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January - February 2006 Newsletter
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December BITS Program with Billy Branch
Billy Branch at Flinn Middle School
After our Fall Blues in the Schools (BITS) Program we had a slight surplus of funds that would allow us to schedule an additional day of BITS programming for 2005. We had discussed the possibility of Billy Branch coming to Rockford with Billy during the Berghoff and Blues Festival in Monroe back in September, so we negotiated a date with him and got two more BITS programs scheduled. The two programs were held on Friday, December 9th and both were a great educational music experience. The students at the AM session at Maude Johnson Elementary School and the PM program at Flinn Middle School were excited and really got into the music. Over 650 Rockford students attended the two sessions.
In 2005 we presented five full days of BITS programs that touched over 3,500 students in Rockford and across Northern Illinois. We had four different artists support our BITS programs this past year. We had Ann Rabson in town for two days of programs in four different schools in April. We also had Hawkeye Herman and Fruitland Jackson each come in for a day of programs in four different schools in September. All in all, our Crossroads Blues Society provided ten BITS school programs to the school systems in Rockford, Loves Park, Rockton, Byron and Freeport. It was a very success year for Blues in the Schools and keeping the blues alive! Thanks to Billy Branch and all the Crossroads Society members who made the programs a success! We remain at the forefront of keeping the blues alive!
Supported by a grant from the Community Arts and Humanities Fund of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Rockford Area Arts Council which receives support from the City of Rockford, the Illinois Arts Council, and its members.
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