The Jam Session

Tweet

There are a number of things that make bluegrass music unique in all of the genres of music out there. Among those solidly bluegrass items are the close fan/musician bonds (most of the musicians in bluegrass man their own merchandise table, and those who don’t are at the table to, as Doyle Lawson and others put it, “shake and howdy” with fans), the annual IBMA convention, and the bluegrass festivals. Another thing that makes bluegrass so special came to mind while I was in the Bluegrass Museum last night for the concert. In the theater where the concerts are held there is a display called “The Jam Session.” It is a sculpture of four people of various ages from childhood to elderly, playing instruments (fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin) in front of an RV. The sculpture captures the essence of a bluegrass festival perfectly. It is common for Hall of Fame musicians to play alongside a 12-year-old bluegrass music prodigy at the IBMA conference or in parking lots of festivals. Bluegrass musicians are free with their advice for budding or inquisitive players (although many of them also have instructional DVDs or books available in addition to the free advice). More than any other type of music, bluegrass is “family.” People spend the summers on the road in their campers or RVs, driving from one festival to the next. When they arrive at the campground (usually on the grounds of the festival), they usually pull out their lawn chairs and their banjos and the party gets started. And all are welcome to the jam session.