AMHERST – Dick Bristol retired from The Jam, but The Jam lives on.
Dick’s Jamboree, now called The Bordertown Jam, still kicks off every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Trinity-St. Stephen’s United Church in Amherst.
“Dick was done at the end of October and we carried right on,” said Roy Pettigrew, manager of The Bordertown Jam. “We’ve had fair-sized crowds but we want to get the word out because every week I meet somebody who say’s ‘I didn’t think it was still going on.’”
Pettigrew plays two songs each Wednesday night and MC’s the rest of the night.
“I took it over because I didn’t want to see a good thing die.”
The Jam showcases 20 to 30 musicians each Wednesday, and they play to crowds of up to 200 people.
One of those musicians is LeRoy Morris, leader of LeRoy & the Boys. He’s been playing each week for more than eight years, almost since the inception of Dick’s Jamboree.
“I like playing music and I like the atmosphere with the people here. It’s a lot of fun,” said Morris.
Admission is $3, and money raised, above expenses, goes to local charities.
“And I like giving back. We’re all here to help others,” added Morris.
Charities they’ve helped over the past eight years include, the Kidney Foundation, Maggie’s Place, The Bridge Workshop and the Cumberland Health Care Foundation.
Pettigrew says they have a great time and hopes more people come out.
“It’s great for the seniors to get out. People come out from all around, and we have musicians up from Truro-way and some from New Brunswick as well,” said Pettigrew. “Everybody is welcome from anywhere; Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI.
‘We try to have fun with everybody. Other than that, c’mon down,” he added.
The Bordertown Jam usually ends Wednesdays at about 10 p.m.
