BOSCOMBE - There was no shortage of raw talent at Boscombe’s bi-monthly Country Corral, held in late May.
With cover songs of hits like No Piece of Mind sung exceptionally well by Smoky Lake local Karen Pedlar, Storms Never Last by Ed Popowich, and Cold Summer Day in Georgia by Don Oberst, the crowd tapped their toes in unison to the beat of the music and softly sang along. While classic country music was the most common theme, attendees also heard some spirited instrumentals played on the accordion by Ashmont’s Janine Huber, a couple of tunes on the fiddle played by Boscombe’s very own Clarence Smith, as well as a tune or two on a ukulele U-bass instrument played by Doug Massey.
Although the entire ensemble of performers was fantastic, a few performers stood out. For instance, Vilna’s Jackson McKenzie sang Ten Mile Tennessee with powerful ease and confidence. His voice was reminiscent of the late great Ian Tyson, and B.C’s famous Gary Fjellgaard.
Then there was Charlotte Unrau from Crane Lake whose song was a 1950s recording by Carl Smith called I Overlooked an Orchid.
A number of performers expressed sadness and regret when it was announced that Boscombe’s annual outdoor Hillbilly Jam has been cancelled this year. Aside from the gap caused by the COVID pandemic, the Hillbilly Jam was heading into its 30th year of operation.
As he took to the stage to play his set, Greg MacNiell felt emotional in hearing the news of the cancellation. He expressed his joy and gratitude for being a part of Boscombe’s music community, evident by the fact that several years ago, he wrote a song called I’m Going Back to the Hillbilly Jam, which he performed.
When asked how she felt about the Hillbilly Jam being cancelled, co-organizer Lois Bouchard said, “It’s sad for those who like to play. There aren’t many places for them to go.”
Ever since the pandemic, attendance has been down at the Country Corrals.
Poor attendance experienced over the past year is something that organizers will take into consideration before deciding whether to resume hosting Country Corrals this fall.
