Clarke County Democrat

Alabama Blues Project brings musician to GHES





The Alabama Blues Project will be for students of Grove Hill Elementary School on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. This performance is funded by a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. Grove Hill Elementary School is one of 45 schools in 31 counties benefiting from the council’s statewide Rural School Touring Program.

Debbie Bond is a blues “activist” and co-founded the Alabama Blues Project to promote and educate the public about Alabama Blues through Alabama Showcase performances and school workshops for students of all ages. These very popular programs have been presented to thousands inside and outside the state. The Alabama Blues Project’s work has expanded to include archival information on past artists, collecting oral histories, developing curriculum materials and producing CDs on Alabama blues musicians.

Debbie Bond is an Alabama-based blues singer/ songwriter/guitar player who has played the Southeastern blues club and festival circuit for over 20 years. She has also performed a five country European tour. She has shared her band with other Alabama blues artists such as Johnny Shines, Little Whitt and Big Bo, James Peterson, Willie King, Jerry McCain, Wild Child Butler and more. She has opened for Buddy Guy, Big Jack Johnston, Denise LaSalle, Kenny Neal, R.L. Burnside, Bobby Rush, Clarence Carter, Dr. John and others.

The Rural School Touring Program provides performances of music, dance and theatre by Alabama artists for Alabama children. “Alabama is indeed fortunate to have an abundance of outstanding performing artists,” said Al Head, executive director of the council. “Providing opportunities for students to enjoy and learn through the arts is a top priority for the council.” In the first eight years of the program, an estimated 50 percent of the 147,348 children participating were seeing a live performance for the first time.

The Alabama State Council on the Arts is the official state arts agency of Alabama. The staff of the council, directed by Al Head, administers the grants programs and provides financial assistance in arts education and programming. The council receives the support through an annual appropriation from the Alabama Legislature and funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

For more information on the Rural School Touring Program contact, Diana Green, Performing Arts Program Manager at 334-242-4076, ext. 226 or by email, diana.green@arts.alabama.gov.




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