Yes, WeCAN jam

Weekly music session will help heat up needy homes

By Melanie Davis

Local musicians are proving they can for WeCAN

Local musicians, like the ones pictured here in October 2006, play in jam sessions every Tuesday night at La Quinta Inn in Boone from 7 to 9 p.m. File photo

A weekly gathering of traditional, acoustic musicians is raising money for Watauga County Assistance Network, an emergency-assistance program of the Hospitality House of Boone.

Bluegrass, folk and classic country musicians have been gathering every Tuesday for several years first at the High Country Homebuilders Association headquarter and now at La Quinta Inn in Boone.

The banquet room becomes a stage for informal jam sessions from 7 to 9 p.m. The jam sessions are free and open to all musicians and anyone wishing to enjoy the local music.

Through December, jam organizers will be passing the hat to collect donations and the money will go to benefit the heating assistance program of WeCan. All money collected will go to the program.

Bobby Norris, owner of Appalachian Music Shoppe, said the jam sponsors decided to raise money in light of rising fuel prices.

“The need will be great this year,” he said.

A local band will open the jam session for each night of the fund-raiser. Following the bands performance, the usual jam sessions will take over.

According to Norris, the gatherings usually attract 50-100 people, depending on the weather.

The concert and jam sessions will be held every Tuesday night, except Dec. 30. Norris explained the banquet room had been previously booked for a separate event.

The jam sessions are sponsored by the La Quinta Inn, Appalachian Furniture, Castle Ford Studios, Coldwell Banker Blair and Associates, and Appalachian Music Shoppe.

For more information on the weekly jam sessions or the December fund-raiser call the Appalachian Music Shoppe at (828) 263-0051.