Barrelhouse Bonni joins a question/answer panel led by producer Darryl Pitts at the CineCity VIPChicago screening of the footage to date for The Rhythm and the Blues.  Actors on the panel include Leon, the star of the show, who plays Eddie Taylor Sr.;  Kevin Ging and Dev Kennedy as Tremblay and Gate, the fictious-but-very real sleazy music biz maniuplators

Keli Stewart's Front Porch Arts Center is known for storytelling, poetry and spoken word portraying Chicago West Side's rich culture.  Now a blues-based jam gets added to the mix, as Bonni organized a July 26 fundraising event in support of the movie The Rhythm and the Blues.   Marc Bornfree's old school jazz rap relates the downturn in culture to problems in the community.. “You know what we have to do about it, right?”  

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 100^th birthday of their father, Chicago blues pioneer Eddie Taylor, and their mother, blues singer-songwriter Vera Taylor. 

Barrelhouse Bonni co-produced the CD at…

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…

Barrelhouse Bonni and Larry Taylor are asking for help to support their blue music, history and ltierature efforts. Read and DONATE HERE:  https://barrelhousebonni.com/campaigns/657193

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…

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.

AustinTalks, the internet newsletter sponsored by Columbia College, printed Bonni's blues recommendations for incoming Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot.

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…

On a cold day in January 2019 nonprofit and neighborhood development consultant Valerie Leonard of Nonprofit Utopia interviewed each other at Chicago Hope Cafe about how they can help make things better. 

Bonni on Blues education

Valerie and Bonni on James Crow!