Live from the concourse, it's Greazy Keyz  

KANNAPOLIS, North Carolina -- At the Low-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers' home at Atrium Health Ballpark, nine innings of baseball are complemented by nine innings of live music. The melodious sounds are courtesy of Jason "Greazy Keyz" Atkins, concourse organist.

Atkins can be found directly behind home plate during every Cannon Ballers game, seated in front of a vintage Hammond M-3 organ. His tunes, whether improvised vamps, classic ditties or Top 40 hits, set the tone for the gameday experience. Fans are welcome to approach him during a game to make a request. Tips certainly aren't mandatory, but they are appreciated. Just throw a couple bucks in the bucket.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, honestly," said Atkins, regarding his proximity to the fans. "I take on an ambassador role in the game. People can high-five the mascots, but they can also come up and high-five Greazy Keyz. Put me in the middle of it. I love it."

🎵 Ballpark Organist! 🎵

Rock out and take in the scene with @Kcannonballers concourse maestro Jason “@greazykeyz” Atkins pic.twitter.com/RgfC15e6x1

— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) July 15, 2021

Ballpark organists are a rare breed, emblematic of a bygone era. To see one featured at a brand-new Minor League stadium is unexpected, to say the least. But as the Cannon Ballers prepared for their debut season at Atrium Health Ballpark -- originally scheduled for 2020 -- general manager Matt Millward decided he wanted to take a throwback approach in regards to ballpark entertainment. For the White Sox affiliate formerly known as the Intimidators, the Cannon Ballers moniker was chosen, partly because the team planned to provide a carnival-like atmosphere.

"Once we knew the feel we wanted to go for, for me that always brought up memories of going to the ballpark and hearing an organ," said Millward. "Not just sound effects, a live organist. So the first thing I had to do was go find an organ."

The Hammond M3 that resides at the ballpark was procured via Facebook Marketplace, offered up for sale by an older couple who lived in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It sat in their living room, having gone unplayed for several decades.

"It cost about 500 bucks, pretty much mint condition," said Millward. "We loaded it up, took it back here, and that held me accountable. Now we have to do this. This is a reality."

Jason Atkins was just the man to turn Millward's vision into a reality. The native of Greenville, South Carolina fell in love with the keyboard at a young age, trained himself primarily by ear and has gone on to make a living via a wide variety of Charlotte-area musical engagements. Atkins already had ample experience relevant to his Cannon Ballers gig -- for the past five seasons he has worked as an organist for the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League. Hockey and baseball fans both are more apt to refer to him by his musical nom de plume, however.

"Greazy Keyz with all z's, and it's really more of a mind-set," said Atkins, who first came up with the name while brainstorming a new email handle. "Greasy is kind of nasty, but Greazy is kind of fun. I'm basically Greazy to a lot of friends and fans, and I love it."

Atkins was already familiar with playing a Hammond organ, primarily via his gig with the Checkers. While working at a ballpark is new for him, in a sense, it's something he's prepared for his whole life.

"What to play is pretty much my call," he said. "With my experience, I know the songs the fans enjoy and seem to engage with the most. But then also getting to fill in different ideas of my own, jam out and just kind of improv. It's one of my fortes. Being in bands, you get a call, pick up a gig and just have to react on the fly."

Atkins was raised on classic rock, loves the Black Crowes and regularly incorporates Led Zeppelin and the Beatles into his ballpark repertoire. His go-to sports tune is something else entirely, however.

"My favorite song, and I picked this up from [legendary organist] Nancy Faust of the White Sox a couple years back, is 'Push It' by Salt-N-Pepa," he said. "That resonates with the fans right away and it's such a fun, upbeat song to play."

But no matter what the song, fun and upbeat remains the name of the game.

"Greazy Keyzs, he takes requests, he's on the videoboard, he interacts with the fans, he throws in random stuff here and there," said Millward. "Just that old-time entertainment, bringing back true baseball."

He’s here tonight. He was here last night. He’s here every night. @greazykeyz playing the organ on @Kcannonballers concourse pic.twitter.com/N37yDvsmF6

— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) July 16, 2021