Baltimore Bluegrass Band, with all the 'regulars' and fans at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack
in Port Deposit, Md. for the 2013 Christmas Party. A historic gathering!
It was billed as the final performance of Baltimore Bluegrass, but everyone knew there was still a Christmas Party obligation to fulfill. At least all the regulars at Jumbo Jimmy's knew that. Last weekend was the swan song. But yesterday afternoon (22 December 2013) was the real swan song. What they didn't know is Baltimore Bluegrass member Frankie Short was coming back one last time to play some songs and thank long-time friends for supporting him through his hospitalization and health problems. All that aside, he looked great and sounded great. I got to Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack late due to the heavy volume of holiday traffic going both north and south on I-95. Last minute holiday shoppers only added to the chaos. Jumbo Jimmy's was packed. Not a seat in the house except the last booth near the playing area that also serves as a space for the players to drop their instrument cases. Doreen Ashford, Jumbo Jimmy's ever-busy Bar Manager directed me to the booth. Nobody ever wants to sit there because you're usually right up against a speaker, or, there are so many dancers, the waiters have a hard time serving you. It was pretty wild. It was obvious the party had been going on since 1:00 p.m. Baltimore Bluegrass was way into their first set when I arrived. I had to make my way around all the dancers to greet people and say my 'howdies.' There were also lots of people moving about handing out gifts and Christmas cards, lots of hugs and well-wishes. It was really hard to tell where anyone was actually sitting. When I initially entered the 'back room' the first people I saw were Darin Wassum and Jim Langer of AcrosstheTrack Bluegrass Band. They play a lot of Sundays at Jumbo Jimmy's throughout the year and I enjoy their style. Joyce Miller and "Chubby" were holding forth at their usual table surrounded by friends and family while sons T.J. and Bobby Lundy were special guests for the afternoon's entertainment. I was in for a whole afternoon and evening's worth of surprises as far as the entertainment was concerned. Not only did Baltimore Bluegrass take care of the usual requests (there wasn't anything close to a set-list) but invited musicians Carroll Swam (of Bluestone), Kenny Blair, Jerry Reicke, Rex Smith, Yvonne Smith, Tina Ray, and Darlene Harris to come forward and join them on various songs. Since I'm a guy who likes my programs regimented like a marching Marine Corps rifle battalion I found this a little discumbobulated, but the spirit was celebration of the Band and how much good music they've given to audiences for the past eight years.
There were 'sleepers.' The unexpected golden moment. I think they call it 'serendipity,' a word I've always shied away from like 'shopping mall.' Darlene Harris got up and sang a few songs and then sang a song or two with Tina Ray. I had never heard her before, or Tina. Just every once in a great while in obscure places like Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack or some far-flung VFW or Legion Hall out in the sticks you hear torch singers like Darlene emotionally belt out the songs that represent real country music. The perfect compliment to the way Warren Blair can belt them out. Darlene Harris amazed me. She had just the right about of conviction to take the audience and the dancers back to a time when entertainers like Loretta Lynn or Patsy Cline really made a difference in the music business. At the close of the day-long and night-long party, Baltimore Bluegrass finished up with "Loggin' Man," their second encore number. There were two standing ovations with all the reluctant farewells and goodbyes. There was a note of sadness to it all that such a unique bunch of musicians are folding up the tent; but these are familiar faces in the Bluegrass Scene and they'll be around. They're not dropping off the face of the earth. Traditional bluegrass music is a continuum of the human experience. Folks coming and going and getting sick and getting better. Good times and hard times and emotional ups and downs. There are bad times to gather and grieve and there are good times to gather to celebrate and have fun. They know how to gather and celebrate a bluegrass Christmas over near Havre de Grace, Maryland.
Baltimore Bluegrass: Frankie Short, Dave Propst, Warren Blair, and Steve Streett.
(Filled in during Frankie's absence: Kenny Blair, Brian Eldreth)
Guest Musicians - 22 December - Bobby Lundy, T.J. Lundy, Rex Smith, Yvonne Smith, Jerry Reicke, Carroll Swam, Darlene Harris, and Tina Ray.
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