Terra Fondriest

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In the Ozarks, the Pandemic Threatens a Fragile Musical Tradition

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Gordon McCann, longtime McClurg...ri on Friday, January 22, 2021.

Gordon McCann, longtime McClurg Jam guitarist and obsessive Ozarks historian, at his home in Springfield, Missouri on Friday, January 22, 2021.

The Jam session circle sits emp...ntly halted due to Coronavirus.

The Jam session circle sits empty in the general store in rural McClurg, Missouri on Friday morning, January 22, 2021. The store is home to the McClurg Jam session held on Monday nights for the past 35 or so years, bringing together traditional Ozarks musicians who play songs passed down by ear through generations.. The weekly jams are currently halted due to Coronavirus.

Gordon McCann, longtime McClurg Jam guitarist and obsessive Ozarks historian, thumbs through an album he made about the McClurg Jam at his home in Springfield, Missouri on Friday, January 22, 2021.

The closed general store from a...ntly halted due to Coronavirus.

The closed general store from across Highway W in rural McClurg, Missouri on Friday morning, January 22, 2021. The store is home to the McClurg Jam session held on Monday nights for the past 35 or so years, bringing together traditional Ozarks musicians who play songs passed down by ear through generations.. The weekly jams are currently halted due to Coronavirus.

Gordon McCann, longtime McClurg Jam guitarist and obsessive Ozarks historian, thumbs through an album he made about the McClurg Jam, stopping at a photo he took of dancing that went on during a 2003 Jam night, while at his home in Springfield, Missouri on Friday, January 22, 2021.

Steve Assenmacher takes a drive...nights in his 1929 Ford pickup.

Steve Assenmacher takes a drive down Highway W in his 1929 Ford pickup in the rural town of McClurg, Missouri on Friday morning, January 22, 2021. Steve is the old general store caretaker, a nearby resident, stand up bass musician for Jam sessions and is known for pulling up on Monday nights in his 1929 Ford pickup.

Alvie Dooms, old time Ozarks mu...ar, that he fixes and collects.

Alvie Dooms, old time Ozarks music legend, holds a rare fiddle at his home in rural Ava, Missouri on Friday, January 22, 2021. Alvie has hundreds of instruments all over his home, mostly fiddles even though he plays guitar, that he fixes and collects.

The home of Alvie Dooms, old ti...ri on Friday, January 22, 2021.

The home of Alvie Dooms, old time Ozarks music legend, is filled with hundreds of instruments he's collected and many he's fixed, including these fiddles hanging from the ceiling of his laundry/music room in rural Ava, Missouri on Friday, January 22, 2021.

Alvie Dooms, old time Ozarks mu...ri on Friday, January 22, 2021.

Alvie Dooms, old time Ozarks music legend, at his home in rural Ava, Missouri on Friday, January 22, 2021.

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In the Ozarks, the Pandemic Threatens a Fragile Musical Tradition

terra fondriest (written by jennifer moore)

Feb 5, 2021

Location: McClurg, mo

In the Ozarks, the Pandemic Threatens a Fragile Musical Tradition
The older fiddlers and rhythm guitar players don’t rely on sheet music, so their weekly jam sessions — now on hiatus — are critical to passing their technique to the next generation.

Terra Fondriest

Feb 5, 2020

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