June Jam rewind brings back bands from the festival's past 40 years

Bob Hartley has many fond memories over 40 years of organizing and hosting the June Jam Music Festival in Houston. 

But one stands above the rest.

During the 18th June Jam in 1996, Donnie Van Zant of the rock group .38 Special pulled Hartley aside after signing autographs and telling fans stories of the road for more than two hours and said: "you folks may not realize it, but you have your own little slice of heaven here."

Those words and others like them from rock stars and everyday people who have benefitted from the money raised by the outdoor concerts have sustained Hartley and the volunteers who have helped him for 40 years now.

"Putting on an outdoor concert each year isn't always fun and glory, but words like these keep me going," he said. "They have allowed me to overlook bumps in the road and to keep fighting to help those in need."

The 2018 June Jam will feature nine bands that have played the festival in the past. Hartley said bringing back the best of June Jam is perfect for the concert's 40th anniversary.

The headliner for June Jam 2018 is Tommy Conwell, who returns for the third time and will likely sing his No. 1 hit "I’m Not Your Man” and the popular “Love's on Fire.” Conwell also appeared with George Thorogood's rhythm section — The Delaware Destroyers — in 1998.

"He's just a dynamic performer and loves to play June Jam," Hartley said. 

Other performers taking the stage include Furious George, Triple Rail Turn (formerly Philbilly), Hyde Park, Brickyard Road, Johnny Neel, lower case blues, Kategory 5 and Shades of August.

"This is a great lineup for June Jam this year," Hartley said. "We're doing very well at 40."

The genesis of the annual June Jam came out of a tragedy in 1978. Three of Hartley's friends were electrocuted while working in Magnolia when they accidentally leaned an aluminum ladder against a high voltage line.

One man lost his life, while the other two survived but were severely burned.

A group of friends rallied to help the survivors, hosting a successful fundraiser held at the Camden-Wyoming firehall. That, Hartley said, morphed into the June Jam in 1979.

While most people think June Jam is only about the music, Hartley says the "original" outdoor music festival is a combination of that and raising funds for individuals and charities up and down the state.

Since the first fundraiser in 1979, June Jam has raised more than $750,000 for those in need.

"We're doing an awful lot in Delmarva," Hartley said. "We're based in Central Delaware, but our reach is much farther."

Over the years, Hartley said June Jam has helped more than 100 needy individuals and worthy charitable groups.

He said the June Jam volunteers were the lead organization to start the first home for homeless veterans in Delaware — Home of the Brave in Milford. The nonprofit organization was also the lead group for the first Brain Injury Facility – Peachtree Acres – built near Harbeson and is now being run by Beebe Hospital.

"Vets, kids, cancer victims and the homeless have all benefited from the annual music festival and other events June Jam sponsors each year to help the community," Hartley said. 

He said current beneficiaries include: Toys for Tots, the Ronald McDonald House and Friends of Delaware Veterans. He said the fight against cancer continues to be a top priority.

During the 40-year span of the June Jam Musical Festival, popular bands like Kansas, Molly Hatchet, .38 Special, Cheap Trick and the Fabulous Thunderbirds have taken the stage at the G&R Campground in Houston.

For Hartley, being able to sign national acts that were popular a couple of decades ago and remain popular today on smaller concert circuits is second only to raising money for those in need.

"To listen to these bands on the radio and then get them on the phone is surreal," he said. "These are groups that have toured the world."

The move to an outdoor music festival was necessitated as the crowds grew, the June Jam organizer said.

Hartley said that for seven years, June jam was doubling in size and consistently drawing upwards of 5,000 people. He and the organization's board of directors decided that was too much and said it was time to keep the music festival at a manageable level.

"It became more of a job and less of a hobby," he said. "We're down to just under 2,000 people now."

IF YOU GO

WHAT: June Jam Music Festival

WHEN: Noon Saturday (Gates open at 11 a.m.)

WHERE: G&R Campground, 4075 Gun and Rod Club Rd, Houston

NOTABLE: Nine bands are scheduled to play the 40th anniversary of the state's "original" outdoor music festival

Reach Jerry Smith at jsmith17@delawareonline.com. follow him on Twitter at @JerrySmithTNJ.

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