Homegrown Plus: American Roots Music with Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr.

We’re persevering with the Homegrown Plus collection with an entertaining and academic live performance and interview by Reverend Robert B. Jones, Sr., an inspirational musician and storyteller celebrating the historical past, humor, and energy of American roots music. His deep love for conventional African American and American music is shared in reside performances that interweave timeless tales with authentic and conventional songs. For greater than thirty years Robert has entertained and educated audiences of all ages in faculties, faculties, libraries, union halls, prisons, church buildings and civil rights organizations. He introduced that inspiration right here to the Library of Congress on February 15, 2024, as a part of the Homegrown collection in addition to the collection Reside! On the Library, and as a part of our celebrations of Black Historical past Month. As an ordained minister and a Baptist pastor, Rev. Jones has an unwavering religion the cultural significance of sacred and conventional American roots music. On the coronary heart of his message is the assumption that our cultural range is a narrative that we should always rejoice, not simply tolerate. This live performance included blues, spirituals, gospel, rock, and even a contact of hip hop, delivered with voice, acoustic guitar and harmonica. Look ahead to the particular sequence wherein Rev. Jones is joined by his spouse Sister Bernice Jones, his daughter Arnecia Jones, his son Robert Jones II (aka R.J.), and his daughter-in-law, R.J.’s spouse, Sister Rosa Warner Jones. As normal for this collection, you’ll discover a live performance video, an interview video, and a set of hyperlinks to discover. See the live performance within the participant under!

Rev. Jones makes his dwelling in Detroit, Michigan, and performs all through america, Canada, and Europe. An award-winning multi-instrumentalist, he’s completed on guitar, harmonica, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, and ukulele. He has recorded six albums of authentic and conventional songs. Along with his solo performances, he typically collaborates musically along with his spouse, Sister Bernice Jones, and his pal Matt Watroba. In 2017 Robert and Matt co-founded “Widespread Chords”, an academic group designed to create group, cultural and historic connections by means of music and the humanities. Jones is an award-winning blues radio host, has taught music historical past at Wayne State College, and serves as a member of the affiliate college at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. He has written, carried out, and recorded a one man present entitled “An Night With Lead Stomach.” Jones can be a nationally acknowledged storyteller, and has been featured at many festivals together with the Nationwide Storytelling Pageant. Through the interview I talked with him about all these features of his profession. Watch it within the participant under! <span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="width: 0px;overflow: hidden;line-height: 0" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span>

Assortment Connections and Hyperlinks

In case you loved the live performance and interview, try the Assortment Connections under. You’ll discover hyperlinks to archival collections, guides, and different supplies associated to African American roots music and tradition.