The Overtones, a barbershop quartet, took home the $1,000 grand prize on Tuesday night, Sept. 10, at the end of the Morning Pointe Foundation’s 5th Annual Seniors Got Talent, Lexington showcase at a packed Lexington Opera House.
The quartet wowed the audience of almost 400 with their spirited rendition of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” Overtones members are ages 65 to 84. They are Tom Hart, John Stegner, Matt Toftness and Lew Kelly.
“It really has paid off – the work that we have done has been done in love of singing,” said the group’s leader. “We’re four gentlemen who have very different schedules, living in different communities. We work very hard when we get together. We spend our time polishing, perfecting and trying to become a better ensemble, and what you heard and saw tonight was a lot of hard work that has paid off.”
The Overtones’ repertoire includes a wide range of music, from the silly to the sacred. They have performed at the Lexington Opera House before, as well as Lexington Legends Ballpark, Kentucky Horse Park, and various restaurants and bars.
Seniors Got Talent was produced by the Morning Pointe Foundation in partnership with Morning Pointe Senior Living. Judges also determined second- and third-place winners.
More Winners
Second place went to Collins and Cox, a duo made up of 63-year-old Scott Collins and 65-year-old Ron Cox. Collins plays the guitar and harmonica and sings, and Cox sings and plays the upright bass. They performed a medley of “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” “Jambalya,” and “Tiger by the Tail” and won the $500 prize.
The two friends started playing music together in 1986 in a band called Eastbound and have been playing together off and on since then. They have played at banquets, festivals, churches, restaurants, TV and radio shows and even Historic Renfro Valley in Mount Vernon, Kentucky. They currently play a lot of music from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Third place went to Keith Williams, a 64-year-old singer and guitarist, who performed an original song, “I Don’t Have to Put Up with You.” He won $250.
Williams has been a singer and songwriter for many years and has performed at farmers’ markets, restaurants, assisted living communities, adult day programs, the local senior center and various other events. Aside from his music, Williams works with people with developmental disabilities.
Annette Dence, a 65-year-old singer, won the coveted People’s Choice Award, voted on by audience members at $1 per vote, with proceeds going to the Morning Pointe Foundation. She wowed the crowd with her soulful rendition of “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.”
Dence has been singing her whole life. She sang in the church choir growing up and has been blessing others through music ever since, performing as an adult for weddings, church, special events and for her residents – she is a senior living activity director.
Other Show Highlights
“What an incredible evening of memorable performances!” said Greg A. Vital, co-founder and president of Morning Pointe Senior Living. “These seniors truly blew me away. The beauty of Seniors Got Talent is that it really shows the value of what our seniors still have to bring to the arts.”
The Lexington show brought in almost $25,000 for the Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Morning Pointe Senior Living The 501(c)3 nonprofit public service organization was created in 2014 to provide caregiver support programs, sponsor educational awareness events, and fund clinical scholarships to advance the care of seniors throughout the Southeast. Seniors Got Talent shows specifically raise funds for clinical and other scholarships for deserving students at partner schools.
“Lexington really brought it with the talent and enthusiasm this year, and I don’t think there was a single person who came to the show who wasn’t inspired in some way,” said Miranda Perez, Morning Pointe Foundation executive director. “The show just keeps getting better and better. And not only did the contestants have a chance to shine, but the funds raised will go to give students a chance to shine too.”
Wingspan Integrated Marketing was the Gold Sponsor for this year. Other sponsor included The Weston Group, Silver Lexington, AGC Automotive Americas, Delta Natural Gas Company, Citizens Guaranty Bank, John Sirasky, Tailor Made Compounding, Yardi, Capital Pharmacy & Medical Equipment, CenterWell Home Health, Aphix Lawn Service, Farmers National Bank, Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, Village Caregiving, Whitehead-Hancock, Senior Living Locators, CarePatrol, Eventus WholeHealth, Cornerstone Caregiving, Mercer Outfitters, and Family Choice Home Care.
Doug and Lyssa High, co-anchors at ABC 36 News in Lexington, served as the cohosts for the first time. Judges were Austin Robinson, owner and director of Edge Music Therapy; Chapel Tinius, Miss Kentucky 2024; and Jack Wollman, box office manager for Studio Players in Lexington and coordinator for advising and recruiting for the School of Nursing at Kentucky State University; and Ron Cheak, winner of the 2023 show.
More About Morning Pointe
Founded in 1997 by Greg A. Vital and J. Franklin Farrow, Morning Pointe Senior Living owns and operates 39 assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care communities in five southeastern states. These include 12 communities in Kentucky. Morning Pointe’s 40th community, Morning Pointe of Danville Assisted Living, Phase II of the campus, is expected to open this fall.
The Morning Pointe Foundation also sponsors Seniors Got Talent competitions in Chattanooga, Franklin and Knoxville, Tennessee.
