On This Day - January 6, 2013
On this day I attended a bluegrass jam held at Dunn State Park in Gardner, MA.
Dunn State Park Bluegrass Jam
I was a regular attendee at a monthly Bluegrass Jam held at the visitors center at Dunn State Park in Gardner, MA. This is a collection photos that I took at a jam that took place ten years ago (as of this posting). What is bittersweet about the photos is that several of the people are no longer with us. It was a wonderful venue, the visitor center had plenty of parking, seating, a view of the lake. In winter there was a fire in the fireplace. Most importantly there was the music.
https://flic.kr/p/2oa7E8R John Williams - fiddle, mandolin and guitar
The late John Williams was a regular at all the jams. He had a tremendous repertoire of fiddle tunes and bad jokes.
https://flic.kr/p/2oa2yVq Dunn State Park Music Jam
I don't know the name of the banjo player, but standing behind him is the late Fred Fowler a gifted musician who would often shift instruments in the middle of song, going from fiddle to mandolin to guitar. The late Lew Wilson (on right) knew every country tune you could imagine. He also had many stories about his time in a country band.
https://flic.kr/p/2oa2zgF Banjo Player, Fred Dana and Lewhttps://flic.kr/p/2oa6vDe Nature created some ice sculptures on the patio overlooking the lakehttps://flic.kr/p/2oa7EM6 Dave chatting with John Williamshttps://flic.kr/p/2oa7jBU Bruce and Heidi singing a tunehttps://flic.kr/p/2oa7ESB Another songhttps://flic.kr/p/2oa2zGW Fred passes the lead to someone across the room
Well meet again on some bright highway
I miss Fred Fowler, Lew Wilson, Betty Wilson, John Williams and Stan Long who was also at this jam. I take some solace in the words of Steve Earle who wrote Pilgrim, the song that Heidi sings at these jams, that we'll meet again and there will be songs to sing and stories to tell.
I am just a pilgrim on this road, boys
I am just a pilgrim on this road, boys
I am just a pilgrim on this road, boys
This ain't never been my home
Sometimes the road was rocky long the way, boys
Sometimes the road was rocky long the way, boys
Sometimes the road was rocky long the way, boys
But I was never traveling alone
Well meet again on some bright highway
Songs to sing and tales to tell
But I am just a pilgrim on this road, boys
Until I see you fare thee well
The Mountain - Steve Earle. Del McCoury
