Senior swooners

Claude Jones (from left), Dorothy Jones and Helen Ames take part in a weekly jam session.

Jones, his wife, Dorothy, and three other band members play their favorite music from the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s and entertain seniors who wander into the Midwest City Senior Citizens Center from 9 a.m. to noon each Monday.

The band members range in age from 71 to 91, but they’re not sitting at home waiting on Social Security checks or watching soap operas. Rather, they’re going strong with their practices and performances, said bass guitarist Dearl Sechrist, who at 71, is the group’s youngest member.

Other band members are Helen Almes, who plays the ukulele, and Dorothy Caldwell, who sings and doubles on kazoo.

“We used to have eight or nine members, but some passed away or moved. We’ve got some real good musicians,” Claude Jones said.

Most of the songs performed by the band are golden oldies such as “San Antonio Rose,” “Red River Valley,” “Baby Face,” World War II jitterbug favorite “In the Mood,” gospel tune “I Saw the Light” and longtime country hit “Your Cheatin’ Heart.”

“We play different types of music, but we don’t do that rap stuff,” Almes said.

“Yeah, most of us can’t talk that fast,” Caldwell said.

The Senior Serenaders have been performing in the Midwest City area for at least the last 30 years, Claude Jones said.

“We’ve been playing out here since before (the senior citizen center) was built,” Jones said.

All of the band members have been playing instruments and singing since they were children.

“I remember when piano lessons were 50 cents,” said Caldwell.

Caldwell also performs with the “Better Late Than Never” theater group in Oklahoma City.

way of life

Band members agreed that music was a way of life for most people during the World War II era.

“Back in those days, we’d take the furniture out of the house and have dance parties inside,” Claude Jones, a former World War II pilot, said. “That was our entertainment.”

Claude recalled his early musical days when he learned to play the violin. Later, he learned to play the guitar and mandolin. Today, he has three guitars, three mandolins and five violins, one which is more than 150 years old.

“The one violin belonged to my grandfather who was part of the Land Run in 1889. I still play it today,” he said.

Dorothy Jones said her music career started at church, which was true for other band members.

“That’s usually where you played or sang first,” she said.

Dorothy Jones, now in her mid-80s, said she’s been playing the piano since she was 5 years old.

“My parents taught music, so I learned early how to play the piano,” she said.

During the band’s jam sessions, Dorothy Jones selects songs from one of several white notebooks filled with sheet music. For Claude and Dorothy Jones, the practicing doesn’t stop when the jam sessions are over. Even at home, they practice the songs the band will perform publicly.

The band hasn’t performed much this winter, but the events usually pick up during the spring and summer, Sechrist said. The group will often play at churches and some annual events such as the Del City AARP meeting.

“Yeah, we’ll play for our lunch,” Claude joked.

Whether playing for lunch or just for fun, Claude and the rest of the band still enjoy pickin’ and grinnin’.