PR: Black Fathers of American Folk Music

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Rich Dieter, 412-773-0899
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Images: Josh White, Jr. & Rev. Robert Jones   |  Leadbelly & Josh White, ca. 1941 [click images for larger view]

“BLACK FATHERS OF AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC” PRESENTED BY
CALLIOPE FOLK MUSIC SOCIETY
Special Guest Radoslav Lorkovi? to Share Bill
Pittsburgh, PA (PittsburghNewsWire.com) Calliope Folk Music Society presents “Black Fathers of Folk Music: Lead Belly and Josh White”, on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 7:30PM at Carnegie Lecture Hall.  Josh White, Jr. and Rev. Robert Jones will take participants back in time with stories, conversations and songs about two influential folk musicians — Lead Belly and Josh White. Tickets, http://calliopehouse.org/.  $39/$23 (w/student ID).

Huddie Ledbetter (1889-1949), better known to the world as “Lead Belly,” was an American folk and blues musician, as well as a multi-instrumentalist. Like White, he began his career early, leaving home at age 14. He was known as the “King of the 12-String Guitar,” which became his ticket to life and freedom. Many of his songs can be found in the Library of Congress, the most famous being “Good Night, Irene.” In June of 1998 the United States Postal Service issued the Folk Musician Stamp series, honoring Josh White and Lead Belly, along with Woody Guthrie and Sonny Terry.

Josh White (1914-1969) was a legendary artist, who helped in introducing black folk, blues and spiritual music to the world. In his early days, beginning at the age of 7, White began leading several blind, black street musicians across America. He would help the musicians by collecting their coins and accompanying their music with singing, dancing and playing of the tambourine.

As an adult, in 1941, White was the first black artist to give a White House Command Performance and in 1942, he was the first black artist to perform in previously segregated hotels. He was also the first black artist to sell a million records with his recording of “One Meatball” in 1944. White lived his life speaking out against injustice and was commonly billed “Josh White — The Father of American Folk Music.” A biography, “Society Blues” by Elijah Ward tells the story of White, racism and American music history.

Josh White, Jr. began his career at age 4, performing with his father at Café Society, America’s first integrated nightclub in New York City. Josh White, Jr. is known as an interpreter of American folk songs and also as a songwriter and actor on and off Broadway. His 10 solo albums include a tribute album to his father, “House of the Rising Son.”. Josh is a secular, folk/blues, pop, jazz, vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, actor, adult and children’s concert performer and recording artist, teacher and social activist. He became, a ‘hit’ literally over night at the age of four, by performing with his legendary father one night at New York’s famed “Café Society” night club (America’s first integrated nightclub). He went on to perform extensively on Broadway and has Guest Starred in more than 50 American Television Dramas.

After the 1956 Decca Records release of “See Saw”, and after more recordings with his father (such as “Josh White at Town Hall” 1960), Josh, Jr.’s solo recording career continued with “Do You Close Your Eyes” – Mercury 1962, (which is a “golden oldie” in the Pittsburgh area to this day); Josh recorded on Mercury, Decca, United Artists and Vanguard record labels. He has appeared on countless television variety and talk shows around the world as a solo artist, including such American shows as “Today,” “Merv Griffin,” “Steve Allen,” “Joey Bishop,” ” Mike Wallace” and  “Mike Douglas,” Josh, Jr. starred in his first PBS/TV Concert Special in 1979 “Ramblin” with Josh White, Jr.”, and costarred (with Odetta, Tom Paxton, and Bob Gibson) in the 1980 “Soundstage – Just Folks” Concert TV Special. His composition, “Say A Prayer For A Stranger” was performed by Harry Belafonte on the ABC-TV prime-time Special, “100 Years at The Music Hall.”

For more than 30 years, Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. has been a champion of American Roots music and stories. He believes that “traditional American songs and stories have much to teach us. We can learn a great deal about where we’ve been, who we are and where we are going.” Rev. Jones is a native of Detroit and has played for a wide variety of groups and causes. Reverend Robert Jones, Sr. is an inspirational singer, songwriter, storyteller and self-taught award-winning multi-instrumentalist. He plays guitar, harmonica, mandolin, banjo and fiddle using folk, blues, spirituals and other American Roots music to champion the history, beauty and power of our shared culture.

Rev. Jones has been performing professionally for nearly 30 years throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. He has entertained and educated audiences of all ages in schools, colleges, libraries, union halls, prisons, churches and civil rights organizations. His deep love for traditional African American and American music is shared in live performances that interweave timeless stories with original and traditional songs. At the heart of his message is the belief that our cultural diversity tells a story that should celebrate, not just tolerate.

Acclaimed photographer James Fraher writes about Robert: “Perhaps the world’s most highly educated blues musician, an ordained minister, a longtime DJ, and a living encyclopedia of blues history, the Reverend Robert Jones is comfortable among juke joint loud talkers, fancy-hatted church ladies, and PhDs alike.”

White, Jr. and Rev. Jones specialize in the kind of music and stories that have traditionally motivated and sparked social change throughout history. “This is something Robert and I have wanted to do for a long time and this is perfect time to share the stories and songs of two men who fought against the Jim Crow laws,” said Josh White, Jr.

Sharing the night with White & Jones will be Radoslav Lorkovi?. Drawing from a multitude of influences ranging from elegant classical and jazz styles to the rawest, most basic blues, country and soul, Lorkovi? has taken on an unusually broad musical spectrum and refined it into his distinctive piano style. His tenure on the R&B and folk circuits has culminated in five critically acclaimed solo recordings and numerous appearances on the recordings of and performances with artists including Odetta, Jimmy LaFave, Ribbon of Highway Woody Guthrie Tribute, Greg Brown, Richard Shindell, Ellis Paul, Ronny Cox, Dave Moore, Andy White, and Bo Ramsey.

The music of Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Little Walter shifted Lorkovi?’s focus to the basics as he began to draw from the styles of Otis Spann and Pinetop Perkins. Several years later Lorkovi? and Ramsey joined forces with Greg Brown adding musical authenticity to his deep Iowa Roots. At this time Lorkovi? was simultaneously brushing up on his classical heritage and looking south to the polyrhythmic sounds of Professor Longhair and James Booker. He had picked up Tex-Mex and Zydeco accordion as well. In 1990 he made his solo recording debut. Six CDs later, Lorkovi? currently tours the world regularly appearing at prestigious events such as the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, WOMAD, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa folk festivals, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival,Mountain Stage, Prairie Home Companion, eTown as well as a litany of Italian castles and villas.

Since 1976, the non-profit Calliope Folk Music Society has been promoting and preserving traditional and contemporary folk music and its allied arts for Western PA audiences.

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Josh White, Jr., www.joshwhitejr.com
Rev. Robert Jones, http://revrobertjones.com/
Radoslav Lorkovic, http://www.radoslavlorkovic.com/

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