FOUR Blues invited the community to a two-day weekend of discussion, live blues and spoken word at Austin Town Hall Park. Featured artists were Larry Taylor and the Soul Blues Healers with guest singer Katherine Davis and poet Orion. Joining the roundtable on bringing back blues for education and business were street musician Vince "Lefty" Johnson , educator Howard Sandifer and Ed Coleman of Austin Chamber of Commerce.
On March 30, 2025, neighbors in Austin, Chicago's far west neighborhood, gathered at BJ and Tom Walker's charming home to learn more about FOUR Blues efforts to bring back the music. A thousand dollars was raised. More parties and events are planned
Dec 26, 2025
Chicago public schools, like many others, have de-emphasized the arts over the last 30 years, leaving children untrained in constructive ways to express their ideas and feelings. FOUR Blues searches for ways to bring back music instruction and appreciation. In…
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Dec 26, 2025
Singers Larry Taylor and Arlene Stovall, and spoken word poet Awthentik drew people of all ages to the Austin Town Hall Park culture center Nov. 13, 2025 for a free all ages concert sponsored by FOUR Blues. Volunteers served a…
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Dec 21, 2024
Before the founding of 4 Blues, Larry Taylor and Barrelhouse Bonni, as individual artists, began intentionally reviving blues and soul music, partnering with other musicians (see VIDEO with singer Katherine Davis) with Larry's band the Soul Blues Healers ; community…
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Dec 14, 2024
FOUR Blues Inc. NFP and West Side Blues ambassador Larry Taylor invited the community to a FREE All Ages concert and blues jam with soul food buffet (catered by Larry's sister Brenda of Brenda's Sou Food Kitchen) for Larry's birthday…
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Dec 14, 2024
Four Blues presented a community blues and poetry open mic and jam at Front Porch Arts Center on Madison Street Friday July 26, 2024, featuring the Chi West band of Jerry Hamlin, bass, with Arnelle Powell on drums and Lawrence…
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Nov 30, 2024
Born in Mississippi, Willie D. Freeman was a heartfelt blues singer on the West Side of Chicago until his passing in 2019. Barrelhouse Bonni and Larry Taylor produced a show at the BBF on Pulaski Road in 2013 in which…
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Nov 30, 2024
Street musician (and computer technician) Vince “Lefty” Johnson is a one-man band, often playing on Michigan Avenue downtown and , historically on Maxwell Street. Here's his VIDEO playing “Night Train” at the Austin Public Library, presented by Barrelhouse Bonni…
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Nov 30, 2024
Retired bass player Carl Norington (shown in picture) and South Side DJ King George weigh in on Barrelhouse Bonni's discussion about the role of blues music in blues communities, June 2023 at the Austin (Chicago West Side) Public Library.