Live music certainly is nothing new for bars, entertainment venues and even nearby small town watering holes. They’ve been a part of happenings across the USA for a long time.

But the Wayland area, the northeast section of Allegan County, has experienced a sort of renaissance of late in showcasing local talent on weekends. It may because live music’s popularity has exploded in this post-CD, post-tape and post-vinyl recording era.

I don’t hear much about visiting gospel groups on Sundays at churches any more, though it was a staple 50 years ago. I read, see and hear a lot more about who’s playing at a local bar for the forthcoming weekend. And many of these players live in these parts.

Perhaps it also has a lot to do with the proliferation of local bars that want to lure more customers into their establishments. In the City of Wayland, the leading live music venues are McDuff’s, Four One Two Distillery and occasionally Open Road Brewery. They are joined by Hilliards Corner Lounge, One More Grill in Dorr and now the brand new Thirsty Buddy at Gun Lake.

I remember musical entertainment offered in days gone by in my youth, most of which were taken up by country music groups. But now, it seems the styles of music have expanded to include an eclectic mix of country, bluegrass, pop, folk and rock.

Perhaps the most prominent and frequent entertainers are:

• Shawn Moulenbelt of Wayland, who has roots in Hopkins and even wrote and sang a song about where he grew up. The son of retired Allegan County United Way Director Mimi Gabriel, he was one of 10 finalists in the Winterfest Gun Lake Idol contest.
• Calvin Hinds, son of former Wayland Schools Supt. Christina and Kevin Hinds, who brings along his dad as drummer and sings everything solo. He has a lot of experience, writing his own songs and having been a student at the Interlochen Academy. He also was a finalist at the Gun Lake Idol contest.
• Luke Lenhart of Hopkins, a member if the Michigan Country Music Hall of Fame, who adds a lot of Beatles’ music to his repertoire. He often performs with members of the Green Valley Jamboree, founded by the late Rem Wall, who many years ago played at the Dixie Ballroom south of town.
• Frank Chrisman, a veteran of many appearances at local watering holes, sometimes with a partner to form the FrankenGarry duo. A Wayland High School graduate, he also has a variety of styles he presents.

All of the musicians and singers rely most heavily on audience tips for compensation, and I hear tell that when customers get into a good mood because of alcohol-fueled attitude adjustments, they sometimes can be generous to someone who provides a good time.

Regardless, this local live music trend seems to have experienced a rebirth, maybe as a result of Covid-19, maybe because it’s hard to find the real deal in person and maybe because local rustics have a strong hankering to relieve themselves of aches on weekends, with the entertainment a nice bonus.