then The Beatles and The Rolling Stones before I got hooked on Bob Dylan and traditional folk music ,” said LaMay . “ I taught myself to play guitar and sing while in the USAF in the 1960s .”
Born and raised in Rochester , NY , on the south shore of Lake Ontario , LaMay had little knowledge at first that his partner in life and in song was growing up on the east end of the lake , about 75 miles away in the town of Fulton .
“ My dad played guitar while I was growing up , strictly bluegrass ,” said Reese . “ I was listening to Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead . I learned some guitar chords . Dad bought me my first guitar . I taught myself to play some songs , ( and ) later sang bluegrass with my dad .”
The two met at a folk music gathering in Rochester in 1998 , and it was , one could say , a harmonious match .
“ There was an immediate attraction to each other ’ s music style ,” said LaMay . “ Sherri ’ s bluegrass and folk style blended seamlessly with my folk and singer-songwriter style .
“ Sherri ’ s harmonies have a whole new dimension to my songs and the traditional Appalachian songs we loved to sing ,” he added . “ Our sound has served us well in getting really good bookings at festivals and other venues .”
When they moved to Somerset in 2004 , the pair hoped there would be a venue for singersongwriters and musicians with a folk roots history and style .
“ When the bars began serving alcohol , lots of open mic nights popped up , but we needed a place to present acoustic music in a space where people listened quietly and respectfully ,” said LaMay . “ That was the performance situation we cut our teeth on and wanted to bring to Somerset .”
With the help of local musician Bill McNeil , LaMay and Reese developed a monthly concert series in the basement of what was then known as the Carnegie , now the Cooper Community Arts Center . Called 3rd Friday Folk , the goal was to achieve that classic coffeehouse feel . Donations could be made by those attending , and casual treats like coffee and cookies enjoyed .
“ Our first concert was in March , 2015 ,” said LaMay . “ We began with local and regional singers . We reached out to national touring musicians we have known over the years , and they started coming to town to perform . Word spread and we able to present some very talented veteran and up-and-coming artists .”
Some of the notable names from far and wide to perform at 3rd Friday Folk include Michael Johnathon from the Woodsongs Old Time Radio show ; Mark Dvorak , a long time figure in the Chicago folk scene ; and Heidi Muller and Sarah Morgan , both nationally know dulcimer players .
“ These musicians have in turn spread the word that 3rd Friday Folk is a go-to venue for folk musicians ,” said LaMay .
And yes , LaMay and Reese themselves often perform at the event .
Certainly , people like LaMay and Reese are nostalgic for the age of the coffeehouse , a simpler time for music and a slower way of life . That ’ s expressed best through the songs themselves — authentic and meaningful .
“ To us , folk music comes from the heart and soul of the songwriter and musician ,” said LaMay . “ There ’ s nothing false or manufactured in the message that is portrayed . The words tell a story of real people and how they face love , life , the world around them .”
September 2022 SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky • 41