FOSTERVILLE, N.B. -- A musical trio has found a way to bridge the gap between the United States and Canada in order to have an international jam session during the pandemic.
Ed and Becky Betts live in Northlake, N.B. They met Renee Child, an American guitarist, at a bluegrass music festival in 2014.
The trio became close friends and Renee would visit the Canadian musicians in New Brunswick, until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“She stayed in Bangor and she thought she might be able to get over here, but after months it kept getting put off and we knew that wasn’t going to happen,” says Ed.
Last weekend, the group decided to meet at the Canada/U.S. border.
“We each stood on our respective sides of the bridge, with the border sign in between us, and we played music and caught up on news,” says Renee.
“We talk quite regularly and keep up, you know, with goings on, but it’s not quite the same as being in close proximity, or as close as COVID allows.”
Renee played from her side of the border in Orient, Maine, while Ed and Becky joined in from Fosterville, N.B.
“We had to stay our six feet apart; of course we had to each stay on our own side of the border. With bluegrass, it’s acoustic music and you don’t have to worry about plugging in,” says Ed.
The three friends say it was fun to get their unofficial band back together again.
“This is the second time we've done it,” says Becky.
“We must have played for about three hours each time and then we chatted for an hour after that."
