BRISTOL, Tenn.-Va. (May 23, 2023) – Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM Kids) have been developing their chops on guitar, fiddle and banjo weekly at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Historic Downtown Bristol since last October. At 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 8, the students will come together to showcase what they’ve learned during a special performance for friends and family – and the public is invited at no cost.
“On average 12 to 15 students have participated in JAM Kids every Saturday since we adopted the program last year,” said museum Curatorial Manager Erika Barker. “It’s exciting to see how far the students have progressed in that time, learning skills and a love for playing music that they will carry with them for a lifetime. We invite the public to join us not only to see their progress, but to also learn more about this incredible, low-cost program.”
Incorporated as a nonprofit in 2008, JAM is a program for children, grades 4-8 and beyond, that introduces music through small group instruction on instruments common to the Appalachian region. Classes are after school and/or through affiliate partners across the region like the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. The program has expanded to nearly 30 locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, serving thousands of children.
JAM classes gather every Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. in the museum’s Learning Center. The cost for participation is $5 per class or students may sign up for 10 lessons at $45. Fiddles, banjos, and guitars will be available for students to use at no cost; other instruments will be introduced as determined by the instructors. Scholarships are available upon request. Lessons can be paid for all at once or as you go.
To learn more about Junior Appalachian Musicians, visit their website at JamKids.org. For more information about JAM Kids at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, visit the Events pages at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.