Triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13, had no place at the Brundidge Country Club Friday night. Folks who love to cut-a-rug gathered en masse to celebrate the 13 years that the Country Rhythm and Blues Band has been playing for Friday night dances.

The Friday night dances began with Duran Burton and Good Company but soon became Country Rhythm and Blues. Good Lord, willing the band will be playing together for another 13 years, said Danny Brown who played with Burton and now leads the band.

Brown, laughingly, said if he had all of the money that he made playing the Friday night dances at the American Legion Post in Brundidge, it wouldn’t even put a jingle in his pocket.

“I’ve never played Friday nights for the money,” he said. “I play because I love to play and because people love to dance. And, I love the band. You’ll never find a better bunch of men and musicians. And, you surely won’t find many musicians that are willing to commit their Friday nights to playing for the fun of it.”

The old faithfuls in Country Rhythm and Blues are Brown, Lenny Trawick and Gary Garrett and they are faithfully joined by Terry Till, guitar; and Eugene Hendricks, steel guitar, and Roland Thompson on drums. The most recent member of the band is Tyler Harrison, a talented 14-year-old who plays guitar and sings.

Randy Ross, who was commander of Post 145 in Brundidge 13 years ago when Brown and his band became the “Friday night band,” said if it had not been for the country music band, the American Legion in Brundidge might not have survived.

“At that time, we were having a difficult time getting young soldiers to join the American Legion,” Ross said. “The membership had gotten down to about 15. Membership dues were $25 and a portion of that had to be sent to American Legion National. We were working with a very limited budget.”

Ross said building maintenance and utilities were draining Post 145’s coffer and, had it not been for the Friday night dances, it would have been difficult for the post to survive.

“The Friday night dances helped pay the bills for a long time while providing a place for people to go to dance and enjoy the fellowship,” he said. “With a 13-year history at the Legion, those of us who are ‘veterans’ of those dances wanted to say ‘thank you” to Country Rhythm and Blues for 13 years of great music and dancing and wish them another 13 years at Brundidge County Club.”

Brown express appreciation to all who came Friday night to wish them “good picking” and “good dancing” for another lucky 13 years.

“We are fortunate that the Brundidge Country Club has a great dance floor and that the board is willing to rent the clubhouse on Friday nights for community dancing,” Brown said. “We love to play and invite everybody that loves to dance to join us on Friday nights at the country club in Brundidge.”

Country Rhythm and Blues plays just about any kind of dance music from country swing to the jitterbug.

The Friday night dances begin at 7:30 p.m. Membership in the BCC is not required to attend the Friday night dance. No alcoholic beverages are allowed. Admission is charged but the fun and fellowship are free.