Thursday, August 29, 2013

WC Handy Festival Sampler


WC Handy Festival Sampler


Alabama Music Office.com presents W.C. Handy Festival 2013 in a CNN Headline News format. AMO shows a part of the happenings that took place from July 19th thru 28th in less than 15 minutes. We call it our sampler. It's a highlights reel. Enjoy!!!

William Christopher Handy was born in 1873 in the Shoals city of Florence, Alabama. Since 1982, the Music Preservation Society (MPS) has been honoring and celebrating the "Father of the Blues" with an annual ten day series of events held in the Northwestern part of Alabama.

The Music Preservation Society (MPS), a non-profit organization, was established in 1982 to "preserve, present and promote the musical heritage of Northwest Alabama." MPS has a strong educational mission, and educational programs are a big part of the schedule during the W.C. Handy Music Festival. MPS hosts an annual music camp, jointly sponsored by the Department of Music at the University of North Alabama in Florence. With the W.C. Handy Festival Music Camp, MPS provides scholarships for students to learn from professionals who provide musical expertise to those who would otherwise have no access to that level of teaching.

Other MPS and Handy Festival related educational and outreach programs include a design competition, art exhibits, a poetry competition, research projects, GeoBlues, Literally Music, Industry and Songwriting Panels, ABCs of Blues and Jazz and Beyond, as well as programs in several public libraries. The non-profit organization is led by a board of directors and is maintained primarily through the efforts of community volunteers.

Funding for the Music Preservation Society comes from a variety of sources including grants, corporate contributions, event sponsorships, donations from Friends of the Festival, and the sale of Festival memorabilia. The Music Preservation Society and the W.C. Handy Music Festival Committee extend their heartfelt appreciation to the family of William Christopher Handy for its support of the W.C. Handy Music Festival.

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