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Country music and camaraderie in the city

Twice-weekly jam sessions bring together guitar, keyboards, mandolin, banjo, violin and harmonica players.

By RITA FARLOW, Times Staff Writer
Published January 2, 2008

Lewis Habig, center, and Charlotte Etzlar listen to Ralph Harper play with other musicians at the jam session on Thursday in Largo Central Park. The first sessions were organized in 1999.
	[ATOYIA DEANS | Times]

LARGO - The city's citrus packing plants and pig farms may be long gone, but some urbanized Largo residents still hanker for some country-style fun.

Just ask the folks who gather each week at Largo Central Park for an old-fashioned country-and-western jam session.

"We all love country music. I think the music is the most important thing," Marlene Stoughtenger said.

Stoughtenger, 70, and a couple of friends helped organize the twice-weekly Largo jam sessions in 1999.

On Monday and Thursday afternoons, about a dozen musicians get together for a guitar-plucking, banjo-picking good time. "I love the people that come here. They're just one big happy family," Stoughtenger said.

Most of the musicians play guitar, but there's also some who play keyboards, mandolin, banjo, violin and the occasional harmonica.

"There's no practice involved because there's so many people. We just pick out what we're going to play and that's it," said Stoughtenger, a Largo resident.

The musicians and the audience, which varies from a few dozen to 200, are mostly seniors. "It's seniors entertaining seniors," Stoughtenger explained.

"It makes you feel good to know that the people are happy and they have something to do," said Donnie Dee, 71, who plays guitar.

Dee of Clearwater was just passing through the park when he stumbled across the jam session six years ago.

"I've been with them ever since," Dee said.

Dee said he likes that the group sticks to traditional country music and he enjoys the camaraderie with his fellow musicians.

"I can't even describe it," Dee said. "They love it. It's their life. It's the same people all the time, and all the musicians are very friendly. It's a great time for everybody."

Rita Farlow can be reached at farlow@sptimes.com or 727 445-4162.

Jam sessions are held from 1 to 4 p.m. every Monday and Thursday, September through June, at Largo Central Park, 101 Central Park Drive, picnic shelter 1. The jam is not held on holidays or during particularly cold or inclement weather. Free.

IF YOU GO

Join the jam

Jam sessions are held from 1 to 4 p.m. every Monday and Thursday, September through June, at Largo Central Park, 101 Central Park Drive, picnic shelter 1. The jam is not held on holidays or during particularly cold or inclement weather. Free.

[Last modified January 1, 2008, 22:31:43]