The road from Lonnie and Beverly Ray’s day camp was lined withcars parked bumper to bumper Saturday night as Brookhaven HighSchool graduates from all walks of life and graduation yearsgathered to enjoy good music and each other’s company.

Brookstock VII was a full day of celebration and fellowship forpeople who hadn’t seen each other in a long time, be it years ordays. There was a lunch at Broma’s, where people could sit down andjust visit to start off the day before the real party kicked offSaturday at 5 p.m.

There was particular emphasis on celebrating the life of BillLauderdale, a Brookhaven artist who died in February and was muchloved not only by his classmates and friends, but by everyone whocrossed his path. The Bill Lauderdale Retrospective art exhibitheld at the library was open all day for people who wanted to honortheir late classmate.

“About the time we had our class reunion several years ago, thefollowing year two of our classmates were killed in a plane wreck,and it kind of brought home the importance of the people we grew upwith to me,” said Brookstock founder and BHS graduate Don Jacobs.”So for me, that’s part of what it’s about. We’ve lost people everycouple of years, and we need to celebrate people we’ve stillgot.”

Jacobs said that was when the party started to bring togethermembers of his graduating class.

“In a nutshell this started out as a class of ’68 reunion party,”he said. “We got my old high school band, the Brutes, together forthe first time in 30 years, and everyone had such a good time thatthe next year we did it again.”

According to Jacobs, after a few years, he located members of arival band, the Rooks, and invited them to relive the days gone by.That began to bring in BHS alumni of all graduation years.

“The former lead guitar player, Ed Safley, went out to Californiaand is now a record producer,” said Jacobs. “I was planning oneyear and it turns out he was going to be in town so I invited himto join us. We got his old band together and did a battle of thebands like we did in high school.”

Lauderdale, Jacobs’ dear friend, coined the phrase “Brookstock” asa takeoff of Brookhaven and Woodstock the year Safley’s presencebrought attention from local artists and fans. That’s whereBrookstock began to blossom into the grand gala it is today.

“With (Safley) being back in town in 2000, it drew a lot ofinterest from local musicians,” said Jacobs. “People came out tohear him, and a number of other people sat in and played, and itbecame Brookstock.”

This year featured the Brutes to kick off the event, and BHS gradVirgil Brawley’s Juvenators came in to perform their new album,”Mojo Burning.”

“Bill Lauderdale did the cover artwork for that album,” Jacobssaid.

Local country music singer Chad Simmons was also featured, amongother bands The Harmony Rockets, the Rainer Brothers and Mike J.Case & Friends.

And between the good music, the good food and the good friends,Jacobs said the event is one he hopes to keep going for years tocome.

“We’ve done this for seven years, and every year I’ve seen people Ihaven’t seen since high school,” said Jacobs. “To me, I just thinkit’s important that we can all get together again. It’s a happyoccasion, something other than a funeral to get together for.”