ROBERTA NEE ADAMSStaff Writer

For years there is a group of area musicians who have gathered together to pick and sing their favorite country tunes just for the fun of it. They used to meet at Ken Fly’s cabin, and came to call themselves the Cabin Crew. For the last year and a half or so, they have been meeting on the square in Ken’s building, the Lynchburg Jamboree.

They meet now on Thursday evenings from 5 till 8 p.m., and the public is invited to drop in and enjoy the music. There is no charge, though there is a tip jar by the door and donations are appreciated. Drinks are available in the refrigerator at the front of the room. They are $1.50 on the honor system, just drop the money in the tip jar, please.

On any given Thursday one might hear guitars, mandolin, fiddle, spoons, and banjo. The songs range from early country music standards to newer original songs by group members. Requests are encouraged. The crowd is encouraged to get up and play and sing as well.

A recent Thursday night saw a good crowd with some special guests. Dewey Bennett from Boliver, Missouri, and Ed Kreider, from Baltimore, Maryland, were there to visit with Ken Fly. The three had not all been together since the early 1960’s as Army buddies. Dewey’s daughter Natalie Wolf and Ed’s wife Mary Kreider accompanied the gentlemen, and all enjoyed the show.

Ninety one year old George Hensley, a guitar player himself, got up and sang an original song in a voice that seemed much younger than his years. But the most energetic performer of the night was Damion Mason, a recent high school graduate from Flintville.

Mason got up and danced to a lively tune the Crew played. Asked later whether that was buck dancing or clogging, he just shrugged and answered, “It’s just what I do.” Dancing wasn’t all that he did. Mason is a self-taught banjo player, and gave a rousing rendition of “Mountain Dew” for the crowd. He also played a comical original “I Love My Banjo, and My Banjo Loves Me.” Though he has only been playing for about four years, he is quite accomplished.

There is no telling who or what may show up, but it will be fun, and is sure to be entertaining.