This year’s Strung Together Music Jam Campout is held on the coast of Searsport, Maine, September 15-17th, 2023.
The OT & Bluegrass Jam weekend begins Friday afternoon with an OT Jam and banjo workshop followed by our world famous Strung Together wood fired pizza bar and concert. The jams will take place in different areas in the park but close enough to give all participants easy access to any jam circle.
This year we are jamming around the grounds under stage roofs, tents, porches, trees and other canopies. Designated spaces will be laid out for each style of music, with unlimited spots to hold you own jam.
The Strung Together Campout is held at one of the most beautiful outdoor jam spaces on the planet in Searsport, Maine.
Our special guests include Skip Gorman, Grey Larsen, Cindy Kallet, Erica Brown, Matt Shipman, Kris Day, George Fowler, Art Bryan, Fred White, Willie Clemetson, Fred Coon, John Pranio, Toki Oshima, Annadeene & Tom Fowler, Linden Frederick, Ando Anderson, Jim Burke and more!
Special Guests: Bob Hammond, David Lewis
Workshops include:
1- Bluegrass Mandolin-Intermediate and up. Instructor: Skip Gorman
2- Old Time Fiddle Tunes from Joe Dawson (Southern Indiana). Instructors: Grey Larsen & Cindy Kallet
3- Singing with others in a Band or performance setting. Instructor: The Bluebirds
4- Navigation of the guitar neck for all players.Instructor: James Hyland
5- Southern Indiana songs from the repertoire of Lotus Dickey. Group workshop, Instructors: Grey Larsen, Cindy Kallet
6- Old Time Fiddle- Intermediate and Up. Instructor: Skip Gorman
7- Performance and Playing in a Band. Instructor: Darlin’ Corey (Erica Brown, Matt Shipman and Kris Day)
Workshops and jam sessions are being offered this year in a more spontaneous fashion. Volunteer workshop and jam leaders will post their offerings on the big marker board in the middle of the camp. Please feel free to offer up a workshop, lead a jam or just sit by the fire playing with a friend during the weekend. Most importantly, enjoy sharing a few tunes along the seaside in a welcoming and relaxed space.
Jam Spaces will remain open all weekend and are not limited by the schedule or time. A room will be available to lock up your instruments in the evening.
“A Fine Old Time on Penobscot Bay”
All types of camping is available that weekend including tents, hammocks, RVs, safari, cabin rentals. Volunteers are needed, and any time you can give is greatly appreciated. Bartering welcome.
Come early, stay long.
The weekend is sponsored by the Old Time Music Players and Vacationland Bluegrass Jam Camp of Maine and is hosted by Searsport Shores Ocean Camping in Searsport, ME. Come with some friends and make new ones while you are here celebrating American string band music, stories and the cultures that brought us those traditions.
General Admission Tickets:
Weekend includes admission for Friday, Saturday, Sunday to all jam spaces, performances, and community fire rings along with any other activities that may pop up. Your donation helps to cover the costs of teachers, jam leaders, staff, tents, pizza party, and cleaning of bathrooms. Ask us about volunteer opportunities or lead a jam session as your donation (Extra monies will be used for musician scholarships and to help fund the instrument lending project at the Searsport Carver Memorial Library).
Suggested donation for the weekend is $75-$95 not including camping, special workshops, lunch or private lessons. Call or write to Searsport Shores for a camping spot. Campsites include hot showers, picnic table and fireplace (oceanfront & RV site upgrades available).
Reserve your campsite now by calling Searsport Shores at 207-548-6059. Make sure to mention you’re coming for the jamming weekend when you call.
Sign up for our mailing list: makersguildme@gmail.com. Please stay tuned for more updates as the date approaches.
Any extra proceeds will be used for musician scholarships and to help fund the instrument lending project at the Searsport Carver Memorial Library.
For Festival & Camping details call 207.930.5920
Know someone that might be interested? Head to Maker’s Guild of Maine for more info & Registration
Other Information
Jams begin by 10 AM: The first 12 players are seated in a circle on chairs. Extra players or people that just want to observe are welcome to stand around the circle to listen in. Slow Jam and Fast Jam Tents are open to all. Players choice. Many of the playing sessions will be led by an old-time or bluegrass player. Anyone willing to teach please get in touch.
Workshop suggested donation, $50-,$75
Lock up storage room available for all instruments.
Other Workshop Possibilities include:
Playing for contra-dancing A fun workshop focused on matching tunes to dances and/or general contra repertoire.
