Holiday Jam is back and attracting wider notice

SIKESTON -- The day after Santa comes to Sikeston, Memphis and Nashville will show up to jam for a good cause.

Locals attending Papa Mike's Holiday Jam 2015 on Saturday at the Sikeston Armory will mix with folk who are used to being in the epicenter of the music business.

"We've gained a lot of interest from the music industry in Nashville and Memphis -- quite a few of them are coming," said Amos Smith of Nashville, Tenn., event director and a National Blues Society board member.

While this is only the second year for the Holiday Jam as a public fundraiser, there is already a lot of history involved.

The Jam got its start as an informal gathering of musicians doing what they love to do at the Smith home.

"I think 2002 was the first one," Smith said. "It was just friends and family that were in for the holidays. They have come in from Memphis and Nashville, Tenn., and St. Louis for over a decade -- and it's continued to grow. More and more out-of-town musicians were coming in every year."

But then, a lot of those "out-of-town" musicians were from this area originally and grew up as young musicians jamming with "Papa Mike" Smith, a local bass player for over 40 years.

"There's a whole generation of younger players that came up under his wing -- that's what led to everyone calling him 'Papa Mike,'" Smith said. "A lot of them are coming in this year -- and now they are phenomenal. Part of it is he recognized how much talent is here or comes from this area."

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