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Making Music at Lakeland Senior Center
Story and Photos by Kim Odom, Special to THE VIEW 38002
There’s lots of picking
and grinning going on
Mondays at Lakeland
Senior
Center during
jamming sessions among a
fun group of acoustic
musicians. The group of
musicians that has grown
over the last couple of year,
from just a few players to
more than a dozen at times.
They have a regular fan-
base that sits around and
enjoys the show.
“On any given Monday
afternoon, guests can walk
into the senior center to
find the group jamming
and
singing
familiar
country tunes, gospel, a
little bit of blues, and every
now and again, you can
catch yodeling going on,”
said Kim Odom, senior
center manager. “We have
a few on guitar, someone
on the base, a mandolin,
the fiddle, and a violin
player too. They are an
enthusiastic
group
of
musicians that simply
enjoy coming together and
making music.”
One of the members of
the Monday afternoon
jamming group at LSC is
musician Billy Weir, 77,
who is nationally and
internationally known. The
Rockabilly Hall of Famer
and Jackson, Tenn., native,
played drums with the
original
Rockhousers,
along-side Bill Harris,
Billy Weir, 77, of Eads, strikes a chord during
free guitar classes he is teaching at Lakeland
Senior Center. Weir is part of the Monday
afternoon jamming group.
Jimmy Ray Paulman, and
Harold Jenkins – better
known as Conway Twitty.
Later picking up the
guitar, he learned to play
and performed with a few
legendary
musicians,
including Elvis Presley.
Weir has had an acclaimed
career in the music
industry. He was inducted
to the Rockabilly Hall of
Fame in 2011.
Weir resides in Eads
and takes to the road with
his band, Trip-N-Time, and
records at his own studio,
Gumball Studio. Recently
the band played during
Concert on the Porch in
Brownsville, Tenn., a
summer music series
hosted by the West
Tennessee Delta Heritage
Center.
“Lakeland Senior
Center is filled with
surprises,” added Odom.
“You never know who you
might meet here. Come
may
even
recognize
Wayne Knight, of the
jamming group, who had
recurring scenes in the
recent CMT special series,
Sun Records.”
On Mondays through
September 18, Weir is
sharing his skills with
seniors at the beginner to
intermediate levels.
Anyone age 55 and
over that plays acoustics is
invited to come jam with
the group on Mondays,
from 2 to 4 p.m. For more
information, contact Kim
Odom at (901) 746-8195.
.com
September 2017