The Legendary Tex Logan Jam Sessions

I first met the double-genius, Dr. Benjamin “Tex” Logan, in the mid ’60’s. My long-time friend and guitar player, Bernie Coveney, and I had recently discovered bluegrass music (in New Jersey of all places!) as we searched for a radio station in the car and ended up on WWVA and the Wheeling, WV Saturday Night Jamboree. We became instant life-long fans. Soon afterward, we were invited to a party hosted by Bernie’s neighbor, Glen Peterson. Glen had just become owner of the Oscar Schmidt autoharp company. We walked into the living room to a gathering of some incredible people. (Are you sitting down?) Mother Maybelle Carter and two Carter daughters, Mike and Peggy Seeger, Cecil Null, and, of course, Tex Logan!

Tex was in his signature clothing, Western-cut suit, string tie, boots, Stetson hat…and in suburban New Jersey! Right there, in that living room, he made fire come out of that fiddle! The heart and soul of bluegrass music was on display. We made an instant connection. Bernie and I were awestruck. We still are. I refer to Tex as my Bluegrass Mentor. We stayed friends for the rest of his life.

For those of you who may not know, Tex was a doctor of mathematics and worked at the Bell Labs Research Center in Murray Hill, NJ for many years. That is where the transistor was developed. Tex’s name is on the patent of the CAT scan machine. He helped develop the Telstar Communications Satellite, among many other projects. That is when he wasn’t on tour with the Lilly Bros, Peter Rowan, or in Nashville receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Anyone who knew Tex also heard about the fabulous parties that the Logan family hosted once a year. They were Texas barbecues (the real deal!) on his beautiful property in Madison, NJ about two miles from where we lived. Bernie and I were among the lucky invited guests. There was great food all afternoon followed by the greatest bluegrass in the world in the den all evening and into the morning hours. I like to say that entering that den was like walking into your record collection…Bill Monroe and the whole band, Doc Watson, Ralph Rinzler, David Grisman, Bill Keith…somebody stop me! I remember sitting on the floor listening to Bill Monroe and Doc Watson do a half hour of duets as though they’d been rehearsing together for years. But someone told me that was the first time they had ever played together! I can still hear it.

Every time I met with Tex was like a blessing. I have many “Precious Memories” and stories to tell in my blog. OK, Tex…kick it off!  “Christmas Time’s a Comin’…One…Two…Three…Four…!!”