B is off to Atlanta this week visiting more artists, but while she’s away we wanted to share with you her thoughts about her first days as part of the Music Maker team! See the video she [...]
Harvey Dalton Arnold is a Music Maker Partner Artist, and will release his first album on the Music Maker label on March 4, 2014. When I think of black history month, and the struggle for civil [...]
Shelton Powe is a Music Maker artist who currently lives in Georgia. When we asked Shelton Powe to tell us his thoughts on Black History Month, he directed us to learn more about Claudette [...]
This February, Music Maker and several artists we reached out to are all writing blog posts specifically relating to Black History Month, either their thoughts about the celebrations, specific [...]
Doctor Dixon is a “Discovery Artist,” which means we’ve just begun to form a partnership with him. Read Dr. Dixon’s story about traveling in Chicago below. Enjoy! In 1976, [...]
Bring me all of your dreams, You dreamer, Bring me all your heart melodies That I may wrap them In a blue cloud-cloth Away from the too rough fingers Of the world. “The Dream Keeper” by [...]
High Strung Violins and Guitars hosted a workshop with Ironing Board Sam this past weekend, and it was a big success! Check out a photo of Sam and his students, and stay tuned for more workshops [...]
I generally resist being politically charged. I use my music to convey different pieces of the American Experience as I interpret them. You can talk to me about my politics in person if you [...]
Leroy James, Willie James (Center), James Weston After leaving New Orleans, we headed towards Willie James – our country’s greatest Juke Joint drummer. When he plays the drum, you hear the [...]
Listen: Latit Bonit Leyla McCalla has had a brilliant career of late. In 2011 she was playing Bach on Royal St in New Orleans, the next year she was touring the world with the Carolina Chocolate [...]
In 1997 Tim saw a photo negative plate owned by photographer Mark Austin – a young black man was holding a harp guitar. Through research Tim identified the man in the photo, and the [...]
Taj Mahal called me Saturday night and was excited as he had just learned that the legendary black jazz guitarist Charlie Christian’s father played the harp guitar. “What I would give [...]
Music Maker Artist Willa Mae Buckner in her younger days – all that she taught us will not be forgotten Black History Month is an annual observance in the United States, Canada, and the [...]
Leyla McCalla releases her album at The Pinhook! Tuesday 2/4 – Doors @ 8pm, Show @ 9pm Leyla McCalla has been a Music Maker Next Generation Artist since 2011, and now [...]
Listen: David Bryant’s “One More Time” Around Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, it is tradition to listen to the blowing of the shofar, a primitive bugle made out of a [...]
Tim and David Bryant Tim, B and I traveled just under 2,000 miles throughout the South from January 13th – 17th, visiting Drink Small, David Bryant, Little Freddie King, Alabama Slim, Guitar [...]
Former MMRF Intern and Filmmaker Tom Ciaburri made this short documentary of Little Freddie King, where he talks about his two-wheel Cadillac, the Blues and living in the south. Check it out!
Day three of the Music Maker Road Trip saw Tim, Aaron and B in New Orleans visiting several artists, including Little Freddie King. Read about their stop in NOLA on the blog!
Little Freddie King by Gregg Roth I have been traveling to New Orleans on a regular basis since my first visit in 1981. It is the northern tip of Caribbean and it is an enchanting magical city. [...]
Listen: Carolina Breakdown Etta Baker has been playing guitar since she was three, and it’s obvious. Carolina Breakdown is one of her best. Maybe it’s because I can’t listen [...]
B (right) and David Bryant My name is Rebecca Parsons but I go by my nickname “B.” I’m originally from New York, but just recently moved to Hillsborough, NC to work for Music Maker Relief [...]
MMRF volunteer Karen Mack and her husband Greg are curating a 40-piece exhibition of folk art hosted by The Orange County Main Public Library in Hillsborough, NC. “Road Trip: Folk Art from Mike’s [...]
The second day on the road we got to visit David Bryant’s small home in Covington, GA. Music Maker had worked with his mother Cora Mae Bryant for years. His grandfather, Curley [...]
Tim, B and Aaron went out on the road last week, visiting Music Maker artists across the South. Along the way they visited artists, worked to help them meet their needs, recorded and [...]
In early 2014, Tim, B and Aaron took a road trip through the South visiting Music Maker artists – the first of many such trips planned for our 20th year. These trips allow us to visit [...]
We visited Drink Small today. I first met Drink in 1981 at Warren Wilson College. I used to tour with him in the early 1990s, with Guitar Gabriel. When Gabe died, I received a telegram from Drink [...]
Listen: “Drink Blues” Drink Small is a classic bluesman – and his “Drink Blues” is definitely a classic Blues tune. This track is one I’ve listened to many times since starting [...]
Thank you SO much for your support by purchasing our Blues Cruise Raffle Tickets! Music Maker Next Generation Artist Cary Morin was in the office today and helped us draw the lucky winner [...]
Dom Flemons was in the Music Maker offices in 2006 when Boo Hanks came in to connect with us. Ever since, the two have had a special partnership, which led to the 2012 release “Buffalo [...]
My favorite memory of being on tour with Boo Hanks was when he told me about the time he went to see Louis Jordan as a young man. I’ve known Boo since 2006 and in my mind he is a [...]
Yesterday, Music Maker Artist Services Coordinator Aaron Greenhood and Program Associate Rebecca (B) Parsons met with the Sunrise Preservation Group in Southern Pines, NC. They met to plan for [...]
Listen: God Don’t Like It I first heard of Elder Anderson Johnson when I was interning at Music Maker last spring. My task was to transcribe an interview that Tim and Axel Kustner recorded [...]
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