For immediate release: 1/19/99
Contact: Steve Balkin, Maxwell St. Historic Preservation Coalition, 312-341-3696
The Maxwell St. Historic Preservation Coalition will be holding a workshop: The Struggle for Maxwell Street: Blues and Activism, as part of the People's Music Network Winter Gathering, January 29-31, 1999. The theme for the Gathering is "Celebrating our Diversity - Continuing the Struggles". Folk music legend Pete Seeger will open the Conference in a concert at the People's Church Preston Bradley Center Auditorium.
The Maxwell St. workshop takes place on Saturday, January 30 from 9:00AM to 10:20AM at the International Conference Center, 4750 N. Sheridan in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. That is the main location for events of the three day Gathering.
The workshop will feature Blues legends Jimmie Lee Robinson, Johnnie Mae Dunson, and Frank 'Little Sonny' Scott Jr., all musicians who got their start on Maxwell Street in the 1940s. It will also include a photo exhibit by Maxwell Street documentary photographer Lee Landry <773-488-5678> and a talk by Professor Steve Balkin<312-341-3696>, secretary of the Coalition.
Jimmie Lee Robinson <773-778-1476> comes from a background of Garvyites and Communists, and was a Maxwell Street regular even before the appearance there of Little Walter Jacobs and Muddy Waters. Robinson played in Little Walter's band, with Howlin Wolf, and with other blues greats. Robinson will perform his Maxwell Street Teardown Blues, talk about his recently completed 61 day protest fast, and sing about his life.
Johnnie Mae Dunson <312-397-1497> is originally from Alabama and was a drummer and songwriter for Blues star Jimmy Reed. She started to perform on Maxwell Street, playing drums for dancer Eddie 'Pork Chop' Hines. Ms. Dunson wrote over 300 Blues songs, including the famous song, Boss Woman. She was recently evicted from her house and is recovering from a hospitalization due to congestive heart failure. Though in a wheel chair, she will make it to the workshop to sing her Maxwell Street Moanin Blues that she sung, on the Internet, to Mayor Daley and UIC Chancellor Broski to plead with them not to demolish this important blues landmark.
Frank 'Little Sonny' Scott Jr., <773-264-4746> with roots in Mississippi, also is from the Maxwell Street area. He is a retired drummer, harpist, guitarist, and signer, and now is an activist for the Coalition. Musically these days he only plays the percussive house keys in jam sessions with his friends. In the 1950s, he formed the famous musical group: The Every Hour Blues Boys with Freddie King, and Jimmie Lee Robinson and once owned the record label, Great Scott.
Information about the Maxwell St. workshop can be obtained by contacting the people above. Information about Maxwell Street is available at the Preserve Maxwell St. website <http://www.openair.org/maxwell/preserve.html>
Information on the Gathering can be obtained from Dave Martin <708-865-0300; 630-268-8639> and Minna Bromberg < 773-262-9031> or by visiting their website <http://user.mc.net/~bporch/peoples.htm>
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