COMMUNITY

MEGA raises money for local entertainment

MEGA has promoted many genres of music and has continued to keep event costs low while they are able to reach out to local residents.

Pamela L. Bonner
Ruidoso News

The Glencoe Distillery, 27495 U. S. Highway 70, hosted a fund raiser benefiting the Mountain Entertainment Group for the Arts (MEGA) on July 29th. With over 250 in attendance, the event raised close to $15,000 for the non-profit organization.

Headlining the benefit was the ever-popular sounds of the Grammy award winning band Asleep at the Wheel. Not to be placed behind stage, the Dave Millsap Band, Rich Chrone and the All Stars, Mike Prichard and the Sultans of the Sacramentos performed on main stage throughout the evening. Inside the Distillery Gerado Capdevila, Mike Francis and the Friends, Bo Rivers, and Tadd Tidwell rotated their time on stage.

The  Dave Millsap Band performs at Glencoe Distillery to raise funding for the Mountain Entertainment Group for the Arts (MEGA) in New Mexico July 29.

MEGA was first organized in 2014 in Ruidoso, New Mexico and is the successor to the Ruidoso Chamber Music Festival that has since dissolved after the original leaders moved from the area. MEGA has promoted many genres of music and has continued to keep event costs low while they are able to reach out to local residents.

The band performed their well-known songs and one of their biggest hits, ‘Route 66’ bringing the crowd to their feet. Ray Benson founded the band, Asleep at the Wheel, 48 years ago. Although some of the band members have come and gone, the sounds of the band still hold true to their original sounds and roots.

More: Local musicians to perform benefiting MEGA

“I identify mostly with Bob Wills. My biggest influences came from listening to the radio. Whatever I could listen to, I did,” Benson said. “My parents always encouraged me to play music. I played my first instrument in Elementary School and continued through High School,” Benson said. The band will be releasing a new album this Sept. entitled ‘New Routes’.

Ray Benson, founder of the Band Asleep at the Wheel, plays his guitar while performing the ever popular song 'Route 66' during a MEGA fund raiser at Glencoe Distillery July 29.

Sherry Barrow, one of Glencoe Distillery’s owners was thrilled to see how many locals and visitors participated in this event helping raise money for MEGA. “This is epic. I cannot believe how many people came out today to support such a worthy cause,” Barrow said. “This is a bigger turn out than we expected.”

“We did well at this event. I was excited to see so much support from the community. We received donations from people who could not attend but wanted to support live music in Lincoln County,” Rebecca Ponder said. “I want to thank everybody who came out, all the volunteers, Can’t Stop Smokin’ for providing the food, and all the Bands that help us raise more funds for MEGA.”

A special commemorative blend label, Asleep At the Wheel, for the event was produced by Glencoe Distillery’s Bill Ponder. “It was aged in oak barrels for over two months just for this event. I have been busy mashing and fermenting for this product since April,” Ponder said.

MEGA accepts donations throughout the year raising the money necessary to bring big events to the area. More donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 883, Ruidoso, NM. For further information about MEGA, or future events, go to their website on Facebook.