There are few events in life more painful than the untimely passing of a loved one. Tragedy can be the source of immense sorrow and hopelessness, but for a group of friends in Wayne County, tragedy has been the inspiration for making the most of their time together, giving back to the community and memorializing those they have lost.

The second annual Fall Music Festival will be held on Saturday, September 15 at the open-air amphitheater at the Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary. All proceeds will go to the Robert F. Diehl Fund, a fund in memory of Kate Frisch Carmody, the Kelley Lalley Fund and the Jerry “Jake” Hopkins Scholarship Fund.  

The principal organizers of the event, Jamie Rutherford, Bob Carmody, Todd Stephens, Joe Gombita and Joe Adams, are lifelong friends bound by a deep love and appreciation for music—and unfortunately an understanding of what it means to experience loss.

“The people that we lost, we love dearly. But what all of us realize is that the people who are here, our friends, mean so much to us,” said Rutherford, who lost his son, Brian, earlier this summer. “And I couldn’t get through it the past two months without these guys being here for me.”

While the main purposes of the festival are to remember those who have passed and raise money for the affected families, the organizers care deeply about hosting an event that will allow friends to spend time together, make memories and acknowledge how precious life is. “None of us take any of it for granted. With everything that’s happened, we better get together and appreciate each other,” said Adams. “That’s what it’s all about,” Gombita agreed.

Three bands will be playing at Dorflinger: local bands Graham Baxter and Steppin’ Eddy, as well as a 10-piece group, Ballard Spahr Galactica.

Music is the perfect medium, both for its ability to preserve treasured memories and create new ones. “Music is the common-denominator. It brings everyone together,” said Carmody. As Rutherford says, music “tells a story.” And there is one specific song that has told the story of the organizers’ lives the past several years: “Like a Rock,” by Bob Seger. Its triumphant lyrics and melody in the face of hardship have served as the score to the group’s journey. “There’s a line in that song, ‘I still believed.’ Well, I do still believe,” said Rutherford. “After everything that’s happened, I still believe.”

The festival is expected to be very highly attended. This is probably a safe bet, considering that last year’s incarnation of the event was more of a private party in the backyard of one of the organizers, with absolutely no advertising, and over 600 people showed up. The planners think this is a testament to the community. “We all know people who move away from the area and come back and say that, in other places, it’s not like this,”  Rutherford says.

Perhaps ironically, it seems that a lesson we learn from experiencing great loss is that we still have so much more to give. Whether it’s in the form of charity to local organizations, music for the community, or simply time with the people we care about. The Fall Music Festival will accomplish all three on September 15.

The organizers plan for this tradition to be carried on long into the future. “The people running this year’s festival are going to be able to run it for a long time. And we’re going to keep hosting it until we can’t anymore,” said Adams.

“One thing that comes with age is perspective,” says Rutherford. “And at the end of the day, if you don’t care, and you don’t have people around you that care, then you’ve got nothing… It really is all about friendship.” 

Tickets are available at Stephen’s Pharmacy, ReMax Wayne, The Dock at Silver Birches, IGA Supermarket and the Crossroad’s Waymart Hotel. They can also be purchased at the door on the day of the festival.

[Owen Walsh, who interned for The River Reporter in summer of 2018, will also be performing at the festival.]