West Michigan Blues Society

During March the Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council will tip its hat to interesting historical women (http://www.ggrwhc.org/legacy.php), among them singers from the limited but colorfulGrand Rapids blues scene. On Thursday, March 18th, local historian Kim D. Rush will present "Giving Up the Blues for Gospel: The Story of Women Blues Singers in Grand Rapids." After a quick nod to a popular audience not necessarily tutored in the blues (backed by historian and discographer Steve Smith), Rush will use the experience of Sippie Wallace to set the context for 1950s and 1960s area women who also tended to move away from singing the "devil's music" (at the Horseshoe Bar on Grandville SW) toward singing gospel at church. Rush has uncovered and documented the stories of Eddie Ingram, Mona Sallie, Roberta Bradley, and a few surprising others through filmed oral histories. Taking a period look at a Grand Rapidsblues scene thriving in the African American community, Rush will give us a front seat for pictures, documents, testimonials--and of course some blues!

7:00 pm, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, 303 PearlNW

Free and open to the public.

Co-sponsored by the GGRWHC with the GeraldR.FordMuseum, the Grand RapidsHistorical

Commission, and the Grand Rapids Historical Society.

Contact: Diana Barrett, dbarrettgr@yahoo.com, 616-443-7503

Jim Garvelink
Roger Stott
Walter "Hooker Joe" Davis, 1912
Red Saunders, 1912
John Primer, 1945
Marcia Ball, 1945
Ronnie Earl, 1953
Eric Clapton, 1945
Son House, 1902
Sam Lay, 1935
Furry Lewis, 1893
Big Daddy Kinsey, 1927
Otis Spann, 1930
J.T. Brown, 1929
Walter Trout, 1951
Sonny Terry, 1921
Junior Parker, 1921
Sam Lay, 1921
Jimmie Vaughan, 1951

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West Michigan Blues Society

P.O. Box 6985
Grand Rapids, MI.
49516-6985