Showcase highlights Music on Main Street event

Spending countless hours together for many married couples would be difficult.

Just don’t say anything of the sort to Nick and Sonya Diane Jones.

The two sing, travel and live together. And, most importantly, they enjoy every minute of it.

The Joneses displayed their talents Friday at Centennial Park as part of the second-to-last edition of the third annual Music on Main Street spring concert series.

They performed rhythm and blues, country and Christian music.

“We’re all about just having fun,” Sonya Diane Jones said.

Sonya Diane Jones sang the majority of the 32 songs, but her husband kicked off the evening with Hank Junior’s “Family Tradition” and Merle Haggard’s “Today I Started Lovin’ You Again.”

“I’m just here to open up for my star,” he said.

In conjunction with the Joneses’ singing was “Community Showcase,” which saw 10 local nonprofit organizations set up booths and brief attendees on their respective goals.

Community Services Employment in Training and the Porterville Police Department were just two entities in attendance.

Connie Martinez, a program specialist with CSET, distributed brochures detailing community service programs.

“We have a lot of services available,” she said.

Jodi Harper, a crime prevention officer with PPD, gave away free gun locks and offered free fingerprinting.

“Each year, with both the spring and fall concert series, we set aside one Friday night so we would have the opportunity to showcase the good-works organizations throughout our community, because we have a lot of those,” said Donnette Carter, president and CEO of the Porterville Chamber of Commerce.

Raymon Barrera, who moved to Porterville from Exeter one year ago, said he was enjoying the night.

“I wanted to come here to get involved with the community,” he said. “It’s good to see how they make the city lively.”

The Joneses travel all over California serenading audiences.

The couple performed two weeks ago in Sacramento. They will be in Monterey and Carmel on Sunday doing more of the same.

“How much more fun can you have than doing this with your spouse?” Nick Jones said.

His wife’s response:

“And we get along, too,” she said.

-- Contact Alex K.W. Schultz at 784-5000, Ext. 1045.