People of Pisgah making a difference:
Spreadin’ the Jam

by Joe LeMay

In the spring of 2004, Joe LaMay & Sherri Reese left their home, family and friends in Rochester, NY, to relocate in Somerset, Kentucky. As traditional folk/bluegrass musicians, they were drawn to the area by the music and by the encouragement of some special fellow musician friends.

Shortly after they arrived, while searching for area musicians and music venues, they came across a weekly “pickin’ jam” at the local flea market. Gathering after church every Sunday afternoon, a loyal group of musicians would get together and swap songs and guitar and banjo licks. The “jamming” was fun and a real flea market crowd pleaser. On the strength of the “jam” and the friends they were making, they assured Sherri's father George, an avid “jammer”, that a move down to Kentucky would provide a weekly musical outlet for his guitar playing. Over the Christmas holiday, he and Sherri’s mother, Mabel, came to visit, and George took part in the jamming. The decision was made Afor them to move down to Somerset that coming Fall.

Carl Skaggs and George Reese in
front of Pisgah Schoolhouse

Sherri Reese and Joe LaMay promo
photo taken in Pisgah Schoolhouse
doorway

Pisgah Schoolhouse Tuesday night
jam

Pisgah Schoolhouse Pickin’ Jam label

In the meantime, that spring, the weekly jam at the flea market came to an end when the hosts decided to end their business at the market. This left a large hole in the local music scene for several musicians who eagerly anticipated the weekly jamming. With Sherri’s parents moving down in a few months, they searched for other gatherings, but were unsuccessful.

When George and Mabel arrived, Joe and Sherri did their best to keep them entertained. They bussed them around to some of their performances, and introduced George to local and regional musicians, but the lack of a weekly “jam” session was a large disappointment.

In the late fall of 2005, while standing in line at the local Post Office, George struck up a conversation with Carl Skaggs, who had seen the Central New York Bluegrass Association logo on the back of George's jacket, and remarked that he had lived in a neighboring town. One topic lead to another, and he asked if George knew any local Somerset bluegrass bands who would be available to play at a fundraiser for his church, Pisgah Presbyterian. George took his card and passed on the invitation to Sherri and Joe, who phoned Carl and made arrangements to meet with him at the Pisgah Schoolhouse. Later that week they met with Carl at the schoolhouse and made arrangements for a January, 2006, concert.

Carl Skaggs had been an integral part of the restoration of the Pisgah Schoolhouse, which had been built in 1923 and used as a school until 1964. By 2002, the two-room school had fallen into disrepair and was purchased by the Pisgah Presbyterian Church Restoration Committee and within one year was rebuilt and refurbished to its original condition and charm. Through their association with Carl Skaggs and the Pisgah Schoolhouse, Sherri and Joe, along with her parents, have become members of the Pisgah Presbyterian Church.

Shortly after the concert, Joe mentioned to Kevin Amburgey, his mandolin player, that the school would make a good location for occasional concerts. He agreed, and they also thought it might be a good spot for a weekly “jam”. They decided to get in touch with Carl and inquire about renting the school on a weekly basis to host a local music gathering. Joe set up a meeting with Carl.

Carl had been thinking along the same line, and they decided to schedule an acoustic instrument “jam” to be held every Tuesday night from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. Open to anyone who wants to come and play folk, bluegrass, country and gospel music, the “jam” has been a success since the first session on July 11, 2006.

A typical “jam” begins about 6 PM, when the musicians (pickers) and spectators (grinners) begin arriving at the schoothouse, and by 6:30 PM the music begins in full swing. For a modest donation at the door folks are treated to an evening of down-home music. The pickers sit in a large circle and take turns singing and leading the others in their favorite songs. The music ranges from old time favorites like “Wildwood Flower”, bluegrass standards like “What Have They Done To The Old Homeplace”, country classics like “Folsom Prison Blues”, gospel songs like “The Old Crossroads”, to original songs by some of the “jammers”. Members of the audience will occasionally step into the circle to sing one of their favorites.

Joe and Sherri contribute a monthly pre-recorded segment to Bill Knowlton's Bluegrass Ramble radio program (now in its 35th year) out of Syracuse, NY, and heard world-wide over the internet. Every August they make a trip back to Central NY to perform at Bill's annual festival. Wanting to take a sample of the wonderful Commonwealth of Kentucky with them to NY, and to have something other than CDs to sell to the attendees, Joe hit upon the idea of bottling homemade jams and selling them as authentic KY “Pickin’ Jam”. Aimed at an audience of pickers and bluegrass music lovers, he thought this would be a unique item to offer.

Joe brought his idea to Carl Skaggs and they agreed that it would also serve well as a promotion for the schoolhouse “jam” and a fund-raiser for the Pisgah Presbyterian Church outreach programs. Carl enlisted the help of Meveline Hansford, a member of the Pisgah Church, and her daughter, Janie Hatfield, to produce the delicious homemade jams. Joe designed a label with a guitar pictured behind the wording: Historic Pisgah Schoolhouse “Pickin' Jam” - Real Homemade Strawberry - Kentucky's finest. The label also has a brief history of the restoration project and information about the Tuesday Night Jams. Sales have been steady and reviews of the strawberry jam have been ecstatic. The money raised by the sale of the “Pickin’ Jam” goes to Living Waters for the World, a mission project of the Synod of Living Waters, PC(USA). Joe and Sherri look forward to their trip back to NY in August and the chance to spread the word of the “jams”.