Chamley: Come to the Museum for great music

Come to our Dell Rapids Museum on the third Saturday of every month, from 1-4 p.m., and you will hear the best fiddler music, along with many other instruments being played by a mixed group of musicians who were brought together by answering Facebook!

A couple of years ago, when Rynn Lamb, a fiddler herself, decided that after their last son went off to college and things became too quiet around the house, she found her fiddle and started to play again.

It had been forgotten while the family was involved with raising their children and working their jobs.

She had an idea that it would be great to find other fiddlers who might be interested in forming a group and could practice together.

With the museum's perfect acoustics, Rynn asked me if they could play there once in a while.

Of course, it would be fun to have some Saturdays of entertainment.

So, Rynn began her mission on Facebook asking if anyone out there would be willing to drive to the Dell Rapids museum, join her with their music and try to form a group.

The response was most amazing!

Musicians from all around the area, including Yankton, Madison, Watertown, Sioux Falls, and a town in Minnesota were most interested in learning more about this new adventure!

They decided on a date that would work for all of them and then drove to Dell Rapids and met Rynn in our museum.

It didn't take long for them to get acquainted and began finding the songs that they were all familiar with, playing not only fiddles, but, also guitars, banjo, mandolin, accordion, and hammer dulcimer.

Their music is mostly Celtic, Irish or Welsh of Western Europe, but they are very talented to also play many other favorites.

After many practices, and playing for the public now, they have a name for themselves, “Fiddlers of South Dakota and Friends.”

Rynn has since left for another new adventure, moving to Seattle and beginning a new job, but, her music friends will continue to play in our museum because they love the building and sounds that it can put out!

Our local fiddler, David Mitchell, also joins the group occasionally.

So, I hope that we can have a great turnout on the third Saturdays of every month. Please come and enjoy a wonderful afternoon of music!

This event is free, open to the public, and snacks and treats will be served.