JAMkids Grundy Area

09/28/2025

Click the link for JAM updates on Substack! Subscribe to have future posts sent straight to your inbox!

https://open.substack.com/pub/grundyareaartscouncil/p/jam-program-update?r=6jb8me&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

09/12/2025

Today at the Greta Carrick Memorial Library, Coalmont TN the JAM Program got to play music after the 9-11 memorial ceremony. The hour ended with a sudden downpour - it was a wonderful afternoon on the mountain.

09/09/2025

The JAM program will be playing at the Coalmont Library Thursday for their 9/11 memorial, starting at 2 p.m.

Join us this Thursday at 2:00 PM at the library as we honor the lives lost on 9/11 with inspiring words and special presentation from our City of Coalmont officials and Fire Department, followed by refreshments and uplifting live music by the Junior Appalachian Music Program.

09/08/2025

JAM class starts Monday, September 8th, 4:00!
JAM provides instruments and instruction in an excellent environment for learning traditional mountain music.
Let's JAM!

08/26/2025

Grundy JAMkids is seeking 1/4 and 1/2 size fiddles!

We've got a lot of little fiddlers eager to learn to play fiddle here on the mountain, who could really benefit from smaller size instruments.

Please send us a message or tag someone you know who might be able to sell or donate a smaller sized fiddle to the JAM program, we'd love to put these instruments to good use!

Thank-you!

08/20/2025

What is "Old Time" music and how does it relate to country music, the blues, bluegrass music or even rock and roll? Well, there could be many kinds of music that could be old time but in the case of JAMKids we are talking about the popular music that would have appealed to the people living in the Appalachian mountains sometime ago... Square dance fiddle tunes such as Arkansas Traveler or Turkey In The Straw and Parlor songs like Oh, Susanna, Ol' Dan Tucker or On Top Of Ol' Smokey are considered old time music.

Country music began to break away from old time music in the era of the Carter Family reworking and recording old time songs such as Will the Circle Be Unbroken and Wildwood Flower. Jimmie Rodgers also was part of this era with his bluesy songs such as In the Jailhouse Now and Blue Yodel Number 9.

Bluegrass music later branched out with Bill Monroe reworking the Mule Skinner Blues and writing his own songs like Kentucky Waltz. Did you know that Bill Monroe the "Father of Bluegrass" is in the Rock and Roll "Hall of Fame"? He wrote Blue Moon of Kentucky which Elvis Presley had a big hit on and is credited with influencing the Everly Brothers and others with the harmony and rhythm styles of his music.

All this is to say that we at Grundy JamKids are teaching basic music that can be a foundation for whatever style of popular music your child decides that they may want to play.

-Bob Townsend, JAMkids Grundy fiddle instructor

Visit www.grundyarea.art/jam for more information and to register your family for JAM.

Contact: [email protected]

08/08/2025

Our first full year of JAM was so much fun! It’s going to be a great year this year, and we want you to join us! Contact [email protected] for more information - www.grundyarea.art/jam to register!

08/05/2025

Today’s Junior Appalachian Musicians are tomorrow’s senior Appalachian musicians - continuing the tradition! Visit www.grundyarea.art/jam for more information or contact [email protected]

08/05/2025

Bring your guitar or borrow one of ours!

02/09/2025

Every second Monday, JAM class is breaking out into Song & Dance, and the community is welcome to come out and enjoy the music in support of the Junior Appalachian Musicians Program.

If you're bringing your kids to guitar, fiddle, or banjo class - class begins at 4:00!

Following JAM, the Grundy Area Arts Council meeting begins at 5:15, where we will be planning more art and music on the mountain!