Jam Sessions

By Dale Grubaugh

It’s just an old one-room school perched atop an old bald in the White River hills of Taney County, Missouri. Most folks who got their book-learnin’ at the Mt. Grove School have long since passed. But the old school continues to stand as a monument to other days when life’s pace was a mite slower.

Mostly the old school buildin’ sits dormant, silently longing for passer-bys to slow down, stop, and take notice of it. On Thursday nights however, the school gets its wish. The locks are turned, doors are opened, lights are lit, chairs are set and the coffee pot begins to gurgle — all in preparation for a weekly event that continually gives life and purpose to this tabernacle of hill-folk education.

As ya pull up to the building you can hear folks getting ready. Stringed instruments are being tuned. The sweet sounds of a fiddle can be heard as someone is “warmin’-up.” The thump-thump of the low down bass resonates through the building. Other folks are carrying in guitars, banjos, mandolins, dobros.

The sign over the ancient chalk board says “Acoustic Instruments Only.”

Now, what’s fixing to happen here is not a fancy Branson music show. No sir, it’s an old fashioned jam session. Every week folks come from all over to make some of the purdiest music ya ever heard. Old time fiddle tunes and reels, bluegrass, country music (mostly the old songs), and gospel music.

There’s a circle of chairs for the musicians. Each one takes their place in the circle and takes their turn to play or sing a song as the single microphone is passed around. The name of the song and its key are called out and the featured musician leads out and the rest join in.

It surely is a toe tappin’, hand clapping, jaw-flapping good time!

Anyone who wants to join in is welcome. All ya have to do is uncase your instrument and take a seat in the circle. There are folks of all musical skill levels and ages, no one is denied an opportunity to join in. Even ole Elias, who is learning to play the mandolin, sets in and flops along once in a while.

Jeff Michel is the proprietor of the Mt. Grove School Jam. Jeff's daddy started the jam many years ago. Jeff decided to learn to play the violin ’bout three years back and rekindle the weekly jam session. His daughter is learnin’ the fiddle also and sits in occasionally. Jeff and his family make sure all is ready for folks when they arrive.

Ya never know who is gonna be there. Oh, the regulars are there like Jeff and his family and folks from down in Arkansas. But, it is anybody’s guess as to who else might show up. Recently there have been folks from Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma, Michigan and Wisconsin. And, of course, folks from all over the Ozark hills make a weekly journey to the Mt. Grove School House.

When asked how they found out about the jam session, most say they knew someone who knew someone who knew someone who knew about the session. Ya know how it goes.

There’s always a group of folks who come just for the entertainment. They come just to sit and listen and appreciate the good music and good time. No admission is charged. However, there is a big jar for donations to help cover the cost of electricity and heat.

Jeff sets the first tune at seven o’clock. A break is taken at 8:30 to have a cup of coffee and homemade cookies, brownies or cakes. The music resumes and concludes around ten.

It is a wonderful way to spend a Thursday evening!

The Mt. Grove School jam session is not the only jam session around. You can find one most any night of the week somewhere in these hills.

The Bruner, Missouri community hosts a jam session on Monday nights. Down DD Highway — over around Kimberling City — there’s a jam at the community building on Tuesday evenings. Athel Jackson holds a jam session in his barn on Saturday nights. There’s a fella down at Marshall, Arkansas, who holds one in his basement every week and he tells of one down in Leslie, Arkansas. The McClurg, Missouri community holds a jam weekly also and the list goes on.

Jam sessions aren’t a new thing. Actually, they are the continuation of our heritage here in the hills. Folks have been gathering on front porches and in kitchens to entertain themselves and pass the time with friends and family for decades.

So pack up your instruments and head for the hills. Or just bring yourself on over, come on in, and enjoy. If you can’t find a jam session, uncase your instrument, set on the porch and commence to playin’ and I guarantee someone will join ya afore long. It’s just the way its done.

’Till next time, keep picking.

Elias Tucker

May 20, 2012

About the columnist:

Dale Grubaugh, writing as “Elias Tucker from The Holler” is a valued contributor to State of the Ozarks. He is a man who loves his Ozark culture deeply.

As a Southern Baptist preacher and pastor, Dale has dedicated his life to the people of these hills.

Also, he has worked hard in many facets of the Branson show industry. And he has lived the Ozarks, fishing, hunting, appreciating the wilds that are so close but so closely forgotten.

— Joshua Heston, editor