Harper and Midwest Kind October Blog

Hey Everyone,

I am writing to you from the Bradfordville Blues Club band house in Tallahassee, Florida.  In the month of September we were very fortunate to obtain an arts grant from the Ruth Mott Foundation in Flint, Michigan to present the Australian Didgeridoo Workshop at two Flint Elementary Schools- Freeman Elementary and Byrant Elementary.   My band "Midwest Kind", Bobbi and I presented a general introduction to Australia, the didgeridoo, Aussie animals, Aboriginal art and culture to roughly about 600 students.  The presentations took place in the School's gym. With the grant money we purchased one hundred plastic tubes that  we converted into didgeridoos.  Bobbi then taught two groups of 30 kids how to paint in the style of the Australian Aborigines on their very own didgeridoos.  It was so cute because some of the kids asked if they were allowed to keep their didgeridoos. They were soooo happy when we told them they could.  The kids created some beautiful designs. It was astonishing to see such creativity, as both schools no longer have art departments.  So this was probably the only time these children would ever have the opportunity to paint and create a piece of art.  After the didgeridoos were decorated, we took the two groups of kids back to the gym.  I then taught the children how to play their didgeridoos.  We then had a big blow out with the band.  It was alot of fun.

In September we also made the long trip West to the incredible historic town of Deadwood, South Dakota for the Deadwood Jam.   We visited Mount Rushmore along the way.  We were amazed at the beauty of this National Monument.  Photographs really dont give it justice.  The monument is superbly crafted and very tasteful. The weather was picture perfect and the Deadwood Jam was excellent.  The friendly staff and hospitality was unbeatable.   We visited the graves of Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jame and Sheriff Seth Bullock (for those fans of the Deadwood TV series on HBO).  Bobbi, Chris, Matt, Scott and I walked right to the top of the mountain to see Seth Bullock's grave and our legs were aching for several days after.   We visited Saloon No 10 where Wild Bill was shot and we had a fabulous meal just upstairs from the main saloon.  What was really cool was that many of the locals could trace back their ancestry back to the early beginnings of Deadwood and they were a wealth of knowledge. It was a fascinating visit.

Back in Michigan we performed at a couple of new clubs for us- Tiz-It in Midland.  Funny name but a great music club with a great first show turnout.  Also The Franke Center for the Arts in Marshall.   The Franke Center is a great theatre style club that was formally a church. It is run by volunteers who really know how to put on a show.  We loved being there and hope to return soon.   Coming up we have  tour to Florida and North Carolina.  We have  another new club called Canal House in Tuscarawas, Ohio scheduled for Friday November 2. We also have a great acoustic show planned for Sat Nov 3 at the newly opened U Detroit Cafe in down town Detroit, Michigan .  We still have some openings in December for possible Christmas / NYE parties.  Just send us an email and we will try to head to your neck of the woods.

Hope to see you out on the road this Fall and Winter.

Thanks and Peace,

Harper & Midwest Kind
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