On Green River Ordinance’s song “Where the West Wind Blows,” singer Josh Jenkins vows to “get lost with no direction, on 35 South for Texas.” On Sunday, the band will make good on its Texas promises, interrupting its nationwide tour to head south on Interstate 35 all the way to Baylor.
The folk-inspired band, which originally hails from Fort Worth, is breaking up its tour in support of Delta Delta Delta’s inaugural Delta Night Live event at 5 p.m. Sunday on Fountain Mall. Tickets cost $15, and the proceeds for Delta Night Live will go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the sorority’s philanthropy.
Jamey Ice, the guitarist and banjo player for the band, said Green River Ordinance uses its success to support charities like St. Jude’s whenever it can.
“That’s such a fundamental value that we have as a band,” Ice said. “We have this gift, and it should really be about impacting others. We use our talent and resources to give back, and we do a lot of stuff with different charities as a band.”
When Lakeway sophomore Allison Malcom, the philanthropy chair for Delta Delta Delta, contacted Green River Ordinance to play for the sorority event, the band agreed, adding a Waco leg to its tour.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Green River Ordinance has played for Waco audiences. Ice said his band has a long history with Waco, playing Common Grounds since before the coffee shop had its backyard stage. This is the first time, however, for the band to perform in Waco since the January release of its album “Fifteen.”
“It’s one of the most fun albums we’ve had, and it’s fun coming to Waco to play it,” Ice said.
Green River Ordinance’s music threads together the disparate sounds of pop, folk and country, using the fiddle and boot-stomping tunes to evoke country nights around the bonfire. In the past several months, the band has played everywhere from South by Southwest to Willie Nelson’s ranch, a testament to its wide range.
Malcom said it was the band’s broad appeal that made her reach out to Green River Ordinance to play the charity event.
“We wanted to do a concert, because it’s an event that people would drive to come and see. It would involve people from the community, and it would involve a lot more of the campus than our other charity events,” Malcom said. “We were just thinking bigger because we want to raise money for St. Jude.”
Malcom said Delta Delta Delta is particularly proud to support St. Jude’s because the research hospital doesn’t bill its patients. All funding for research and treatment comes from donors and philanthropies like Delta Delta Delta.
In addition to the music, which will start at 6 p.m., Pokey-O’s, Dave’s Burger Barn, Kona Ice and Tea2Go will all make an appearance at Delta Night Live. Delta Delta Delta will also auction off baskets and gift cards, as well as footballs signed by Baylor football players, to raise money for St. Jude’s.
“By coming, hanging out and listening to music, you’re actually helping to save kids’ lives,” Malcom said.