Meat & Potatoes- Old Time Tunes everyone should know (bring any instrument).
A sign-up board (time, space, topic) will be set up at registration for anyone willing to offer other workshops, wanting to partner with someone to learn a tune, or just to organize a jamming circle.
Old Time & Bluegrass Tunes by Key/Tuning
Some of the tunes being shared during the weekend are listed below. Tunes with * have a lesson & sheet music at http://www.mandolessons.com
Undecided Key
Black Mountain Rag, Lazy John, Mrs. Macleod’s (Hop High Ladies), Rocky Mountain Goat
D Tunes
Angeline The Baker*
Arkansas Traveler*
Cherokee Shuffle*
Coleman’s March*
Dry And Dusty
Ducks On The Millpond*
Eighth Of January*
Five Miles From Town
Flop Eared Mule*
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss*
Johnson Boys
Julianne Johnson*
Liberty*
Molly Put the Kettle On
New Five Cent Piece
Over The Waterfall*
Pig Ankle Rag*
Sal’s Got Mud Between Her Toes
Sam and Elzie
Soldier’s Joy*
Spotted Pony*
Twin Sisters*
Whiskey Before Breakfast*
Cross A Tunes
Dance Boatman Dance
Grey Eagle
Grub Springs*
Half Past Four
Jim Shank*
June Apple*
Kitchen Girl*
Little Billy Wilson
Red Haired Boy*
Red Prairie Dawn
Road to Malvern
Sandy Boys
Say Old Man I Want Your Daughter
Waiting for Nancy
Ways of the World
Standard A Tunes
Bill Cheatham*
Boil Them Cabbage Down*
Bull At The Wagon
Cherokee Shuffle (or D, really)*
Cluck Old Hen*
Cold Frosty Morning*
Cripple Creek*
Hangman’s Reel
Ida Red
Liza Jane*
Old Joe Clark*
Sail Away Ladies
G Tunes
Barlow Knife
Big Sciota*
Biscuits and Gravy
Blackberry Blossom*
Bound to Have a Little Fun
Elk River Blues
Girl I Left Behind Me*
Golden Slippers*
Grasshopper Sitting On a Sweet Potato Vine
Jenny Lind Polka
Josie-O
Old Beech Leaves*
Possum Up A Gum Stump
Pretty Little Gal with the Red Dress on
Red Wing (The Union Maid)*
Turkey In The Straw*
Sail Away Ladies (or Modal AEAE)*
Seneca Square Dance (Waiting For The Federals)*
Shoot the Turkey Buzzard
Shove That Pig’s Foot A Little Closer To The Fire*
Tombigbee Waltz*
Whiskey Before Breakfast
C Tunes
Billy In The Lowground*
Mustache Wax
Bluegrass Tunes Chords
Blueridge Cabin Home 1-4-5
Boil Them Cabbage Down 1-4-5
Bringing in the Georgia Mail 1-5
Bury Me Beneath the Willow 1-4-5
Dark Hollow 1-17-4-5
Darling Corey 1-5
Don’t This Road Look Rough and Rocky 1-4-5
Dooley 1-4-5
I’ll Fly Away 1-17-4-5
In the Pines 1-17-4-5
Long Journey Home 1-4-5
Man of Constant Sorrow 1-4-5
My Homes Across the Smokey Mountains 1-5
New River Train 1-17-4-5
Nine Pound Hammer 1-4-5
Old Home Place 1-27-37-4-5
Pig in a Pen 1-4-5
Reuben’s Train 1-5
Rocky Top 1-4-5-6m-7
Roll In My Sweet Baby’s Arms 1-17-4-5
Salty Dog Blues 1-2-5-6
Sitting on Top of The World 1-4-5-6m
There’s More Pretty Girls Than One 1-4-5
Will The Circle Be Unbroken 1-4-5
Working on a Building 1-5
Worried Man Blues 1-4-5
Anything Goes Jam Tunes May Include: , Cluck Old Hen (A Modal, maybe we’ll pluck the E & A strings a bit), Snowdrop, Bonnie on the Rhine, Twin Sisters (A Modal), Red Rocking Chair, Sail Away Ladies, Angeline the Baker, Down by the Willow Garden, Bury me Beneath the Willow, Starch and Iron, Bully of the Town, Diamond Joe, Shady Grove, Cannonball Blues, Wind and Rain, What Does the Deep Sea Say?, Hard Times, Wildwood Flower, Cuckoo Bird, Amazing Grace, etc, etc, etc.
Old Time Music Players of Maine 