W. C. Handy Music Festival
Encyclopedia
The W. C. Handy Music Festival is held annually in Florence
, Alabama, sponsored by the Music Preservation Society, Inc., in honor of Florence native W. C. Handy
, the "Father of the Blues." The non-profit Music Preservation Society was formed in 1982, with the mission to preserve, present, and promote the musical heritage of Northwest Alabama.
With the help and encouragement of musician and Sheffield native, Willie Ruff
, the organization presented the first W.C. Handy Music Festival. That first festival was a long weekend of music, featuring Dizzy Gillespie
as the headliner artist. Over the next two decades, the annual celebration has evolved into a ten-day Festival including over 250 events with music at locations throughout northwest Alabama. The Handy Festival has garnered praise and accolades and has become a major music festival in the Southeast. The Handy Festival has been selected as a Top Ten Event in Alabama; a three time Cultural Olympiad Designee by Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games; a Location/Destination on the National Geographic Appalachian Regional Commission's Featured Sites Map; and a Top Twenty event in the Southeast since 1986 by Southeast Tourism Society. The Music Preservation Society, and the W.C. Handy Festival Committee, extends its heartfelt appreciation to the family of William Christopher Handy for its support of the W.C. Handy Music Festival.
The festival presents music of many varieties, including rock, pop, gospel, R & B and jazz. The roster of jazz musicians, known as the "Festival All-Stars," or the W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars
, includes noted musicians from all over the United States, such as guitarist Mundell Lowe
, guitarist Lloyd Wells
, drummer Bill Goodwin
, pianist / vocalist Johnny O'Neal
, vibraphonist Chuck Redd
, trumpeter Ken Watters
, pianist / vocalist Ray Reach
(Director of Student Jazz Programs at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
), and flutist Holly Hofmann.
Each year, the W. C. Handy Jazz Camp is presented, jointly sponsored by the University of North Alabama
and the W. C. Handy Music Festival.
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Alabama, sponsored by the Music Preservation Society, Inc., in honor of Florence native W. C. Handy
W. C. Handy
William Christopher Handy was a blues composer and musician. He was widely known as the "Father of the Blues"....
, the "Father of the Blues." The non-profit Music Preservation Society was formed in 1982, with the mission to preserve, present, and promote the musical heritage of Northwest Alabama.
With the help and encouragement of musician and Sheffield native, Willie Ruff
Willie Ruff
Willie Ruff is the hornist and bassist of the Mitchell-Ruff Duo and one of the founders of the W. C. Handy Music Festival. He was born in Florence, Alabama. The duo regularly performs and lectures all over the United States, Asia, Africa and Europe...
, the organization presented the first W.C. Handy Music Festival. That first festival was a long weekend of music, featuring Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
as the headliner artist. Over the next two decades, the annual celebration has evolved into a ten-day Festival including over 250 events with music at locations throughout northwest Alabama. The Handy Festival has garnered praise and accolades and has become a major music festival in the Southeast. The Handy Festival has been selected as a Top Ten Event in Alabama; a three time Cultural Olympiad Designee by Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games; a Location/Destination on the National Geographic Appalachian Regional Commission's Featured Sites Map; and a Top Twenty event in the Southeast since 1986 by Southeast Tourism Society. The Music Preservation Society, and the W.C. Handy Festival Committee, extends its heartfelt appreciation to the family of William Christopher Handy for its support of the W.C. Handy Music Festival.
The festival presents music of many varieties, including rock, pop, gospel, R & B and jazz. The roster of jazz musicians, known as the "Festival All-Stars," or the W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars
W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars
The W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars is a group of jazz musicians who play annually at the W. C. Handy Music Festival in Florence, Alabama. During the last week of July each year, these musicians travel from all over the United States to gather in Florence and perform in various combinations...
, includes noted musicians from all over the United States, such as guitarist Mundell Lowe
Mundell Lowe
Mundell Lowe is an American jazz guitarist.Lowe was born in Laurel, Mississippi on 21 March 1922. In the 1930s he played country music and Dixieland jazz. He later played with big bands and orchestras, and on television in New York City. In the 1960s, Lowe composed music for films and television...
, guitarist Lloyd Wells
Lloyd Wells
Lloyd Wells is an American jazz guitarist, now residing in Nashville, Tennessee. He is best known for his work on The Merv Griffin Show, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Sesame Street, The Electric Company, The Ed Sullivan Show, and later as arranger and Music Director at Opryland USA theme...
, drummer Bill Goodwin
Bill Goodwin (jazz drummer)
F. Bill Goodwin is an American jazz drummer. Bill has been a professional drummer since 1959, and has performed with many jazz instrumentalists such as: Bill Evans, Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Jim Hall, George Shearing and Bobby Hutcherson, and singers such as June Christy, Joe Williams, Tony...
, pianist / vocalist Johnny O'Neal
Johnny O'Neal
Johnny O'Neal, born October 10, 1956 in Detroit, Michigan, is an American Neo-bop jazz pianist. His playing ranges from the technically virtuosic to the tenderest of ballad interpretations. Though unique in style, he is influenced by many jazz elders, including Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum. He has...
, vibraphonist Chuck Redd
Chuck Redd
Chuck Redd is an American drummer and vibraphonist. Chuck joined the Charlie Byrd Trio in 1980 at the age of 21. The same year, he joined the Great Guitars Chuck has done twelve European tours and five tours of Japan, with the Barney Kessel Trio, Ken Peplowski, Terry Gibbs and Conte...
, trumpeter Ken Watters
Ken Watters
Ken Watters is an American jazz trumpeter residing in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the brother of noted jazz trombonist, Harry Watters. Ken is a member of several noted performing groups, including Tabou Combo, , Natalie Cole Band, , the Magic City Jazz Orchestra, and the W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars...
, pianist / vocalist Ray Reach
Ray Reach
Raymond Everett Reach, Jr. is an American pianist, vocalist and educator residing in Birmingham, Alabama, now serving as Director of Student Jazz Programs for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, director of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars and President and CEO of Ray Reach Music and Magic City...
(Director of Student Jazz Programs at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame was founded in 1978, and opened a museum on September 18, 1993, with a mission "to foster, encourage, educate, and cultivate a general appreciation of the medium of jazz music as a legitimate, original and distinctive art form indigenous to America...
), and flutist Holly Hofmann.
Each year, the W. C. Handy Jazz Camp is presented, jointly sponsored by the University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is a coeducational university located in Florence, Alabama, and the state's oldest four-year public university....
and the W. C. Handy Music Festival.
External links
- W. C. Handy Music Festival website
- W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars at Bhamwiki.com