A post on the 3564 music Facebook site five days before the scheduled event explained that organisers had not managed to secure musical entertainment.
“I saw the Facebook post and a series of events that followed meant that I could help out by appearing for a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon,” Mr Smith said.
That “couple of hours” was heading more in the three-plus-hours direction when The Riv camera caught him mid-song at the picturesque market site.
Due to COVID-19 operating conditions, and the threat of further spread in Echuca, the market was reduced significantly in size and the crowd also appeared to be aware of the threat of a “super-spreader” event.
There were significantly fewer people in attendance than the December 11 event, which was the first Hopwood Gardens market staged by charity organiser, Grace Pryor.
For Mr Smith, donating his time to appear at the market was a no-brainer.
“When I saw the post no-one had commented, so I contacted the number and said I would do it,” he said.
“After all, I had to play somewhere. I was meant to do a wedding and that was cancelled; I was meant to be at Mathoura on Sunday and then had another event at Barmah.
“Both of those were cancelled as well, so I decided I’d donate my time to the market.”
Mr Smith, who appears as a solo artist, and in a duo and with his band Route 66, has been playing at events and venues since 2007.
More from the markets, and the work of Kinds of Happiness, on page 4 today.
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