The JR Band fondly remembers the early days of jamming at a local coffee shop.
The Bay City, Michigan duo of John Patrick (vocals, guitar) and Randy Juhl (vocals, guitar, bass, violin) revisits the camaraderie and creativity that arose from those caffeinated bluegrass sessions on “Heart Street.”
“It was called Brewtopia, and we played there for many years. I have a DVD where we started at two o’clock and ended at eight o’clock; it was six hours of bluegrass,” said Juhl about the title track from the Americana duo’s latest album, Heart Street.
“I hooked up with Rusty [Beyer], who was one of my friends, and he directed me toward the coffeehouse where we played in the bluegrass band for many years … and that’s where I met John.”
While the bluegrass band eventually dissolved, Juhl and Patrick continued performing together and became a duo about three years ago. Today, The JR Band celebrates their longtime musical partnership and the spirit of community on “Heart Street.”
Sentimental banjo transports Patrick to the past as he sings, “There’s a place we go / Where the music plays / A cup of coffee, an old café / Banjo strings ringing / Ring me back to life.”
“It’s about getting out of our weekly routines, too, because everybody works,” Juhl said. “It’s like, ‘Let’s go play some music.’”
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