Michigan Musicians Jam for 60 Hours Straight, Break Record

A small group of Michigan musicians just proved that good things happen when you refuse to hit pause.

Starting at 10 a.m. on Monday, September 28th, six musicians took the stage at UrbanBeat in Old Town Lansing with one wild goal: play music continuously for three days straight. No breaks, no silence, no stopping.

Organizer Jeff Boog and his friends aimed to beat the longest nonstop improvised music session they could find: 57 hours played in Spain in 2024. Since no official Guinness World Record exists for longest jam session, they decided to simply outlast what came before.

The rules were simple but strict. At least three musicians had to be on stage at all times. Everything had to be improvised with zero planning. Most importantly, the music could never stop.

They recruited over 100 musicians to make it happen. Professionals, amateurs, and anyone who wanted to play swapped in and out over the 60-hour marathon. Guitars, clarinets, bongos, and even a tuba made appearances on stage.

Singer Mary McGuire jumped in Tuesday evening and played with three drummers, seven or eight guitarists, and two bass players, most of them strangers. "The piano player was great, and then a woman jumped up and was singing harmonies," she said.

Fellow participant Zachary Mead wasn't surprised by how smoothly strangers collaborated. "People that play music, they kind of just figure it out," he said.

Organizer John K. Addis watched in amazement as the experiment succeeded beyond expectations. "They are jamming constantly. There are no covers, no pauses, and somehow it's all working," he said. The longest pause barely reached five seconds.

The Ripple Effect

Wednesday night at 7 p.m., the group crossed the 57-hour mark with a countdown and celebration. But they kept going for three more hours, finally setting down their instruments at 10 p.m. after a full 60 hours of continuous music.

UrbanBeat owner Terry Terry, who played flute and percussion throughout the jam, made a bold declaration: "We set out to prove that Lansing is the music capital of Michigan, and I think we're now the jam capital of the world."

The record attempt sparked something bigger than just one long performance. Organizers now plan to create regular nights dedicated to musicians who've never met collaborating together, building a stronger music community in Lansing.

They're submitting their performance to Guinness for official recognition and say they're ready to reclaim the title if anyone else jams longer.