Bluegrass musician picks and peals for Salvation Army

The temperature in Springdale hovers in the low 40s, and the sky is gray and dreary. But the cheerful notes of "Jingle Bells" -- bluegrass-style -- peal out, and busy holiday shoppers enter the store with smiles.

Gary Shipley picks his banjo every day but Sunday in front of the Harps Food Store on Sunset Avenue -- a unique twist to the bells of the Salvation Army's Red Kettles.

What shoppers don't realize is the serenade comes from a professional musician with quite a resume. The biography on his website lists performances with the Harvest Time Singers, Little Jimmy Dickens, Alan Young, Charlie Lawson and Oak Hill, Charlie Louvin, Jimmy Martin, Rich McCready, Spring Water Bluegrass Ultimate, the Misty Mountain Drifters and many, many more. He played behind Margie and Enoch Sullivan with the legendary Sullivan Family group, which received a distinguished achievement award from the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2005, while Shipley was a member.

Locally, he plays at the Fayetteville Farmers Market in the summer months, at the Catfish House in Rogers and with the New Highway Band.

REWARDS

Shipley has played the banjo for 45 years, and to prove it, he shows calluses on his fingers in the shape of the banjo strings. He also plays 26 other instruments -- the dobro or resonator guitar being his other favorite.

He was born in Webb City, Mo. "And, as for bluegrass, I took two lessons, and that was it."

"He loves music. You can see it in his eyes," said Capt. John Robbins of the Salvation Army's Springdale Corps.

More than half of what Shipley plays for passersby are gospel songs, he said. "Most people don't know the songs I play -- or they might not recognize the way they're played."

Sometimes he breaks out his voice, and he does take requests. Sometimes the joy he shares comes back to him.

"It's very rewarding," Shipley said. "Some people buy coffee and bring it to me, and I don't drink coffee. But I do drink hot chocolate."

Many Harps customers stop, leaning against the posts at the entrance, to listen for a while, said store manager Ricky Ritch.

"A lot of people come in just to see him," Ritch continued. "A crazy amount of people stop to tell him how much they appreciate it."

When pressed, Ritch admitted he looks for reasons to go outside to listen. Perhaps the manager himself might collect the grocery carts from the parking lot, he said with a laugh. And customers have requested Shipley's presence at the store year round.

"When you see what he brings to the table, you can't beat it," Ritch continued. "He steps it up to the next level."

"I know we do appreciate the excitement it builds in our customers," the manager said. "Who doesn't like that kind of music? We've got Silver Dollar City in front of our store."

"It's a fun change," said Lyndsey Strong, a spokesman for the Salvation Army. "It's Arkansas bell ringing. It feels fun and local, and that's neat."

Sometimes, Shipley will tease the shoppers by putting the bell behind his back while holding a plunger in sight. He surreptitiously rings the bell at the same time he jiggles the plunger, getting a second look from many customers, Ritch related.

"'Ringing the banjo' -- that sure beats the bells," Shipley said. "I couldn't just ring the bell. That would drive me bonkers. The banjo -- that's what I do."

NO THANKS NEEDED

"It's important to do this -- for all the obvious reasons," Shipley said from his nine-hour-a-day post in front of the grocery store. "[The Salvation Army cares] so much. They do so much good for people. They house people. They feed people. Without them, some kids wouldn't have a Christmas.

Shipley, who is disabled, said he has faced his own challenging circumstances. "I've needed [the Salvation Army], but I never took it. I always had family I could turn to to get me set up."

All donations collected in the kettles stay local, Strong explained. They money supports emergency night shelters in Fayetteville and Bentonville, a free addiction recovery program, hot meals, food baskets, gas vouchers and help with utility bills. She pointed out that the kettle program is separate from the Angel Tree program, and money from the kettles does not supplement the Angel Tree.

Last year, donations in the Northwest Arkansas kettles totaled more that $372,000, Strong said. This year's goal is $380,000. "Other groups hold a gala. We have our kettles," Strong said.

Strong noted that some very generous people live in Northwest Arkansas, and the kettle program seems fruitful in any economy -- and despite the advent of the "cashless" society. "Many people make it a point to save money in their car at this time of year," she said. And donations can be made to the online red kettle.

"[Shipley] is a very good man," said the Springdale Corps' Robbins. "He's just an amazing person. He loves God."

When he's not traveling to perform, Shipley and his family attend the Springdale worship services.

"I go to the Salvation Army church not because I have to, but because I want to," Shipley said proudly.

The professional shares his talents for the services and works with youth, teaching them to play guitar or piano. "When it comes to working with the children, he is always there," Robbins said.

Robbins said Shipley also likes to just sit and talk with people, finding out what's going on in their lives. And at Harps, he does this without dropping a note.

Robbins related that Shipley came to him last year, volunteering for the kettle program. "'You know, I want to do this for you,'" Robbins quoted.

"He loves being a part of it, and we love him," Strong said.

"In my opinion, everyone should come out and ring the bell," Shipley said. "You learn humility."

Some shoppers look down on Shipley and assume he's less fortunate because of his service. "They look at me and treat me differently," he said. "What they don't know is, if not for different circumstances, they could be living in the gutter. There's need everywhere in this society, if they'd just open their eyes and do what they can."

"If they don't put nothing in the kettle, I don't care," Shipley said of passing shoppers. "That's all right. I'll still tell you to have a great day. I don't want anything from them.

"I'm just here to watch the bucket and say hello to everybody -- you can't leave the bucket by itself," he quipped. "I'm here to play the banjo and put a smile on their faces.

"It's not in here," Shipley said, pointing to the classic red kettle. "It's what's in here," he said, pointing to his heart. "That's what matters."

NAN Our Town on 12/15/2016