About Ham Jam
Ham Jam is a classic county music jam session, with a bit of bluegrass and
mainstream gospel music typically performed. We play every
Tuesday, from 6:30 to 9:00 PM, at the Brownville Fire Hall on Brown
Boulevard in the village of Brownville.
We used to play year-round, but due to weather related issues we have
experienced in the past, we now take the months of January and February
off. We typically start our season on the first Tuesday in March
and conclude on the last Tuesday before Christmas.
There is no charge either for musicians or spectators. Refreshments are
provided each night and donations are graciously accepted. We also
have a 50-50 each night.
New players and spectators are always welcome. We provide a sound
system with mics for the players. Any singer that wishes to bring
their own mic may plug into our system, space permitting. For the
most part, we use acoustic instruments, with some exceptions. We
do occasionally have electric instruments but we do ask that the levels
be kept within reason.
Refreshments
Coffee and refreshments are served each week. The coffee is
provided by Ham Jam and refreshments are made possible by volunteers
that sign up on a rotating schedule. A donation can is
present. We do not expect the players or those that provide the
refreshments to contribute, but we do encourage the general public to be
generous. We make regular donations to various organizations in
the community, as well as the owner of our venue. These donations
and our 50-50 drawing are our only source of income.
For more information, please contact David J. Schryver at
315-486-1408 or by e-mail.
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The History of Ham Jam
Ham Jam was founded by Jim Dupre, Paul Ferry and Bill Mack around
2002. Jim passed in 2017. Bill now lives in Florida and Paul's work schedule
keeps him from joining us. In the beginning, we played in people's
homes and during the summer, at the home of the Jefferson
Country Radio Amateur Club just off outer Arsenal Street in
Watertown.
Not all jam sessions are ham jams. Because we started playing at the ham
radio clubhouse, and because several musicians in the group and
spectators in the audience were ham radio operators, we became known as "Ham Jam".
Please understand that we have no affiliation with the Jefferson County
Radio Amateur Club or any other ham radio organization. You do not
have to be a ham operator to attend, either as a musician or spectator.
As time went on, we
met at a number of public places but in December 2008, we started playing
in the community room at
the Dexter Municipal Building every Tuesday night. This became our
"home" until December 2014. In 2014, the Dexter Fire
Department bought the building from the village. We stayed there
for the rest of the year but in January 2015, they rented the building
and we were displaced. We now play at the Brownville fire hall in
the village of Brownville. We have been very well received there
and they even let us store out sound system there. That has been a
huge bonus because we no longer have to cart around some very heavy
equipment.
The sessions have gotten quite popular. Most nights we have
about six or eight musicians playing but we could typically have over
twice that. The audience typically averages about 30 to 40 in the
spring and fall but during the summer, that figure may also double.
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Memorials
Don Scee
October 24, 1930 - May 19, 2012
The spring of 2012 brought us sadness. Don Scee was informally
the coordinator of the audience side of the Ham Jam and was the person responsible for making the arrangements for using the Dexter
Fire Hall. Also a ham operator, we will
probably remember him most for his sense of humor and spirit. He
was forever playing gags and pranks on people that still bring
smiles to the faces of those he touched. Don was 81.
 Ray
Sabre
January 28, 1938 - July 25, 2013
On July 25, 2013, we lost one of our musicians. Ray Sabre, who was
well known in the area musical community, lost his short battle with
cancer. Also very involved over the years with the
Black River Fiddlers, Thousand Islands Bluegrass Preservation Society
and the Liberty Fiddlers, Ray will be remembered for his guitar picking, his
experience and vast knowledge of music. He was a gentleman and
will be missed by all of us. Ray was 75.
Richard D. Johnson, Sr.
December 31, 1933 - July 11, 2017
2017 was not a good year
for the Ham Jam family. We lost three of our members.
The first of these was Dick Johnson. Dick was a
long-time north country musician, having played steel guitar for
twenty years in his bands, "The Mustangs". For the last
three years or so of his life, he no longer played the steel, but
he sang with us at Ham Jam. A number of Ham Jam musicians
and a few of the audience regulars visited Dick at his home and
performed for him a couple of days before he passed. Many of
us will remember him for his wit, the twinkle in his eye and the
grin on his face that made you wonder what he was going to say or
do next.
Dick was 83.
 Fernand
A. "Jim" DuPre
November 11, 1919 - August 27, 2017
On August 27, we lost one of our charter members. Jim DuPre
was one of three men who were responsible for starting Ham Jam.
According to his obituary that appeared on the WWNY TV7 webpage,
"he was a member of the Jefferson County Association Ham Radio
Club, Black River Fiddlers Association, NYS Old Time Fiddlers
Association, was an avid fiddler and played fiddle every Tuesday
night at the Ham Jam." The last few weeks of Jim's life were
spent at the faacility operated by Hospice of Jefferson County in
Watertown. A number of Ham Jammers played around his bedside
for him a few days before he passed. Jim was 97.
Richard L. Spencer
August 31,
1926 - December 16, 2017 Dick was a
long-time harmonica player with Ham Jam. For his last few
years, he was not able to participate with us. Audrey, his
wife of 69 years, suffered with Alzheimer's and was in a nursing
home. For the last two or three years of her life, Dick made
daily visits and spent the days with her. After her death on
May 21, 2016, Dick was able to resume wintering at their Lake
Placid, Florida home. It was here that he passed at the age
of 91.
Ruth A. Duffany
December 10, 1928 - July 21, 2018 Although not a
musician, Ruth was a major part of Ham Jam. For many years,
she baked the refreshments, on her own and was more or less the
organizer of the audience side of the group. She was
affectionately known as "the Donut Lady", a nickname that came as
a result of her homemade donuts. We joked that, when she
reached a point where she was no longer able to do the things she
had done, it took three people to replace her! She was
feisty and fun and her presence is greatly missed. |
