Radford Fiddle and Banjo Jam Finds a New Home in The Artis Center
By: Brandon Whitaker
It started in a small diner on Tyler Avenue 25 years ago. A way for local musicians to come together to play and enjoy their favorite tunes. They’ve been playing and preserving the sounds of the region for over two decades and now, for the first time in the group’s history, you can hear them jam right here on campus.
History of the Radford Fiddle and Banjo Jam
In February of 2000, journalist and fiddle player Ralph Berrier decided that he wanted to bring a bluegrass jam to Radford Virginia. He and his wife took a trip to Nova Scotia visiting Cape Breton Island and he admired how in nearly every corner of the Island you could find a pub playing live music. He thought to himself, “I wonder if you could do something like this in southwest Virginia?” He started his own jam when he came back to Radford in a coffee shop on Tyler Avenue where 7 Eleven is currently, and although he was just starting to learn to play, he got the word out and started a tradition that is still present to this day. “Music is a big part of the culture, this sort of music, this is a bluegrass jam, there’s old time Appalachian music…It’s the soundtrack of the region; It’s like jazz in New Orleans or blues in Memphis or Celtic music in Ireland. It’s the soundtrack of this region, and these are just regular folks who come out and play it.”
In February the group received a proclamation from the City of Radford honoring the 25th anniversary of the jam.
What is the Jam Like?
The Radford Fiddle and Banjo Jam typically features 15-20 musicians from all over Virginia, bringing with them their instruments of choice and playing their favorite bluegrass/Appalachian tunes for anybody who wants to listen. They sit in a circle and each musician gets a chance to pick which tune they play as they move around the circle in between songs. The jams are open to all who would like to participate or listen and they’ve featured students and faculty in the performances as well. Berrier shared that the players range from 14 to 95 years old and that “We’ve prided ourselves on being kind of an open, welcoming jam. We have some really good players and we also have some beginners, and some who are intermediate…this one has always been open to a little bit of everybody.”
Where can you find the Jam?
If you’d like to hear some live music and attend a jam they are now playing in the Artis Center atrium on Mondays from 6 to 9 P.M. For updates on venues and schedule changes you can visit the Radford Fiddle and Banjo Jam group on Facebook.
