What is the blues? Where did the blues come from? Blues 101 explores the origins of blues music from its early beginnings through song, lecture, and discussion. Learn biographies of significant players in blues history and blues music history while hearing instrumental examples played on guitar.
Jackson is a musician, author, storyteller, and oral historian. He is a five-time Blues Music Award Nominee and recipient of the Blues Foundation's "Keeping the Blues Alive" award. He plays traditional acoustic blues and other music from the heart. Since 1992 he has presented the award-winning All About the Blues Series- Blues in the School Programs.
Fruteland plays acoustic guitar focusing on pre-war and post-war blues ranging from Robert Johnson, Big Bill Broonzey to Memphis Minnie and Elizabeth Cotton, ragtime, and other blues styles. His latest CD, Good as Your Last Dollar, was nominated for BMA in 2020 for Best Acoustic Album and Best Acoustic Artist on Electro-Fi Records.
This program is presented as part of the library’s One Book, Everyone Reads community reading program. Learn more about the series and this year’s selected book, Three Girls from Bronzeville by Dawn Turner, here.
Make sure to join us for our signature author event, a conversation between Dawn Turner and Alex Kotlowitz, on Wednesday, May 11, at 7pm. Register here.
One Book, Everyone Reads is funded by the Friends of the Wilmette Public Library.
