(Riverton, WY) – It began in a basement, but it has become a regular Wednesday evening event for fans of live music in Riverton. The “Jammers” started in Tom Smartt’s basement, with Darryl Szymanski and Sarah Sonnenschein six years ago.
“I started going to the music jam in Lander at the bake shop and I saw nothing but Riverton people at the jam,” Daryl said. “We said this needs to move to Riverton.
Daryl, Sarah and Tom started what would become the Riverton Music and Dance Jam (it’s official title) about six years ago.
“Tom befriended me and we started playing together,” Daryl said. “Then Tim Ervin joined. Tim kept us alive with his participation and his skill.”
They played in Tom’s basement for a few months, then moved upstairs to the garage.
“We started moving to different sites,” Daryl said.
They played in downtown Riverton at the Brown Sugar Roastery a few times, but the audience grew too large.
They began playing at the Riverton Senior Center, but that too proved to be too small a venue.
“We grew to a point where we had to stop limiting it to the Senior Center only,“ Daryl said. “Tom and I went to the Holiday Inn to see if we could play there. We asked them and it was open arms and they let us play. We’re going on five years now.”
The session started on the mezzanine near the pool, but background noise from children playing in the pool and traffic through the area affected the performance. The Holiday opened up their conference room areas and the Jam has played there ever since.
Teachers, ranchers, oil field workers, students, a speech pathologist, clergy, insurance agents and real estate agents are just a few of the professions that come together to play.
The performers range from a couple of 15-year-olds from the Sweetwater to 94-year-old Nick Schaefer of Crowheart. Jimmie Bales plays a mean mandolin and is often accompanied by his wife Nancy. Gail Ridgely is a great bass guitarist, and Father Drew Duncan of the St. Stephen’s Mission is as good a drummer as you’ll find anywhere. Karen Doolittle on the keyboard can accompany everyone on just about any style of music and she sings too.
Pete Lyoka and Steve Beazley sing and play the guitar. Mitch Nelson plays the harmonica and adds a little standup comedy at times. Aubrey Schmerge brings the cello, a classical instrument, to the jams and it adds a unique dimension to the music. Rod Mathill moved here recently from Rawlins and has played guitar for decades.
Jess Corbett, has an amazing voice and if you close your eyes you’ll think Johnny Cash has returned to play and sing. Many others come and go with each session. You never know who will be there on any given night.
“Ashton Barker and Hank Mossberg both started at 15, both of those guys have been a treat. Aubrey joined us on cello and Keagan on trumpet, “Daryl said of the younger musicians. “Matt Hartman is great on trombone.”
The music has a definite Country Western flavor with performers playing songs by John Prine, Johnny Cash, Johnny Rivers, John Denver, but you can also hear The Bare Naked Ladies, Jimmy Buffett, and Linda Ronstadt.
“Tim is the foundation of this,” Daryl said. “Carl England came in a few years ago and took over a lot of the things I couldn’t handle anymore. Carl, Tim and I help setup every Wednesday morning at the Holiday.”
Tim is a well-known teacher and coach who retired after a long tenure at Shoshoni High School. His love of teaching continues in his work with younger, or inexperienced musicians.
“It has an appeal for me, being a teacher at heart. I still get to do some teaching and showing,” Tim said. “The skill levels vary so much, and the experience varies. I get to show some of the young guys microphone technique and how to play to an audience.”
Tim had a long run with the Lost Springs Band, a popular area band for dances, events and nightlife.
“I get to practice my lead playing skills, since I never had to be the lead player until the last five or six years in the Lost Springs Band,” Tim said.
As with all organizations, it’s the people that keep you coming back.
“I just like the people. Jimmie Bales and Pete Lyoka are good examples, “Tims said. “When Pete started coming to those jams a few years ago he played a little bit, but he’d never sang or performed before. He’s the only engineer I’ve ever met with a sense of humor. It was fun watching him learn to be a performer. “
It’s not for everyone to step up to a microphone and perform in front of a group of strangers, but many people enjoy singing with the performers.
“To see some of these other people who were scared to come up and play is great,” Tim said. “Initially it’s intimidating for everybody. It’s not much of a jam anymore, its more of a performance.”
Many of the musicians still travel to Lander on Saturday mornings to play together.
“In Lander on Saturday, it’s still a jam, there’s not more than two or three people, and sometimes none,” Tim said.
As many as 100 people fill the conference rooms on Wednesday nights but the crowd fluctuates with the seasons. In winter a lot of the audience heads south as “Snow Birds” and in the summer, other activities compete with the jam.
“Wednesday night is a performance, it’s not really a jam,” Daryl said. “It’s changed the approach of what you’ve got to do. I’ve started to consider this an outreach to the community.”
If you want to enjoy good, live music, performed by friends, acquaintances and community members, you can’t beat Wednesday night at the Holiday Inn.
“The talent we get out these people branching out into bands has been tremendous,” Daryl said.