.
“They love him,’ said Volansky. “He comes to visit at least once a year.’
As proof, the school hallway is filled with posters that welcome the performer, such as “Let’s give a hand to Chris,’ “Hats off to Chris Higbee for supporting our school’ and “Thank you to our favorite fiddle player.’
Toni DeCarlo, 8, of New Salem, said she’s excited that Higbee is doing the concert and excited when he comes to visit them at school.
“I like that everybody can get their picture taken with him,’ she said.
When asked about the concert, Mackenzie Darst, 7, of Masontown, said, “The music is good.’
Higbee arrived with boxes of CDs – one for each of the 101 students in the elementary school.
He posed for photos for the press to announce the upcoming concert but interacted with the children all the while. “
“Can I wear your pink shoes?’ Higbee asked Toni DeCarlo. “Huh-uh,’ she declined. “Why not? It’d be fun – we’ll switch,’ he teased.
After doing the press interviews, Higbee would visit each classroom that day and spend time with the children. Not only do the children like Higbee, the musician likes them.
“Those posters outside in the hallway were very touching,’ he said. “Being a role model for these kids means a lot to me. I try to come out as often as I can.’
That includes visits to their annual spring carnival. One year, Higbee couldn’t come because he was at the Academy of Country Music Awards but he phoned the students from the event.
The All Saints benefit will be the first local appearance for the Chris Higbee Project.
Higbee, who is known for playing the fiddle but actually plays a variety of instruments, wrote about the Chris Higbee Project on the PovertyNeck Hillbillies Web site: “A couple of long-time friends of mine are joining with me to have some fun on stage like we did in the good ‘ole days. The first artist I would like to mention is Les Philburn. Les and I have been friends since childhood. He was the initial singer for PNH. Through high school and college, I played in a band called Drastic Measures. If you had ever gone onto my bio page and looked at my influences, you would have seen Mark Vinsick. Mark is a lead guitar player and sings back up harmonies. A close friend Jay McKnight and I have been writing songs for over a year. He will be playing bass, lead guitar and singing back up vocals. My lifelong friend and cousin Troy Williams will be helping out on guitar. Larry Shotter will be kicking it on the drums and Nate Strasser melting the keys.’
Speaking at All Saints, Higbee said, “I’m trying to get out there and get back on the horse. My passion is to play on the stage. While I’m taking time and re-forming the band, I’m going to get out there and have some fun.’
Higbee also has a new Web site under construction, www.ChrisHigbee.com, and he said to check it for tour dates and upcoming information. Higbee did say, however, that he will play the 2008 Fayette County Fair.
“I’ve talked to (fair board president) Bill Jackson and in one form or another, I’ll be there – either the Chris Higbee Project or the PovertyNeck Hillbillies,’ he said. “The PovertyNeck Hillbillies has always been a community-based band so the community is reaching out.’
He said many people have told him they are looking forward to seeing the PovertyNeck Hillbillies perform again.
“The fan support has been amazing,’ said Higbee. “There’s been e-mails, calls, nice letters and the kids at school.
As an artist, I really wanted to touch people with my music. And when I come here and see the posters these kids have done, it really means a lot to me.’ For ticket information, call the State Theatre at 724-439-1360.