Jayton Jam

History

THE FIRST JAYTON JAM was held on Saturday, October 13, 2001, hosted by Weldon Myrick, Billy John Harrison, and Coy Hoggard. A good crowd of country music aficionados gathered at the Volunteer Fire Dept. and Emergency Medical Services (VFD/EMS) building in Jayton to visit with Mr. Weldon Myrick and to hear him perform. For many, this provided an opportunity to sit in on a jam session with this internationally acclaimed steel guitar player and recording artist who retired from the Grand Ol’ Opry Stage Band after a phenomenal run of approximately 32 years. Area and regional performers who participated included Bernice Goodall and his band, Doyle Hoggard from Lubbock, Johnny Harrison from Austin, and many others.

Earlier in the calendar year (March 2001), Weldon had an opportunity to visit with his very first “pickin’ partners,” Billy John Harrison and Coy Hoggard, at the Texas Steel Guitar Steel Guitar Jamboree in Dallas where Weldon was on the program. During this mini-reunion, Weldon mentioned that it might be nice to come back to their hometown, Jayton, Texas, to visit and play a little music with old friends. This was exciting to Billy & Coy. They initially assumed that they would be able to accommodate the half-dozen or so pickers they anticipated would show up at Billy’s (and wife Jan’s) home there in Jayton. But as word of this anticipated visit got around, it quickly became apparent that having this at someone’s home simply was not going to work due to the number of people who were interested in participating. The next move was to arrange to rent the Community Center there in Jayton. But Billy and Coy had again significantly underestimated the interest that Weldon’s anticipated visit back to his hometown would generate. A larger facility was obviously needed. Someone mentioned that the VFD/EMS building might be a possibility. These folks were kind enough to agree to move their fire trucks and ambulances out of the building in order to allow this event to be held there. Arrangements were made to borrow a flat-bed farm/ranch trailer to be used as a make-shift stage.

At the time this event was planned, no one involved in the planning could have imagined the devastating terrorist attacks that America would suffer on September 11, just a little more than a month before the scheduled Jam. After that tragic day, some wondered whether anyone would attend the Jam, while others wondered whether it was appropriate to have such an event, considering the pall of sorrow and grief that gripped the nation. But, life goes on, and so did the Jam. Many believe that music provides an emotional outlet in times of stress, grief, and anger. Maybe that is a part of the reason for the success of this first Jayton Jam. When local singer Bob Hamilton led in singing God Bless America, the audience joined in with obvious emotion and sincerity. But whatever the cause, the result was that everyone involved agreed that this should not be a just a one-time event. So almost immediately after the first Jayton Jam ended, plans began for the event to be held again in October the following year.

After the successful first Jayton Jam was held in October 2001, hosts Weldon Myrick, Billy John Harrison and Coy Hoggard began discussing whether this might be turned into an annual event. Weldon’s wife, Judi, mentioned to Billy and Coy how much she thought it would mean to Weldon if Jayton gave Weldon some special recognition for his accomplishments, acknowledging him as a native son. She even wondered whether the street where the Myrick home had been located when Weldon was born and where he and his family had lived could be renamed Myrick Street or Weldon Myrick Street. Billy and Coy thought this was an excellent idea, and only wondered why it had not already occurred to them or to someone else to propose something like this. Billy and Coy solicited the support and assistance of some other long-time Jayton residents. Notable in their support for this project were Bob and Patricia Hamilton. Bob addressed a meeting of the Jayton City Council, supporting the idea of having a special “Weldon Myrick Day” in Jayton, and renaming West 7th Street (where the Myrick home had stood) to Weldon Myrick Street. The council endorsed the idea and wheels were set in motion to have the 2nd Annual Jayton Jam also be declared Weldon Myrick Day in Jayton.

