The Miscellany News

Since the late 1970s, the Roundabout Ramblers have brought together professors, staff and students to cover Americana songs on acoustic instruments. With a steady rotation of members, each iteration of the Ramblers adds to a nearly 50-year legacy of Vassar music history. Assistant Professor of Biology and drummer Megan Gall has played with the group since her arrival to Vassar 10 years ago.

“It seemed like a good way to get to know people and we have been playing together ever since, with people cycling in and out, but that core group over a decade now,” Gall said. Gall is the first drummer the group has had and uses brooms instead of drumsticks to deliver a softer folk feel. 

Guitarists Professor Emeritus Randy Cornelius and Professor Emeritus Robert “DB” Brown restarted the band in 2008 and continued to play post-retirement. Other members include Associate Professor of Biology Jenny Kennell, who plays the fiddle and sings; laboratory technician Aaron Linder, who plays the bass; and their newest member, Media Coordinator Pete Conklin, who plays the banjo.

Their process of choosing songs stems from a traditional Americana/folk base but leaves room for growth and experimentation. The Ramblers cover a variety of artists and genres from country to ’80s pop to blues. Gall likened the main music style of the group to Johnny Cash with a driving beat.

“We usually let whoever is singing pick songs. Every month, we have three or four new [songs] to try out and see how they fit and see if we all enjoy playing them and listening to them. As long as everyone is on board, that is usually how we go about picking stuff.”

This group camaraderie is exhibited in the Ramblers’ rehearsal style as well. “We have been playing together so long that we have got a little bit of a shorthand for how to make a song come together,” Gall said. A long history of playing together allows the group to create roles for each member and understand who can support melody or provide continuity. Still, they do switch it up occasionally. Given fewer singers in the band compared to previous iterations, Gall now plans to sing again in “Avant Gardener” by Courtney Barnett.

The band’s name itself reflects its evolutionary nature. In the 1980s, the group was known as the Raymond Avenue Ramblers, given that they were on Raymond Avenue. As the years passed and the influx of traffic grew the small road into a busy fairway, Raymond Avenue had new roundabouts installed. Thus, the band became the Roundabout Ramblers. 

“We are still playing some of the songs that were played 40 years ago, and then new stuff as well,” Gall said. Over their tenure, the band released an album, opened for folk legend and social activist Pete Seeger and two members hosted radio shows on WVKR.

The Ramblers’ busiest time of the year is during the fall, fitting their folksy energy. This year, the band has played across the Hudson Valley at local breweries and two Cider Festivals—the Kimlin Cider Tasting and Peach Hill Park’s Cider Fest. Proceeds from the Kimlin Cider Tasting supported the preservation of the Kimlin Cider Mill, which was established in the early 1850s and a popular destination for generations of Vassar students in the fall. Pictures of Vassar students in billowy white dresses were displayed in the museum portion of the mill. The Roundabout Ramblers created a warm ambiance for attendees to sip their cider and bounce along with the beat at the historic landmark.

“People always seem to have a good time. We really enjoyed a lot of other faculty members who would come to our show and would bring all their kids. It was really fun to see how excited the kids got about live music,” Gall said. 

The Roundabout Ramblers fanbase extends to the student body too. Earlier in the semester, the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center’s Student Committee hosted the band at their weekly “Late Night” event and the band hopes to return soon.

Playing with students offers a lively dynamic where 18-year-olds can sing alongside 80-year-olds, Gall added. While students tend to be more technically proficient, they can be less used to playing in a group setting, needing to balance their energy with other members. To receive information about the Ramblers’ gigs, sign up for the mailing list by emailing RoundaboutRamblers@gmail.com, or follow their Facebook page, The Roundabout Ramblers. While their peak fall season of performance may be concluding, the Roundabout Ramblers are sure to press on for years to come.