ROANOKE, Va. – Festival in the Park drew crowds to Elmwood Park this Memorial Day weekend, but Sunday night’s stage had a special purpose — telling local history through music.
Johnny Lex and the Allies used their final set to tell the story of the Bedford Boys, a group of men from Bedford County who landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day. Nineteen of those men died, a loss that hit the small town harder than almost anywhere else in the country.
“That memorial is in Bedford County because per capita they lost more boys per county than any other county in the nation,” said David Merritt, percussionist for Johnny Lex and the Allies.
For the band, music is more than entertainment — it’s a vehicle for preserving stories that might otherwise fade.
“Things that you learn in school, book-type things, they’re so easy to forget, and so when you put something to music all of a sudden it clicks in your head,” said Danielle Elaine, vocalist for Johnny Lex and the Allies.
Daniel Kepel, the band’s violinist, agreed that music carries a unique emotional power.
“Music goes straight to the heart,” Kepel said. “It touches people in a way that even storytelling doesn’t.”
Lead singer Johnny Lex said the band is intentional about weaving meaningful narratives into their performances.
“When you utilize music you can really emphasize a story in a very beautiful way,” Lex said. “Whatever we hear, any interesting stories, as a band we bounce that off each other.”
Saxophonist Scott Bull said music’s ability to bridge generations makes it an especially powerful tool for keeping history alive.
“Music touches people across generations,” Bull said. “Young people listen to old music, old people listen to young music, and it just runs the gamut of generations.”
The close of Festival in the Park linked local music to local history just ahead of Memorial Day — a reminder that music can keep memories alive.