Momentum - Fall 2012

COURTESY OF THE MCREYNOLDS TRADITION

The McReynolds Tradition Jesse McReynolds

PHOTO REPRINT COURTESY OF JESSE MCREYNOLDS

Grandpa Morton passed away before “A Day at the Farm” came to fruition last year, but Casey believes that the event was one of the things that kept his grandmother going. “It kept us all going, if you want the truth,” he says.

brother Garrett, cousin Luke and uncle Darin formed a band they call The McReynolds Tradition, upholding a legacy that stretches back to their great grandfather, Charlie McReynolds.

“A Day on the Farm” was a roaring success. Some 500 people attended, including a few city slickers who made the four-hour drive from Memphis. Everyone chowed down on Granny’s barbecue, white beans and corn bread. They picked pumpkins, petted farm animals, rode tractors—some even volunteered to clear out cow manure from the stalls as part of the fun. The family simply asked for donations at the entrance. When the day was over, they had raised more than $10,000 for the Society.

“Charlie was one of the first bluegrass players to have ever been recorded,” Amanda says. Her uncle and grandfather made up the legendary bluegrass duo Jim and Jesse McReynolds.

When Amanda’s father, Keith, a respected bass player, was diagnosed with MS in 1988, the family struggled with medical expenses, and decided to raise funds for Keith’s care the best way they knew how: by playing music.

Ties that bind

Not far from Granny Morton’s farm lies the country music capital of the world: Nashville, Tenn. It’s there that Amanda McReynolds, her

Do It Yourself:
Tools for success

Every year families around the country raise millions of dollars through Do It Yourself fundraising events, including golf tournaments, dinner parties, bake sales, endurance events and more. DoIt YourselfMS.org provides online tools and a variety of resources to help make everyone’s DIY event a success.

Keith passed away in 2000, but the family kept the annual tradition going, donating the proceeds to members of the music community experiencing health problems. This year, Amanda took over the event, working with the Society to raise funds to fuel MS research. The Ernest Tubb Texas Troubadour Theatre, a prestigious venue in the Nashville area, donated space for the show.

“Our partnership with the Society actually helps raise awareness of the show, just as the show continues to raise awareness of MS. It’s a win-win situation, and something we’re all proud to be doing in my father’s memory.” n