Music Lives On

Blue Mountain Junction came to be thanks to weekly jams at a restaurant on the corner of 4th and State Streets in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, a small town nestled in the shadows of the Blue Mountains. The band formed seven years ago and pulls from the wide experience and musical tastes of the band members. At our shows you are apt to hear traditional tunes like 'Love of the Mountains' or 'Handsome Mollie.' The Pennsylvania Dutch heritage is strong in Berks County and 'Polka on the Banjo' is always requested. Mark Strauss' new song, 'Pennsylvania Dutch Girl' is a favorite at the Kutztown Folk Festival where BMJ has performed for seven straight years. We always include gospel tunes in our shows and have some on this CD. Al Hartman's banjo is the driving force of the band backed by Matt Wlasniewski's solid rhythm on his D-28 and Steve Smith's mandolin. Mark Strauss keeps the timing solid with his steady bass. Their songs with three-part harmony are fan favorites. While loving the traditional Bluegrass tunes, BMJ strays sometimes from the straight and narrow with influences from the other musical genres they enjoy: rock and roll, old time country, folk and gospel. We have fun at our shows and hope you get to see one sometime!