PBS NEWSHOUR ON “EFFORT TO HELP MUSICIANS WHO ARE LITERALLY LIVING THE BLUES”

NON-PROFIT MUSIC MAKER RELIEF FOUNDATION PROFILED BY PBS NEWSHOUR, NPR HERE & NOW, AND CBS EVENING NEWS AS NEW BOOK AND 2CD RELEASED

PBS’ Jeffrey Brown profiled the Music Maker Relief Foundation on the Newshour last night as the non-profit organization – which supports elderly traditional southern musicians who live in poverty – celebrates its 20th anniversary. Brown spoke with organization founder Tim Duffy, soul/funk piano man Ironing Board Sam and New Orleans expat singer Pat “Mother Blues” Cohen, and former Chairman of the National Endowment of the Humanities and author William Ferris. The segment also features plenty of performance footage of the many artists involves in the Music Maker Relief Foundation Homecoming, as well as Ironing Board Sam playing at his home.

NPR’s Here & Now recently paid a visit to Duffy, Piedmont bluesman and tractor driver Boo Hanks, and baritone singer Captain Luke. The profile and online-only performances of “Highway Blues” and “Keep On Truckin’” aired and posted October 6, 2014.

PBS also ran a spread of photos from the book on its website with audio from the homecoming concert and an exclusive video of Ironing Board Sam performing a beautiful solo rendition of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow."

CBS Evening News also ran a profile, also speaking with Ironing Board Sam and Captain Luke, explaining how the organization helps its artists with paying gigs, instruments, and album sales so that they can work.

The wave of attention comes as a new book We Are The Music Makers! Preserving the Soul of America's Music (Nautilus Press) and the 2CD set ‘We Are the Music Makers,’ an overview of the Music Maker catalogue compiled by Dom Flemons, both were released last month. The museum exhibition of the same title is on tour for the next several years, presently on display at the BB King Museum in Indianola, MS through November 30. Music fans may make a tax-deductible donation to the non-profit at this link.