What is Blues in the Schools?

In 1978, the City of Chicago public schools introduced the "Blues in the Schools" (BITS) program which is still going strong more than three decades later and has since spread around the world. Professional blues musicians are invited into schools to conduct classes on the history of the blues, famous blues musicians, different styles of blues, and how to write, sing and perform the blues.

The Loyal Blues Fellowship is proud to have a BITS program in place. First offered in 2005 in the Quinte region, we have been expanding our range each year.

Our current BITS Program Director, Ed Fowler, has brought musicians to classes at schools in Belleville, Trenton, Frankford, Picton, Madoc, Havelock, Campbellford, Warkworth & Tyendindaga.   We have offered yearly programs featuring sessions with Canadian blues musicians: Ila Van; Chris Whitley and Diana Braithwaite; Harrison Kennedy, Rick Fines, Rett Wills, Rick Cooke and the fellowship's, Ed Fowler, Peg Voigt and Joe Callahan, with the help of a volunteer staff comprised of fans, educators, and music professionals.

If you are interested in volunteering to help directly or would like your school involved please contact Ed at ewfowler1@gmail.com

Rick Fines BITS workshop at Centennial Secondary

In November, 2011, our Blues in the Schools Program enlisted the services of Rick Cooke, Fellowship member and leader of the band – Tore Down. Together with Blues in the Schools Director, Ed Fowler, they taught four music classes the art of ‘Blues-Harmonica’. In all, this session had 94 music students who were given their very own harp and Rick led them through a Blues boogie in ‘G’ accompanied by Ed Fowler on guitar.

The participating music classes of Percy Centennial School in Warkworth, and Kent Public School in Campbellford both greatly enjoyed the experience. These workshops were made possible by the kind donation from the Archer Family, with monies raised from “Party-for-Peck”, a weekend musical event in August, held in loving memory of their son, Jesse “Peck” Archer.

Ila Vann and Peggy Voigt performed a vocal class at St. Theresa Catholic Secondary in May 2011.  Ila has been performing since the age of five when her mother brought her on tour with Mahalia Jackson.  She  played on Broadway in 1972.  Peggy Voigt is the current president of the Loyal Blues Fellowship and plays/sings locally. The vocal class of St. Theresa were captivated by the depth of experience by Ila and very appreciative of the chance to interact with such a talented performer.

Rett Wills and Ed Fowler presented blues guitar workshops at Prince Edward Collegiate and St. Gregory’s Catholic Secondary in Picton, Centre Hastings Secondary in Madoc, Havelock-Belmont in Havelock, Quinte Mohawk in Tyendindaga in the spring of 2010 and Trenton High in April of 2011.  The workshop engaged the students in a dialogue on the  growth of the Blues genre starting from the Delta and Country blues leading up to the Chicago sound.

Chris Whitley and Diana Braithwaite performed their Sugar and Gold Underground Railroad show at Harmony Public, Harry J Clarke Public, Centennial Secondary and Frankford Public in the fall of 2009.  Sugar and Gold is a conversation with song that imparts the history of a people and illuminates the link between past and present using acoustic instruments, story-songs, and call and response.  The journey through Diana's personal family history via Canada's Underground Railway is especially poignant and moving to all of us.

In 2008 Harrison Kennedy was the featured artist. The BITS programs are tailored to specific age groups, ranging from one-hour sessions for junior elementary classes to week-long "artist in residence" for senior students. The Loyal Blues Fellowship has been successful in providing "Blues in the School" to primary and secondary schools in both the public and separate school boards in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.

How Can I Help?

Join the Fellowship and support our events. Monies raised through membership fees, live Blues shows, music workshops, the annual "End of Winter Blues" and "Frankford Island Blues" festivals, and corporate sponsorship all help to fund this great program.

 

How Can My School Participate in "Blues in the School" program?

To be put on the e-mail distrubution list for notices of upcoming "Blues in the School" sessions in the Quinte region please send and e-mail to bits@loyalblues.ca Please include in message name of the school our child attends, grade and home room teacher.

Blues in the School Links & Resource Pages

The Blues Classroom - Martin Scorsese PBS series -The Blues

Sugar and Gold - Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley

Mr. Blues in the School - Fruteland Jackson's Homepage

The Blue Shoe Project

More Articles about Loyal Blues BITS Programs

 

We would especially like to thank all the corporate sponsors for their continuing support of the "Blues in the Schools" program.

Media and Press about our program

Director's Office

Centre Hastings hosts Rick Fines for Blues in the Schools program 28 March 2007, Belleville, Ontario—Blues musician Rick Fines will spend the week of April 2 to 5 at Centre Hastings Secondary School giving workshops in songwriting and playing the blues. Blues in the Schools presents students with blues history and the evolution of music in North America through story and song. This approach illustrates the huge influence blues music has had on all types of western popular music. Blues is used to teach examples of popular song structure and rhyming patterns, as well as to illustrate historical content. The main objective of the program is to encourage both storytelling and self-expression through song. Students will examine how self-expression helps to understand and define beliefs, feelings and values. They will discuss the value of story-telling and song structure, such as verse, chorus and bridge. By the end of the week, students will write and perform at least two blues songs. Rick Fines is a veteran of the folk and blues circuits in North America. He recently returned from Alabama where he took first place in the Sweetgum Bottom Acoustic Blues Competition. His song "Riley Wants His Life Back" won first place in the blues category of 2003 International Songwriting Competition, with B.B. King as one of the judges. He twice won the MapleBlues Award for Acoustic Act of the Year (1998, 1999) and was nominated three times for the MapleBlues Songwriter of the Year award. In 2004 Rick was nominated for the third time for MapleBlues Songwriter of the Year, as well as for the Best Male Vocalist award. His 15 years with Jackson Delta won recognition from both the Juno and the Handy Awards. - 30 - For information, contact: • Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, (613) 966-1170, or 1 800 267-4350, ext. 2354