THE SECOND JAYTON JAM (by now known as the “2nd Annual Jayton Jam) was held on Saturday, October 12, 2002. Professional musicians Johnny Duncan, Charlie McCoy, and Johnny Moore attended the show and participated in the performance along with many other talented regional musicians, including Bernice Goodall and band from Girard, Texas and Doyle Hoggard and band from Lubbock. The former Hope Griffith with whom Weldon had performed during the early 1950s when she (as a teenager) had a regular TV show in Lubbock made a guest appearance and demonstrated the voice that had made her so popular. The musical activities were interrupted around noon so that Jayton Mayor, Mr. Albert Brown, could read a proclamation proclaiming the day “Weldon Myrick Day in Jayton, Texas.” Mayor Brown also presented Weldon with a replica of the new “ Weldon Myrick Street” sign. A few friends reminisced a bit about their friendship with Weldon in earlier days. Weldon’s sister, Margie Myrick McGee, spoke briefly of her remembrances of Weldon as a “kid brother,” and how his keen interest in music and his musical ability became apparent early in his life. A recording of Weldon struggling through a tune titled “In the Mood” that had survived since about 1950 was played to demonstrate to the audience that musicians may be born with talent, but effort must be added to turn one into the quality performer that Weldon had become.

About 3:00 p.m. the music ended and most of the audience accompanied Weldon and Mayor Brown to the street now known as Weldon Myrick Street for the official unveiling of the new street signs. Before the day ended, Mother Nature demonstrated the rapidly changing weather that this part of West Texas often experiences, especially during the fall season. What had originally been a really nice fall day had become quite uncomfortable as clouds moved in and north winds whipped across the terrain, kicking up dust and chilling the air. But it would take more than a little norther to dampen the spirits of those who watched as Mayor Brown unveiled the new street sign as Weldon and Judi Myrick and other family and friends looked on.

THE THIRD JAYTON JAM (the “Annual Jayton Jam”) was held on Saturday, October 18, 2003 in the facilities of the Jayton Emergency Management Service and Volunteer Fire Departments. A good crowd attended, and everyone seemed to enjoy the music and visiting. The Senior Class from Jayton High School sold hamburgers, hot dogs, soft drinks, chips, etc.

In addition to Weldon Myrick, the featured guest performers, other pickers and singers included Jim and Jenny Eaves, Johnnie Moore, Frankie Miller, Andy Novak, Cate Novak, Eddie Owen, John Harrison, Doyle Hoggard, Reuben Darnell, and many others. The Jam Band did the usual good job of accompanying the singers. Bernice Goodall and band provided music during lunch, allowing Weldon and the Jam Band to have a break.

THE FOURTH JAYTON JAM was held on Saturday, October 16, 2004 in the facilities of the Jayton Emergency Management Service and Volunteer Fire Departments. A good crowd attended, and everyone seemed to enjoy the music and visiting, as always. In addition to Weldon Myrick, other pickers and singers included Johnnie Moore, Frankie Miller, Eddie Owen, Reuben Darnell, Doyle Hoggard, and many others. The Jam Band did the usual good job of accompanying the singers. And again Bernice Goodall and band provided music during lunch, allowing Weldon and the Jam Band to have a well-deserved and much-appreciated break.

THE FIFTH JAYTON JAM was held on Saturday, October 15, 2005. As always, the site was the Jayton EMS / VFD building. The usual good crowd attended and consisted of a mixture of current residents, former residents returning home for the day, and other visitors who came solely for the Jam. Weldon Myrick, Doyle Hoggard, Reuben Darnell, and other members of the Jam Band accompanied local and area singers and performers during the morning. Other professional performers who contributed to the program included Johnnie Moore, Frankie Miller, Jim Eaves, and Curtis Potter. A very special addition to the Jam Band this year was Kenny Maines from Lubbock who played electric bass. Kenny also performed several songs during the lunch break, singing and accompanying himself on his guitar. A delicious barbecue lunch was served by Jayton residents Jim and Ann Guess. After lunch, featured performers Leona Williams, Ferlin Husky, and the legendary Simon Crum entertained the crowd for quite some time. Tracy Atkins (radio station disk jockey and representative of the Heart of Texas Country Music Museum in Brady, TX) assumed the announcer and master of ceremonies duties for this segment of the show. The show was closed by John Harrison of Austin, TX (whose parents are Jayton residents) leading the crowd in the traditional show ending song – “God Bless America.”