On October 21st, Yellow Springs musician Crazy Joe hosted a benefit concert for Mud Run Conservancy, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the Mud Run Creek in Mad River Township. WYSO midday music host Evan Miller spoke with Crazy Joe and Kathleen Mathews, President of Mud Run Conservancy, about the concert, which takes place annually at the Bryan Center in Yellow Springs. This year’s show featured five local bands: RawDog, That’s What She Said, Kyle Eldridge and the Rhythm Rounders, Crazy Joe and the Mad River Outlaws, and Tyrd Furgusson and the Master Xploders. In the interview, Crazy Joe, who plays in four of the five bands, spoke with Evan about the musical offerings for this year’s fundraiser, and Kathleen Mathews described the mission and initiatives of the Mud Run Conservancy.
The Mud Run Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by homeowners and landowners in Mad River Township in 2018 to safeguard Mud Run, one of the largest rivers in the township. The mission of the organization is to “help protect and preserve not only Mud Run, but the tributaries that go to Mud Run and the wetlands,” Kathleen Mathews told Evan. She said that experts estimate that 90% of Ohio’s indigenous wetlands have been destroyed, and that her organization is working to identify and protect wetlands in Mad River Township. She explained that protecting local streams and rivers is important for the entire regional water system.
“We're very fortunate to live above the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer. It's a wonderful source of water, and we want to keep that water clean and drinkable. So that's our goal, just to protect it.”
Each year, musician Crazy Joe raised funds for Mud Run Conservancy's education and conservation initiatives by hosting a night of music in Yellow Springs. This year’s concert was held on Saturday, October 21st. He said that supporting the Conservancy feels personal: “I lived between Enon and Mad River Township for 20 years,” he told Evan “My parents live in Mad River Township, and so many of my friends and family live around there, that I am absolutely delighted to contribute to this cause.” Crazy Joe did not only organize this year’s concert; he also played with all but one of the five bands five bands that performed at the show: RawDog, That’s What She Said, Kyle Eldridge and the Rhythm Rounders, and his own band, Crazy Joe and the Mad River Outlaws. He described what listeners could expect at the 5-hour show, and spoke with Evan about touring with Kyle Eldridge, a Western swing musician from Mad River Township.
Crazy Joe says he will host another fundraiser for the Mud Run Conservancy next year. For more information about the conservancy, or to donate, visit mudrunconservancy.org.
Text by Peter Day, adapted from a studio interview conducted by Evan Miller on October 19, 2023.
