‘Doctor of Blues’ returns to Thomasville as part of ACTU series
Post Published On:By Taylor Weeks, Student writer
The “Doctor of Blues” will make another house call in the Rose City as part of Thomas University’s performing arts series.
David Evans will bring his interpretation of blues music for a performance at the Thomas County Library at 12 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, as part of Arts for the Community at Thomas University Fridays at Noon series.
Evans is a two-time Grammy Award recipient for Best Album Notes, a Fulbright Special Fellowship recipient to Ethiopia, and the author of “The NPR the Curious Listener’s Guide to Blues,” “Big Road Blues: Tradition and Creativity in the Folk Blues,” “Ramblin on my Mind: New Perspective on the Blues” and many other publications.
His latest book, which he co-wrote with Marina Bokelman, “‘Going up the Country: Adventures in Blues Fieldwork in the 1960s,” details his research trips to the South 1966 and 1967. Evans has produced 50 albums and studio recordings. He has performed in more than 70 international tours across 23 countries and recorded six CDs.
Evans said he looks forward to his second performance trip to Thomasville.
“It’s quite a historic and beautiful town,” he said. “It’s been a pleasure to visit and become acquainted with it.”
A Professor Emeritus of Musicology at the University of Memphis, Evans earned his doctorate and master’s degrees from the University of California-Los Angeles, and his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University.
Evans explained that while others his age were listening to more trendy tunes, he preferred the blues.
“I got interested in the blues in the 1960s. This was the golden age of rock and roll,” he said. “Blues has a history of more than 100 years, and it’s still a very viable genre.”
Prior to Friday’s performance, he will visit with students at two local high schools on Thursday.
This performance, as well as all ACTU events, are supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency, the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
For more information regarding Fridays at Noon performances, as well as other ACTU events, please visit the ACTU Facebook page at www.facebook com/actu31792, call (229) 227-6964 or email actu@thomasu.edu.
