Hands and feet can barely keep time with the pickin’ and jammin’ goin’ on at the Amo Jam! For 16 years Bob & Sylinda Rissot have facilitated the Amo Jam at the Amo Community Building—what a passion and dedication they have for this music! Bob & Sylinda arrive plenty early prior to the 6:00 p.m. start time to set up their equipment, chairs and make lots of coffee.
People come from all over the state to our small community--Spencer, Crawfordsville, north of Lafayette, Greenfield and Bloomington, to name a few—to either participate by singing or playing an instrument (or two) or to sit back and listen to the music! And what a diverse group it is!! Bill Stein, age 90, sings a song or two or does a recitation, while wife, Margaret, age 92, looks on. Greg O’Haver drives all the way from Greenfield (east of Indianapolis), when he is not traveling and performing with the New Christy Minstrels; he plays both guitar and banjo. Ethan Batan, age 20, and Luke Lovejoy, age 16, are currently the youngest with instrumentals at the Amo Jam.
Ethan started playing the violin when he was six or seven years old. When at that young age, his sister, Savannah, used to kick his ankle to let him know it was his time to play! Solly Burton of Terre Haute introduced Ethan to the mandolin, so he switched to playing one, and named it Amanda. Ethan has a double major at Ivy Tech in Bloomington—HVAC and Industrial Technologies.
Luke Lovejoy had a friend show him some chords on the guitar and from there taught himself; he has been playing for 4 years, joining the Amo Jam about 2 years ago. Luke attends Faith Baptist Academy in Cunot, Indiana.
Recently Ethan and Luke were in Winfield, Kansas, to participate in the Walnut Valley Festival National Championships. Ethan placed 3rd in the Mandolin division, and Luke took 1st place in Flat Picking!!! Congratulations, Ethan & Luke!! Luke has endorsements from Bourgeois, Blue Chip Picks and many supportive friends like Elliott Capos.
So, you see, the Amo Jam is blessed with many talented and passionate participants! Come join us sometime!! Amo Jam is an open mic; participants sign in as they enter and that determines the order of appearance. Amo Jam meets most Tuesday evenings from 6 – 8:30 p.m. If Mill Creek School Corporation schools are closed due to inclement weather, Amo Jam will not meet. The Jam will be closed for the month of February and the first two week of March 2019. For additional information, please call Bob or Sylinda Rissot @ 317.742.7116. Donations are accepted, but not required to offset rental cost of the Amo Community Building and the coffee. Feel free to bring some edible treats as well—there is always a table full of cakes, pies, and cookies!
