PRESS & REVIEWS
 

Catch the Blues at School

Published March 3, 2008

Music legend Bobbie “Mercy” Oliver can be found hitting the stage at night. By day, he’s teaching area school children the blues.

“I love the kids,” he said. “If there’s anything I can do to make the kids interested, I’m going to do it. That’s how I got my start.”

On Friday, Oliver participated in the Paris Blues Society’s inaugural Blues in the School program.

The program introduced blues music into three Crockett Middle School classes, with each session lasting about 50 minutes.

Oliver performed originals as well as classic blues songs from Jimmy Reed, Sam Cooke and Muddy Waters on harmonica and guitar.

“As you can tell, I’ll try anything,” Oliver told Craig Maxwell’s sixth grade literature class before launching into a skilled rendition of Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog.”

Fellow musician Roosevelt Twitty and Eva “Mom” — Oliver’s wife and manager — provided instruction on the history of the blues.

“The blues music originated in Africa and the slaves brought it over to the United States,” she said. “There are different kind of blues. There’s the blues that were sung in the fields by sharecroppers, which is what my husband and his family were.”

Dubbed the Texas Blues King, Bobbie “Mercy” Oliver was born in Atlanta in 1939. His father, a gifted musician, played the guitar and entertained the family after a hard day’s work.

“One day we were out in the field and a guy came by in a truck to deliver some feed,” Oliver said. “He said he could play and my dad sent me to get the guitar. And man, could he play.

“He sounded just like Jimmy Reed and that got me right there.”

Influenced by Reed, Oliver taught himself to play on a cheap Sears and Roebuck guitar. He also learned the harmonica.  After graduation, Oliver moved to Chicago to pursue a career as a blues musician. He returned to East Texas forming his present band, Jam City Revue, in 1994.

Oliver has appeared in numerous festivals and music events in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and on Beale Street in Memphis, Tenn.  He and his band continue to share his music from his home in Marshall.

“We’re so proud to be here,” Eva “Mom” Oliver said. “Anything we can do to help children get an education.”

The Blues in Schools program introduces blues music into the standard classroom curriculum.

“We are very excited about getting this program kicked off,” said Ron Hervey, Paris Blues Society president. “When we first started the Paris Blues Society we made the Blues In Schools program a priority. It is a very important program for us.“

“The battle cry of just about all blues societies is keeping the blues alive,” he said. “I can think of no better way of keeping the blues alive than to introduce blues to our younger generations that may not have been exposed to blues previously.”

For example, a simple activity like designing a CD package enlists art, English, and music disciplines.

Students planning out the touring itinerary for a band utilizes math, geography, and language arts skills.

“This is just our first step,” Hervey said. “We will eventually have in place separate programs developed for the different grade levels, from kindergarten through 12th grade.

“We also hope to develop the program into a week-long event, with sessions about blues history presented by the teachers during the week and guest blues musician visiting the school at the end of the week.”

Hervey said the Blues in Schools program is not the Paris Blues Society’s only effort geared toward education.  The organization plans to host a banquet later this year with proceeds benefiting a scholarship program for music students in the Paris area.  The Paris Blues Society hopes other schools will want to host a Blues in Schools program.  For more information, educators should contact Hervey at 903-783-9878 or visit the Paris Blues Society at www.parisbluessociety.com. The organization is also seeking funding for this program, either from local businesses or individuals.

More information about Bobbie “Mercy” Oliver is available at http://bobbiemercyoliver.com.