Says 73 year old Frank 'Little Sonny' Scott, "It's very important to me to save Maxwell Street. My roots are there. I played there out on the street in 1950 with Little Connel, the McNeal Brothers, Porter, Sonny Cooper, Freddie King, and Eddie Taylor among others. There were so many people I played with there, I can't remember all their names.

By buying my artwork, this helps me pay for keeping the Blues alive on Maxwell Street. This money helps me make expenses for the upkeep of the Maxwell Street Juketown Community Bandstand (1313 S. Halsted), which I built. I bring musicians down there, me and Mr. H, and I'll be pumping the bandstand with juice, electricity, so the musicians can play. Lajune, a wonderful folk blues musician from Macon, Georgia also is helping us and playing down here."

Now available are two of Frank Scott Jr.'s home made folk art items.

1. Folk Art ID Holder Necklace with encrusted trinkets and found objects. Mr. Scott starts with an ID holder, bought on Maxwell Street, which the Maxwell Street vendors use to show their peddler license. Then he adds lots of stuff on it, trinkets and items found on the street, trying to include some musical themed items. He wears one himself all the time. All include his signature or initials. Price: $20 + $3 postage and handling.
2. Framed and autographed 8 x 10 Collage Photo of Frank 'Little Sonny' Scott Jr. on Maxwell Street in front of an American Flag. The core picture, which looks like it is from the 1940s, was taken in May of this year, 2000. Price: $20 + $3 postage and handling.

Indiana University folklorist Janelle Walker comments, "This is really very good folk art. Not many Blues musicians also did artwork. People are getting a deal by buying directly from the artist so all the money goes to him. This is an authentic souvenir of old Maxwell Street. People should buy by it out of love for Blues and Maxwell Street and Frank, but it will also be a good investment. I think a gallery could very well pick him up to represent him but then the prices would be out of reach for most people. Frank doesn't want to get rich. He just wants to express himself and keep the bandstand going."

Franks Scott Jr. also says, "I came out of retirement in 1998 to record with four legends, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Bill Warren, Sleepy Otis Hunt, and Willie Hudson. Two of them has since past on. We made the CD produced by James Fraher, The Lost American Bluesmen on the Midnight Creeper Label. I want to keep the momentum going. The folk art, making stuff, was always an interest of mine. I've been doing art stuff for a while with Johnnie Mae Dunson, the Queen of Maxwell Street, and also this guy down here Tyner White. They inspire me too. I guess hanging out on Maxwell Street, making CDs, and doing my art keeps me thinking young and gives me energy. I always got to be doing something."

For more information about Maxwell Street visit <www.openair.org/maxwell/preserve.html>

web page provided by OPENAIR-MARKET NET

return to the top of the page

return to Preserve Maxwell Street