Life

Blues legend headlines Thrive event

Cynthia Wilson donated a painting for Thrive's silent auction.

By Bill Moss, Published: October 16, 2013

Blues legend Mac Arnold and his band, Plate Full O' Blues, will headline the second annual Bids & Blues fundraiser to benefit Thrive Saturday at the Bo Thomas Auditorium on the campus of Blue Ridge Community College.

The event begins with a silent auction at 6 p.m., where guests will enjoy a complimentary glass of beer provided by Sierra Nevada or wine. Music enthusiasts can sample food from the Saluda Grade Café while placing bids on items that include autographed albums from Eric Clapton and BB King, a weekend getaway to the Grove Park Inn, golf packages and artwork.
Emcee Scott Treadway will keep the audience entertained and the evening rolling along, with Mac Arnold taking the stage at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be found online at thrive4health.org or by calling 828.489.3892.
Arnold's career started with a blues band that included James Brown on piano. He moved from South Carolina to Chicago, where Muddy Waters hired him on the spot. He toured and recorded with the Muddy Waters Band and recorded albums with Otis Spann and John Lee Hooker. Mac moved to Los Angeles and produced Soul Train with his friend Don Cornelius. He retired from show business to be an organic farmer back home in the Upstate.
At the encouragement of his harmonica player, Max Hightower, Mac got back into the business and has been touring Europe and the United States for the past three years.
Thrive operates the Clubhouse for adults with mental health need and a program for more intensive care.