Mohawk Troubadours: Third Year and Growing

The songs we sang at Camp are still alive and well—and this summer proved it once again. On the middle Sunday of second session, the Mohawk Troubadours returned, gathering on the porch of Moore Lodge and later filling the Dining Hall with song. Led by Lynne Peloquin on guitar, we sang campfire ballads, rousing Dining Hall favorites, and even regenerated the old round “One Bottle of Pop, Two Bottles of Pop,” which rang out in overlapping harmony and left everyone smiling.

What made this year especially moving was the response from two CITs who are diving deep into Mohawk’s music. They peppered us with questions about chords, asked us to repeat songs so they could record them, and are now beginning to learn guitar themselves. One told us this is her favorite day of the summer, and even sent a letter later, to thank us and share the good news that they had taught that round to the Camp in future sessions. And the campers loved it so much they sang it for the rest of the summer. Watching their enthusiasm reminded us why this tradition matters: planting the seed with campers and young staff is the best way to ensure our songs live on for generations.

Our alumni group this year included Lynne, Kappie Perras, Karen Luttenberger, Sarah McCormack and myself, each bringing their voices, memories, and joy back to camp. For us, this is our third summer of singing together at Mohawk. There is nothing quite like standing on that soil, under the trees, singing with abandon and weaving our stories into the voices of today’s campers. Time and again, staff and campers tell us what a gift our singing is—but truly, the gift is ours. To return, to belong, and to share this legacy is pure joy.

This summer also marked the debut of our new Mohawk Troubadours logo—an emblem featuring a guitar, campfire, and the woods of Mohawk, reminding us of who we are and what we carry forward. We hope to put this logo to good use on shirts, stickers, or other keepsakes that can build pride and visibility for this growing tradition. And most of all, we hope more alumni will join us next year as the music of Mohawk continues to grow stronger.