Jamming without judgement: Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum keeps tunes, community strong with Open Bluegrass Jams
Feb. 6—The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum consistently offers a number of events and performances at its facility to the annual ROMP Fest.
And even when the stage is empty inside the venue's Woodward Theatre or the festival grounds at Yellow Creek Park, the music still lives on each weekend with its free Open Bluegrass Jams inside the museum's Pickin' Parlor.
The jam sessions initially started in 1994 on the first Thursday of each month and even caught the eye of Bill Monroe, the "father of bluegrass music," back in February 1995 when the musician made a trip to Owensboro.
In July 2021, the jam became a two-day affair taking shape every Saturday and Sunday led by local musicians Sally Dickens and Chris Armstrong.
Armstrong, who oversees the Sunday edition, jumped on the opportunity when approached by the museum's executive director Chris Joslin to help provide an opportunity for all.
"Everyone's welcome," Armstrong said. "If you just sing, or (if you) just come hang out and have fun. If you're a beginner I'll try to take the time to come over and show 'em a few things, but we have all skill levels.
"We have pros that come in here from ... Nashville and from all over the country."
Since coming on board for the jam sessions over a year ago, Armstrong is happy with how it has grown.
"It's really been a success," he said. "I mean, you can hear it. They're just going to town in (the Pickin' Parlor) ...."
And sometimes, Armstrong and the musicians get so into the music that they lose track of the time.
"Well, we're supposed to stop at 4:30 (p.m.)," Armstrong laughed, "but most of the time we're having so much of a good time, we stay until it closes."
The jam sessions, which can see up to 30 people at one time, have musicians of all ages taking part, such as 11-year-old Parker Malone who makes it a point to come out every weekend.
"I just love the fast tempos, and how fun it is to play and how everyone gets together and jams," he said. "It's always pumping."
"... It's something I look forward to all week."
Alex Abend, 26, originally hails from northern California. She ended up finding the jam when she moved to Owensboro a little over a year ago after spending time teaching English in Vietnam.
While she said she never really heard or listened to bluegrass before, Abend was able to join in without issue.
"... I started coming here and everyone is really nice and open, and very willing to teach and very willing to welcome beginners," she said. "... This was really my first introduction to playing with other musicians in that capacity; and it was just really wonderful because even though I did very badly, (there was) no judgment."
The experience has also helped Malone and Abend grow as musicians.
"I like being around all the good musicians because I can pick up stuff from them," Malone said.
"... My musicality has gotten way better," Abend said.
The jam often sees new faces like Whitesville resident Gary Howard, 82, who came for the first time on Sunday with a guitar in hand.
"... It's all in good fun," he said. "(I like) the enjoyment of being around other musicians; what they share with me and what I can share with them."
Armstrong said the jams set itself apart from other musical collaborations based on the genre and the fellowship.
"Bluegrass is just good, family-oriented, clean songs," Armstrong said, "and they're most generally not too difficult to learn the chord structure. If a person knows they're basic chords and can say, 'Hey, this is in G, C and D' — they can follow right along ....
"In this situation in the jam, we try to pick good old songs that's been around 100 years that everybody knows or they can just fall right in and jam along with us.
"It's all about having fun."
Open Bluegrass Jams take place from 1:30-4:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday and are open to the public.
