MIDLAND Carl ‘Rusty’ Battenfield is one of numerous people who will perform at the Sibley Nature Center’s Jam Sessions.
Songs at Sibley is a jam session that’s open to everyone and takes place every fourth Tuesday of each month.
This month’s Songs at Sibley will take place from 6-8 p.m. June 28 at the fire pit of the Sibley Nature Center.
If there’s inclement weather, the event takes place at the auditorium.
“We celebrate the history, plants and animals and the culture of the region where we live,” Education Director at Sibley Nature Center Phil Salvonek said. “That really is the history and culture of the region. Cowboys driving cattle around the range and sitting around the campfire, singing songs … we’re just trying to recreate that and have the cultural opportunity.”
Battenfield, 74, has lived in the Permian Basin for 72 years. He’s enjoyed listening to and playing western songs.
“Not just country western, I mean old western songs that were sung around the campfires and the chuck wagons,” Battenfield said.
He hopes to inspire a new generation of listeners of old country music.
“I love that old music. It’s going away. I try to point most of my stuff to the kids because they’re the generation coming up. I’m trying to get this generation to know a little bit about country songs. The kids love it. Kids are fun to sing to because they think you’re doing good whether you are or not.”
Battenfield plays on an acoustic guitar at the Sibley Nature Center. He has a special guitar that never leaves his home.
“I have one really good guitar that I haven’t taken to the Sibley Nature Center or anywhere else because it’s an old Martin Guitar that’s over 100 years old,” Battenfield said. “I play it here at the house. But when I go out, I have other guitars that I bring. They’re just acoustic guitars.”
Sometimes, there will be people who will join Battenfield at the Sibley Nature Center who play Bluegrass music and he’ll play with them.
“That’s always fun,” Battenfield said. “People like that too. Just getting some foot traffic out at the Sibley Nature Center is great because it’s a wonderful place. Nobody knows it’s there.”
Playing at the Sibley Nature Center has always been something Battenfield loves.
“I love playing out there,” Battenfield said. “I especially love it when the kids come around and you can sing songs to them like Pecos Bill and those kids just eat that up. Most of the parents have never heard it but all the grandparents have heard it. They like it about as much as the kids do because they remember listening to it when they grew up.”
While Battenfield has enjoyed listening to country music, it has been fairly recently since he started playing guitar.
“What got me started was I loved the music my whole life,” Battenfield said. “But I finally got a guitar a few years back and I took lessons and the two songs that I wanted to learn were ‘Little Joe the Wrangler’ and ‘The Strawberry Roan.’ I took a few lessons and they taught me the core patterns of those songs. It took off from there. I still sing those songs and get requests for them. When people didn’t have TVs, they were singing songs to their kids while preparing supper or cleaning house. They were singing those old cowboy songs. I don’t want to lose that.”
It’s not just the Sibley Nature Center where Battenfield will perform as he also goes to Nursing Homes.
“People that are in, especially Alzheimer’s units, they may not know anybody,” Battenfield said. “They may not know their spouse or their kids. But when I start playing those old songs, you can watch their lips and they’re singing along with me. They have forgotten everything but the music.”
Salvonek has been grateful to have someone like Battenfield perform at the nature center’s jam sessions.
“Rusty’s been involved as a volunteer here at the Sibley Nature Center, playing music for a while,” Salvonek said. “But after our Fall Festival last year, Rusty asked me if they could start up jams again at the Sibley Nature Center. Then in January, we kicked it off. It’s a chance for people to get together and play music and the public is welcomed to bring an instrument. Sometimes there are extra instruments around. People can come to sing or bring a lawn chair and listen and hang out. It’s all family-friendly. No booze. No smoking. That’s all it is. We want people to come out.”
For more information about the Sibley Nature Center, go to tinyurl.com/4769z4rz.
If you go
- What: Songs at Sibley Nature Center.
- Where: Fire pit at Sibley Nature Center (located at 1307 E. Wadley in Midland).
- When: 6-8 p.m. June 28 (and every fourth Tuesday of the month).
- Admission: Free.
