By Craig Horleman

In a year when most music festivals took 2020 off due to the coronavirus pandemic, the show went on for June Jam, albeit a little late.

After several stops and starts, the charity music festival finally played to an appreciative crowd in October at the G&R Campground near Houston.

This year, June Jam is back in its rightful spot on the calendar, raring to go on Saturday. The 2021 date marks the event’s 43rd year of music and giving.

More importantly, festival organizers believe this year may make June Jam the oldest continuous music festival in the United States.

“We’ve had several different people looking online and I’ve looked a lot myself,” said June Jam President and co-founder Bob Hartley.

“I knew with 43 (years) we were getting up there with some of the longest-run music festivals in the country. In Milwaukee, there is Summer Fest, which has been around since 1968 and the Philadelphia Folk Festival is coming up on its 60th year.

“But when you punched up 2020, you see they were canceling the event last year or they were doing it virtually, which doesn’t count for me because I can do a virtual event from my living room.”

Last year’s June Jam was at 50% capacity but it was held successfully.

“We had it safely. Nobody came back to us and said they caught COVID, which was our goal,” Mr. Hartley said.

They’ve been on the hunt for an answer to their question of historic longevity since January.

“We’ve had numerous people come back and I have some of my friends that are in the music business. I was talking to my friend, Michael Coco, from Firefly. We’re just not coming up with anybody who had anything because (the vast majority) of concerts and festivals weren’t held last year,” Mr. Hartley said.

“So little old Delaware is where we think we have the longest. This is our sixth month that we’ve been looking into it and we just haven’t found anything. There were several long-termers in California but they weren’t able to have their festivals. If nobody questions it pretty soon, we’re going to claim the title.”

This year’s June Jam is headlined by country-rock band Triple Rail Turn, who Mr. Hartley says is “by far, the most-requested band we’ve ever had.”

“They are a very dynamic band. They do a great show. They’ll do a set of country, which they’re known for, and they are going to do a set of rock for us too. They’re very versatile,” he said of the Philadelphia-based band who recently performed at the Milton Theatre and are popular in places such as the Paradise Grill in Long Neck.

Other acts on the bill include Storm Over Seattle, a ’90s grunge tribute band, and Jason Morton and The Chesapeake Sons, who played last year’s June Jam.

Appearing at 4:30 will be The Jim Cochran Band.

The band consists of lead singer Jim Bob Cochran, Jimi Brown on guitar and vocals, Wayne Rogers on bass guitar and vocals and Chris Foltz on drums and vocals.

Established players with many years of experience, they perform classic rock, old school R&B, country and blues.

“There’s never a song that I play that people say (disgustedly) ‘Oh man, I know that one.’ I try to make sure that people are excited about every single song and they go ‘Oh man, I remember that one. That’s great.’ That’s kind of how we roll with the band,” Mr. Cochran said.

“Music now is not like it was back then. So many devices are making music now instead of instruments and I always want to keep it real.”

Born in Smyrna, he’s lived in Kent County most of his life, now living in Magnolia where he co-owns a fencing business by day and plays music at night and on weekends.

Born in 1964 when the Beatles took over America, he was raised with Elvis Presley and the Fab Four.

“My mother would tell me that I actually would not stop crying until I would be able to come out and finish an Elvis movie, which I’ve seen them all. It was the same thing with The Beatles,” he said.

He spent some time playing Tulsa, Oklahoma, performing among such luminaries as The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jerry Lee Lewis and Delbert McClinton. He even shook Johnny Cash’s hand once.

He also played on Robbie King’s album “A Classic Case of the Blues,” which has been well received by critics and fans alike.

A longtime fixture on the local music scene, Mr. Cochran was one of the founding members of the local band Glass Onion. In fact, he’ll be joined by another co-founder of Glass Onion, Dale Teat, at Saturday’s June Jam.

“Dale always reminds me that I was only in the band for five years but I’m still a founding member,” Mr. Cochran joked.

He’s been in many bands over the years but he says this current group he’s with is one of the best he’s ever worked with. Formed in 2015, he says they get along and sound just great.

“We’ve got a great bunch of guys. That’s what it’s all about. We’ve got no drama and I always say, ‘When it stops being fun, Jim’s done.’ And it’s not happened yet,” he said.

The music starts at noon with Group Therapy on stage first and tickets available at the gate.

A new feature to June Jam this year will be an appearance by The Princesses from children’s favorite movies and storybooks. That event will be held in the campground’s hall at 2 p.m. for the young and “young at heart,” Mr. Hartley said.

Unlike last year, most COVID-19 regulations have been lifted for this year’s June Jam.

“We are going to ask that folks keep their picnic tables apart, which shouldn’t be a problem given that we have 31 acres. We’re going to run at 80 percent capacity, so it’s not going to be full,” Mr. Hartley said.

“And then instead of having people standing down in front of the stage, bring your chair right up, sit with your little group, and get as close to the stage as you’d like.

“If people would like to wear a mask, they’re fine doing that, especially if they haven’t been vaccinated. If they don’t want to wear a mask and you’re sitting with your group, or you’re out in the open and across 31 acres, you don’t have to wear a mask.”

This year’s main June Jam charity recipients are Kent County Chapter 850, Vietnam Veterans of America; and Heroes for Hooters, a nonprofit organization, which raises money and awareness for breast cancer.

For more information, visit JuneJam.com.

Freeman season begins

The summer season starts this weekend at the newly named Freeman Arts Pavilion.

The new-look venue in Selbyville, formerly called the Freeman Stage, hosted its official opening show Thursday night but comes back tonight with a performance tonight from Indigo Girls.

Indigo Girls’ acclaimed album “Look Long,” released in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, will finally receive a live, in-person debut.

Over a 25-year career that began in clubs around their native Atlanta, Georgia, Emily Saliers and Amy Ray have recorded 16 studio albums (seven gold, four platinum, one double platinum), sold over 15 million records, and built a dedicated, enduring following. On this 16th studio album, the Grammy-winning Indigo Girls tell their origin story.

Saturday begins with a 10 a.m. free kids show with David Darwin-One Man Sideshow and then a 7 p.m. performance by the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra.

For tickets and more information, visit FreemanArts.org.

The WannaBeatles

Also this weekend, limited tickets remain for The WannaBeatles at the Smyrna Opera House Saturday at 7 p.m.

The show combines Beatles classics with on stage-antics and audience interaction.

General admission tickets are $25.

For more information and to purchase tickets, call 653-4236 or visit SmyrnaOperaHouse.org.

The Smyrna Opera House is at 7 W. South St., Smyrna.

Now showing

New this weekend in theaters is the action sequel “Hitman’s Wife Bodyguard” and sports film “12 Mighty Orphans.”