Ironically, while at least half of America is singing the blues over the election, people in the blues biz keep wringing their hands that the blues is dead. It’s true that American roots music (that includes Appalachian oldtime and bluegrass too) doesn’t get properly promoted while the corporate-controlled airwaves are full of mediocre and obscene music. But real music is far from dead. Just ask the folks in my home state of West Virginia who persist in gathering on front porches with their guitars, fiddles and banjos. Just ask the Chicago West Side preteens in my Austin Town Hall after-school program, all clamoring to learn boogie-woogie bass lines. Or the sixty-something Town Hall field house janitor, Mr. Lovett, who brought in his electric guitar, played some real gutbucket Delta riffs, and learned some new tricks, jamming with the jazz teacher, David Normand, and me.

It is hard to realize that many kids don’t have instruments at home, and the schools do not have music programs. Even though art and music are good ways for people to learn many different things, arts programs have been cut out of the schools. And there aren’t many minor-age venues for kids to hear blues, the way all ages of people heard blues on Maxwell Street years ago. In 2005, I want to find some way to get blues into the schools, both here and back home in West Virginia. And I want to get real blues musicians involved so the kids can get the feel for the real thing.

Let’s face it, as we struggle with personal losses, family dilemmas, and the political situation we need to be able to sing the blues to get stuff off our chests so we can survive. Blues songs can sometimes be sad and blue, but they can be funny, lively and danceable. That’s how the African-Americans survived this long. Faith that God would eventually put things right, and, in the meantime, singing the blues. They boogied to survive. Now we are all in the same boat.

This holiday season, please help us keep our blues alive. I won’t go into detail, but the blues is real here. Poverty rules on the West Side. It’s not just high rents, credit card bills for promotion expenses, and trying to keep an old bluesmobile on the road; it’s also the unpredictability of cars that get towed, misfortunes with the law, and dangers of theft and gangs. My experiences here have made me more able to understand AA’s Serenity Prayer, "changing the things we can, accept the things we can’t change, and wisdom to know the difference." Having less control over one’s surroundings makes one more humble and more reliant on help from the Almighty. I hope to be able to speak and write more about my experience here soon, but I’m still in the midst of living it. Your support right now will be greatly appreciated. Here’s how:

• If you are having a party, program, or festival, consider hiring Larry Taylor’s band. He’s a heritage Chicago blues singer in the tradition of Howlin’ Wolf and Elmore James. Larry is looking to travel in 2005 and can negotiate fees depending on distance and other gigs in your area. I have been managing and sometimes play keyboards in the band. We are looking for a New Year’s gig! Mardi gras, Valentines, Black History month, summer festivals. Check out his sounds under "Larry’s Music" at his website.
  
  
• Buy mine and Larry's CDs and give them to all of your friends, teachers, schools, DJs and libraries. The CDs are just sitting in the closet, they need to be enjoyed! Hey, they are flat, easy to ship, and they don’t spoil.
  
  
• My CD is Barrelhouse Bonni’s "Barbershop Blues." It's an acoustic, old fashioned, laid back album featuring classic 1930s women’s blues tunes like "Woman Be Wise," plus seven of my originals including the award-winning 9-11 peace ballad "98th Floor." Guest players include Mike Baytop, Jay Summerour and N.J. Warren from the Archie Edwards blues barbership in DC; and sax player Milika of Chicago. You can hear excerpts and order it from my website under "Songs and Recordings."
  
  
• Larry Taylor’s CD is "They Were in This House," infectious grooves for your next party, Chicago blues and 60s soul from the best musicians on the West Side. Larry plays drums and sings in the tradition of Howlin’ Wolf, Elmore James and Jimmy Reed. Larry and I co-produced the record and wrote one doo-wop tune called "Green Line Blues," about the Chicago "L" train to the West Side. The Chicago Sun-Times called it, "one of the year’s best sounding blues albums." Big City Blues says, "100% for real." Southwest Blues Magazine says, "Great singer with great attitude." You can hear excerpts and order it from from his website under "Larry’s Music."
  
  
• If you prefer to pay for either CD by check, just write it to me , Bonni McKeown, at 1145 N. LeClaire #2N, Chicago IL 60651. Send $18 for a single CD (that’s $15 plus postage). If you order two or more, I’ll pay the postage. And if you want five or more, you get ‘em for $10 instead of $15. Thanks to you and to all my friends for your love and support.
  
  
• Feel free anytime to give me a holler by email or at the Chicago phone 773-287-9525, or at my W.Va. phone 304-874-3887 (address: Bonni McKeown, P.O. Box M-359, Capon Springs WV 26823). I’ll be in W.Va around Xmas time.