As Steve Main suggests, Kearney is home to what he calls a “little musical family,” an important part of Kearney’s culture and community. Area musicians, including Steve, his musician wife Lori, Terry Sinnard, and Marty Tilley “banded” together to create M.I.K.E and to give back to those musicians from central Nebraska who might need a helping hand in times of need. The Foundation has assisted in musician’s medical expenses, immediate family in need, and instruments for young musicians.
The M.I.K.E. Foundation was named after singer and songwriter Mike Adams, who lived and worked in Kearney until his sudden death in 2015. Mike had been for some years a major presence in Kearney’s music scene. He performed in band concerts in the Summer Park Concerts (funded by Kearney Area Arts Council), at Cunningham’s in downtown Kearney, various local venues–Buffalo County Trails & Rails, the Archway, Merryman Performing Arts Center, and throughout Nebraska from Omaha to Scottsbluff. In addition to Mike’s performing in bands, he coordinated musical programs with his wife Kate Benzel, such as Prayers for the People, featuring the poems of Carl Sandburg and his collected music from The American Songbag. In addition, they created theme programs on Woody Guthrie, railroads and hobos, and country/cowboy music. Kate was, in her own right, a major figure in Kearney’s Arts and Culture scene.
Kate, who helped promote and schedule lots of bands, noted that, in the time that she knew Mike, she was amazed at the breadth of his knowledge of all kinds of music, from Gospel to Jazz, Folk to Pop, Country to Rock n’ Roll, 20-40s ballads to his own compositions. From working with Mike on many programs, Kate found that, uniquely, Mike could play any of those at any time! Once when they were preparing Pilgrim, a country program, she asked what country songs he knew. After 60 minutes he came up with almost 90 songs. And she recalled how other musicians found Mike’s guitar playing was extraordinary. His finger-picking style–think possibly Mel Tillis or Chet Atkins–and special strumming technique had a special way of making old songs new.
Over the years many area bands have contributed their time and energy to highlight the annual M.I.K.E. event, including Blackberry Winter, Code Blue, the O.K. Sisters, Bases Loaded, and Platte River Flood, Platte River Jazz among others. Mike and Diane Sciachitano and local mouth-harp maestro Martin TIlley have often joined the musicians’ Jam Sessions which Mike liked best–”to fly without a net.” Kearney’s Eagles Club hosts and on occasions, dance clubs have joined in the fun to hit the dance floor while the bands are playing.
Rick Brown, another area arts aficionado, who for years produced the Bravo sections of the Kearney Hub, is now freelancing from his own Yard Light Media. In many of his articles and comments, he notes Mike’s significance as an incredibly gifted singer-songwriter. Rick still keeps the Kearney area up-to-date on music events and musicians.
Chuck Peek, local writer and Editor of Kearney Creates website kearneycreates.com, emceed many of Mike’s performances and coordinated with Mike on Prayers for the People. Especially appropriate, he emceed Mike Adams’s Celebration of Life and said that he couldn’t think of a more fitting memorial to Mike than this charitable event because, he said, it mirrors Mike’s own kindness, energy, and investment in music and musicians. Consequently, the M.I.K.E. Foundation has joined the ranks of featured events in the long history of bands and orchestras playing In Kearney.
With the advent of the M.I.K.E Foundation, Mike’s contributions to Kearney musicians and audiences has helped support Steve Main’s “Musical Family.” And this “family” continues to represent Mike’s own willingness to share his music and musical knowledge. This is why the annual M.I.K.E tribute is so special-because it celebrates Mike’s music, bringing together area musicians and realizing the Generosity, Kindness and Energy in the Kearney community.
Crowd sourced from Kate Benzel, Rick Brown, Steve Main, and Chuck Peek