Paper Jams: Garry Gentry plays ‘Sweet Caroline’ and other favorites

FEATURE — From keyboards to ukuleles and palettes to paintbrushes, a passion for creativity is soaked into the walls of Gentry Music & Arts in St. George.

Owner Garry Gentry hosted the Canyon Media crew for a special episode of “Paper Jams” at Gentry Music & Arts.

Watch (and hear) Garry Gentry jam out at Gentry Music & Arts in the media player above.

Gentry played a few songs that helped shape his own musical journey, starting with Jim Croce’s folk classic “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.”

“This song really influenced me as a teenager, and it’s really energetic and fun to play,” he said.

Next, Gentry opened the iconic songbook of Neil Diamond for the toe-tapping stadium anthem “Sweet Caroline.”

Gentry finished his set by playing one of his favorite ballads, the Academy Award-nominated theme from the 1978 film “Ice Castles.” He said the beautiful melody, composed by Marvin Hamlisch, simply “melts a person’s soul.”

Gracing the main wall inside Gentry Music & Arts is an expansive mural that celebrates music and the performing and visual arts in Southern Utah. It was created by Gentry’s wife and the co-owner of the business, Carmen. She painted it over the course of five months while helping run the shop.

After 35 years in business, the Gentrys have become a fixture among visual and performing artists in community, offering not only instruments but also works of art as well as piano lessons, art classes and facility rentals. Their goal is to reach out to people in the St. George area and bring happiness to their lives through art and music.

With this in mind, Gentry Music & Arts is offering a $50 gift card to any local musicians featured on Paper Jams. If you’re a musician interested in playing on a future episode of Paper Jams, get in touch with St. George News in the Facebook comments for this article or email [email protected].

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