Any bluegrass musician in the Phoenix “Valley of the Sun” has probably been to the home of Howard and Susan Anderson at least once if not numerous times. It was the first known regular open bluegrass Jam in Phoenix. But all good things must end.
According to a posting on Susan’s website, December’s monthly jam was the last:
“We started hosting weekly acoustic Bluegrass music jam sessions in 1977 in our Virginia home. These continued for six (6) years until we moved to Arizona in 1983 and immediately joined the Arizona Bluegrass Association. At that time there was NOT an open-to-all jam anywhere in the Phoenix area.
We hosted these jams in our home weekly from August 1983 thru December 2008. These weekly jams were in our home for a total of 31 years which is quite a commitment.
Starting in January 2009 we moved to once-a-month jam sessions held on the Second Wednesday evening from 7 to 10 p.m. Now after much thought and discussion the December 2012 jam session was the last. Four (4) years of monthly jams for a total of hosting jams in our home for 35 years! Now there are additional jams in the Valley of the Sun but still ours was the only one in a private home.
We have met so many nice people, have made great friends, and many bands have formed after meeting one another at our jam; we shall miss the jams and these wonderful musicians.”
1 comment:
Congratulations to you both, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson! You did more to keep the bluegrass community alive in your area than you'll ever know! We had such a couple as yourselves in Alabama - Jerry and Mae Hinton - who hosted the annual Christmas Jam in Leeds, Alabama for as long as you two did. They were beloved by everyone in our state. God bless you and keep you and thank you for your dedication and love of the people who hold this music dear.
Claire Lynch
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