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Steve and I were playing at Falling Rock in Munising during the early
days of the Falling Rock Jam, having fun and learning tunes with Don Snitgen. One
day, to our surprise and soon delight, in walked an upright bass with a banjo
and mandolin, along with their accomplished musician humans, Barney and Marilyn
Ouellette. On the way Marilyn had remarked how nice it would be if there were a fiddle and
a guitar there. And there we were. Soon another member of
their old band, Rochelle Schuster and her hammered dulcimer, was also coming to
the jam. And within a few years we had joined Marilyn, Barney and Chelle to
become the New Lost Lake Ramblers.
The former band was Lost Lake Effect, which was Marilyn & Barney and Chelle and
Ken, the two couples both living at that time on Lost Lake. They
recorded three CDs and enjoyed a loyal following. When Ken could no longer play
with the band (though he still was (and is!) one of their most loyal supporters) Chelle, Marilyn and Barney continued to play as a trio or with different
guitarists for awhile until they decided it was time to let Lost
Lake Effect be of the past.
Then came that day at the Falling Rock jam ... We hadn't planned on being a band
to begin with, we were just getting together to play for fun, which is a good
way to go. Then this opportunity arose, then that one. Word got around, we were
asked to play, we had fun, so we became the lively toe-tapping old time string
band the New Lost Lake Ramblers. Though we live miles apart we are drawn
together by that old time traditional music that keeps playing long after the
instruments are put away.
In the winter Marilyn and Barney head south to play in a warmer clime, but come
spring the New Lost Lake Ramblers are back together again to cheer
audiences large and small, learn new tunes, and keep that old time flavor alive. |
