Sherry Chandler

Kathleen Driskell

Next Tuesday, as part of the Kentucky Great Writer Series, Jim Tomlinson, Cecelia Woloch, and Kathleen Driskell will read at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning. Last night at Leatha Kendrick’s Eclectic Living Room, we discussed the works of these writers. Jim’s Nothing Like an Ocean, Cecelia’s Carpathia, and Kathleen’s Seed Across Snow, from which we discussed the poem “To the Outdoor Wedding.”

I was reminded of this YouTube video of Kathleen reading the latter as part of the InKY Reading Series. I thought I’d put it up here today as a preview of coming attractions. It’s the last poem in this set.

Thanks to the folks at InKY for their video series, who are having an open mike night for National Poetry Month on April 9 — that’s Friday night. Check it out. Go read.

Anne Shelby sings “Mary”

I was fortunate enough to be there when Anne sang this.

Sonny Boy # 1 has a birthday

Okay here’s # 1:

And here’s #2:

Son House

And here for the Adler brothers playing “Rhapsody in Blue” for piano and harmonica.

While my ukelele gently weeps?

Though really it isn’t so gentle. It’s a pretty intense rendition.

By way of The Falcon’s Gyre

“I Could Be A Poet”

Got this from Mark Brown, who posted it to FB for Ernie O’Dell. I will add a dedication to Georgia Green Stamper.

Mr. Ledbetter has a birthday

at least according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Other sources give a different date, but why not celebrate it anyway?

The “Bourgeois Blues” was first recorded in 1938.

“The Bourgeois Blues” is a blues song by Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly. It was written after Lead Belly went to Washington, D.C. at the request of Alan Lomax, to record a number of songs for the Library of Congress. After they had finished, they decided to go out with their wives to celebrate, but were thrown out of numerous establishments for being an interracial party.

Here’s a link to a digitally remastered version of this song at Lala.