Bluegrass music fans gathered at the Kentucky Museum on Saturday to hear about the history of Bluegrass Jam sessions.

Folklorist Erika Brady was accompanied by two other musicians as they explained the cultural importance of jam sessions on the bluegrass music scene. Jam sessions are gatherings of musicians that play instruments together to hone their skills and bond with others in their community. 

“People wanted to be entertained, they wanted to develop their skills and they wanted to be in a community,” Brady said.

Brady, along with guitarist Gary Hays and banjo player Jordan Riehm, discussed the importance of jam sessions in shaping the music styles in southern Kentucky. They said jam sessions provide aspiring musicians a chance to learn from more experienced players. 

“You have to have tough skin and be able to receive criticism,” Hays said.

Brent Bjorkman, the director of the Kentucky Museum and the Kentucky Folklife Program, hosted the event in honor of the new Sonic Landscape exhibit that opened in September. 

Bjorkman hopes the event encourages not only lifelong musicians but newcomers to the bluegrass scene to explore the Sonic Landscape exhibit and be able to “understand bluegrass references”. 

The group finished their discussion by demonstrating a jam session. They played one song, and when asked for an encore by the audience, they couldn’t help but say yes.