Bonni Co-Produces Taylor Family "Generations of Blues" CD for release June 16 2023 

In the tradition of great musical families like the Jacksons or the Staples Singers, Chicago blues band leader Larry Taylor will unveil an album featuring his siblings and son: Generations of Blues: West Side Legacy. On the CD from Nola-Blue Records, https://www.prlog.org/12952167-nola-blue-records-signs-larry-taylor.html the family will honor the 100th birthday of their father, Chicago blues pioneer Eddie Taylor, and their mother, blues singer-songwriter Vera Taylor. 

Barrelhouse Bonni co-produced the CD at…

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Chi Blues Past and Future: Black Music Month Library Discussion June 7 

Older West and South Side residents recall a time when tiny Black-owned lounges filled the main streets with live blues, jazz, soul, R &B.  Bass player Carl Norington and guitarist Elmore James Jr. remember well.

Come hear about their experiences in a Black Music Month discussion Wed. June 7, 6 p.m at Austin Public Library, 5615 W. Race St. The program is free, open to all ages.

Blues writer, piano player and promoter “Barrelhouse Bonni” McKeown will ask the musicians and the audience:  How we can revive this…

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Generations Learn Blues: Videos 

During 2018-19  Barrelhouse Bonni brought blues education to several SouthSide community groups. Teens, youth and elders created a theme at the Peace House, I Grow  in Bonni'sblues class. sponsored by  Old Town School of Folk Music  They also imagined backyard alligators.

Bonni played in the band as Larry Taylor entertained in Hubbard Park on the West Side during summer 2018, sponsored by the neighborhood organization BUILD, bringing out all generations fora series peaceful and fun evenings.

In 2019…

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Larry Taylor, Bonni on CAN-TV 

Chicago bluesman Larry Taylor goes on Chicago public access channel CAN-TV 27 with Bonni to talk about his blues history and music. Directed by cameraman Chris Wilkins, first aired July 26, 2019.

Larry Taylor series at Water Hole 

During the Feb/March 2019 Black History series at the Water Hole - Chicago's Juke Joint at 1400 S. Western, Bonni shared the stage with Blues Legend Larry Taylor. Guests West and South Side blues singers Mzz Reese and Merv Murphy; blues masters and visiting local Blues Legends/sons of blues including such as Elmore James Jr.,  Eddie C. Campbell Jr., Bobby Slim James.  in this VIDEO,  Larry sings/howls "Tell Me Baby", in Howlin Wolf's "Smokestack Lightning / Commit a Crime" groove, March 11 with Odie Payne…

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Blues for good in the Hood 

 

Can live blues music make a park safer?  It sure helps!  Check out Bonni's Austin Weekly News Blog and watch s VIDEO of her playing with Larry Taylor's band in Hubbard Park with the BUILD nonprofit program "Light in the Night."

Bonni gives annual IL Quaker lecture 

 

Each year one of the members of meetings gathered in the regional Illinois Yearly Meeting of Friends gives a talk about their life's spiritual journey. In her  Plummer Lecture June 24, 2018 at ILYM, Bonni talked about how we can choose , every minute, to follow our ego or the Divine. Text of the whole thing posted by Oak Park Friends Meeting, where Bonni is a member.

She also led blues workshops and singalongs during the annual meeting at McNabb, IL.  

Bonni's "Nonessential Bizness" song joins a soundscape

JoVia Armstrong and Stephan Moore created this soundscape out of interviews and vocalizations of people from Chicago's Austin community reflecting on their experiences in the Corona pandemic. . The original Barrelhouse Bonni song "Nonessential business" boils up out of the relaxing drone from time to time.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwY2KG8g5lc