Accordion Friends USA

This is not an official Rose City Accordion Club activity.  It started with several RCAC members wanting to join other accordion players throughout the USA when the world shut down in 2020.

During the pandemic, Katie Eberhart started a zoom session for accordionists in her Bend club.  At first it started with these  members and then quickly spread to many other folks via word of mouth.  As you remember we weren't getting together during that time to play with others, so thanks to Katie, she figured out a way for us to share our music through the Zoom app.  We were able to get it pretty well perfected (e.g. original sound, cameras aimed just right, etc).  During that time, I started a group with our RCAC members so we could at least see and hear each other.  Katie had moved and was no longer doing the Central Oregon meetings.  Thanks to her guidance I was able to start one with our members and friends.  In the beginning, we had it twice a month but once we could get together again, it became the first Thursday of each month.  As word spread, people from California, Ohio, Washington, Texas and other states joined.  There are at 57 members now.  Usually 20 show up for the live session from 3:00-4:00 pm PST.  Each person plays one solo.  Some have even started recording songs using BandLab and sharing those using the Screen Share option. 

Several of us have taken workshops from NJO (Not Just Oompah) which is an organization spearheaded by Shirley Johnson and Laura Niland (Texas).  It was amazing the kinship we felt in getting to know so many other accordionists.  We have remained friends and share music, composers, and any other valuable information about our beloved instrument. 

The weekend prior to the scheduled meeting, I send out an email inviting those who wish to play a solo, to let me know.  Solos should be approximately 3-5 minutes.  The Wednesday before the meeting,  the play order is sent  (based on the responses) and Thursday morning the zoom link.  Usually I  sign on about 10 minutes early so we're ready to go and can have some sound checks.

To the right is a screenshot of what our group looks like.  

If you are reading this, and you aren't a member of this wonderful group, send me an email at maddoxfran43@gmail.com asking to be included complete with your email address.   Some people even join to listen to us play.