One of the students sitting in on the old-time music jam at the Floyd Country Store on July 9 was Luke, a 10-year-old with less than a year’s experience learning the mandolin under the guidance of teacher Jason Dilg, through both the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM®) program and the Handmade Music School.
Luke’s father, Kerry Spencer, a surgical RN, shared his perspective on the jam as a parent and musician himself. His other son, Samuel, who did not join the jam with instrument in hand but danced, is learning banjo.
KERRY SPENCER
What are your family’s musical roots?
My wife Lindsey is an artist. I started playing music in middle school band and played trumpet and French horn through college. I picked up guitar in college, primarily to play praise and worship music, but I only manage to strum chords. I found picking a little too much for me. It is fun for us all that I can jump in and play guitar along with the boys when they learn a new song. The guitar role in old-time music is generally very basic. It is just a little background strumming and rhythm, which is right up my alley.
What music does your family enjoy?
I grew up listening to alternative, classic, and pop rock, and a good bit of Christian praise and worship music. We didn’t start listening to bluegrass until the boys started learning their instruments. The Floyd Country Store has introduced us to a lot of great music. Some we enjoy now may be classified as new-grass—bands like Nickel Creek, The Arcadian Wild, and Allison Krauss.
How does music practice work at home?
Luke plays mandolin and Samuel plays claw hammer style banjo and loves flat foot dancing. They usually practice separately and then play some songs together. As Lindsey homeschools, she does build in some practice time for them during the day. But they will also occasionally just pick up the instruments on their own and start playing.
What do you look for in music teachers and mentors?
I feel there is a lot of patience required to teach. When you are teaching kids to play a new instrument, I think that’s an extra level of patience. And positive encouragement is key for the kids as well. That can keep them going when they are struggling. Then, of course, the general enjoyment of being around children is important.
We are blessed to have many older folks in this community that love this music and the opportunity to pass it on to the younger generation. I think it brings joy, both to the teachers and the students, to have youngsters playing along with older folks, not to mention the spectators and parents like us.
What do you hope your kids take away from playing music?
I think there’s a lot that can be learned from the process of learning any skill. The benefits of patience, determination, discipline, and then the rewards of your labor, which in this case is the joy of making music in community. For a shy kid like Luke, sometimes it helps to have an avenue into community and old-time music has been a great road for him.
How did things go for Luke at the July 9 jam?
He is a very shy kiddo, and it can be hard, even for us, to get words out of him at times. With that said, we were very surprised and impressed that he has felt comfortable enough to play music in front of so many people, and along with a bunch of folks he doesn’t know, mostly much older than him. But that comes with the openness of the community of old-time music. It’s definitely an all-are-welcome attitude. It doesn’t matter how good you are, how old you are, whether you’re from around here or not, everyone is welcome to jump in and play or dance.
LUKE SPENCER
What do you love about playing the mandolin?
It’s just fun. My favorite part is playing together with others. I also like to play for people like my great grandma because it makes her happy.
(Editor’s note: There’s that boundless happiness.)
Why is practice important?
Because you can’t really get better. There’s no way to get better when you don’t practice or anything.
What did your teacher say to help you prepare for the jam?
He told me the key we were playing in and that’s about it. He told me to follow the guitars.
What did you learn playing in the jam?
I like to do the Sunday jams because I’m learning to play together in a group/jam. It’s pretty much like practicing with my dad and my brother, except there’s more people.
COY MEADE
North Carolina-born Coy Meade (pictured, blue t-shirt) grew up about two hours west of Floyd in Abingdon, Virginia. His early memories of music include learning guitar chords from his grandfather William Meade and attending old-time music festivals most summers with his grandparents. His initial interest in bluegrass musicianship around age six or seven was disrupted when his banjo teacher died suddenly, which sounds like the perfect springboard for some memorable lyrics.
Four or five years later, he picked up a guitar and has stuck with it ever since.
“I play guitar and know enough on the banjo to get myself in trouble,” Coy added.
Coy credits his development as a musician to his grandfather and Ed Snodderly, his songwriting professor from the Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music program within the department of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, Tennessee).
“Ed helped me think bigger than the basic cookie-cutter song structure,” Coy recalled.
Which musicians have inspired you?
I would say it was Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings that first made me not only want to play the songs, but to sing them too.
How did you decide to come to the old-time music jam at the Floyd Country Store and what sorts of emotions were you feeling beforehand? Any nerves?
I had been attending bluegrass jams in Colorado and was just curious if there were any local ones while I was in town visiting. I knew about the Floyd Country Store and thought it was a cool place with lots of history. When I saw they had a jam, I jumped at the opportunity to attend and play. I was a little nervous getting there because every jam is a little different, but everyone was so welcoming.
Were all the songs at the jam familiar to you? If you didn’t know them, would you (and most musicians) be able to pick up what was being played and join in eventually?
I knew some of the songs, but there were a few I did not. The leaders of the jam did a great job of keeping them simple though so everyone could stay involved if they knew the song or not.
What is happening for you in the music realm right now?
I recently moved to Colorado to pursue music and play my songs to a larger clientele of people. I live in Denver, perform as a solo act, and I’ve formed a bluegrass band called Fed on Peaches that is playing some farmer’s markets in Olde Town Arvada on Sundays and Westminster on Saturdays. I’m doing construction work to make ends meet until the music pays off.
What are your hopes for your musical future?
My hope is to finish my EP of singer-songwriter type stuff and get an album out with the bluegrass band here in Denver. Maybe make a few bucks and quit my day job. I also believe it is incredibly important to keep this style of music alive regardless though.
Who are a couple musicians, locally or anywhere, that you think other people should know about, hear, and support?
I mostly listen to older music, but recently I've been listening to Bella White and Shadow Grass. I saw The Sam Grissman Project in Denver not long ago and it was incredible.
Best concert you’ve ever seen?
For me it would have to be my first Dead and Company show. I had never seen the way they could trade off solos and songs with such ease, and I could see the similarities between that and a bluegrass band. It had endless possibilities and it pretty much hooked me.
How do you write—lyrics first or music first?
With my writing every song comes differently. Some have been jotted down from years before, and sometimes it comes directly when playing guitar in my room.
Click here to follow Coy’s musical journey on Instagram.
SELECTED LINKS
MUSICAL INFLUENCES
Jason Dilg
Nickel Creek
The Arcadian Wild
Alison Krauss
Ed Snodderly
Johnny Cash
Waylon Jennings
Bella White
ShadowGrass
Sam Grisman Project
About the Author: Dave Schuellerman is a professional writer and communication consultant with 30 years of experience helping B2B and B2C companies inform and influence targeted audiences. Learn more about his background, perspective, and available services at www.fendcommunication.com/services. Ready to engage on a project? Reach him directly at schuellerman@gmail.com.
Comments