The Walla Walla Blues Society’s Instruments For Kids program

has set some lofty goals. We would like to give every child in

our area who wishes to be involved in their school’s band

program the opportunity to do just that, regardless of their

financial situation. We know that the cost of buying or renting

musical equipment can be quite expensive, and it is a shame

to see kids miss out on a creative opportunity because of that.

No child should be denied the thrill of learning to play a musical

instrument just because they cannot afford to do so.

That being said, the Walla Walla Blues Society is constantly

searching for donations of instruments for the Instruments For

Kids program. If you have an old instrument or two sitting

around in a closet or attic collecting dust, donate them and we

will see that they make it into the hands of needy local kids.

Help us help our kids stay off of the streets and give them

something creative to do with their time instead.

To donate your idle instruments to the Walla Walla Blues

Society’s Instruments For Kids program today, so that they can

be used and enjoyed tomorrow, contact IFK Coordinator Torch

Davis at sourcer@innw.net or WWBS President Tired Puppy

Patty at wwbs@bmi.net, and we will send someone out to your

home or place of business to pick them up.

The Walla Walla Blues Society’s Blues In The Schools

program … helping to keep kids off of rap!

 …

… then they just acquired a few more outstanding musicians.

also left us last month. Bell, who had originally wanted a

saxophone as a child, had to settle for a “Mississippi

Saxophone” (the harmonica) when his family couldn’t afford

one. He taught himself how to play it and by the time he was

eight he was quite proficient, and in fact joined his Godfather

Lovie Lee’s Blues Band when he was thirteen years old. He

moved to Chicago in the mid-fifties and met and became a

student of Blues harp master Little Walter. Unfortunately, at

this time Blues was ‘going electric’ and the demand for blues

harp players was decreasing in Chicago, so to further his

chances of employment Bell learned to play the electric bass

(from none other than Hound Dog Taylor). Bell then met and

learned from Sonny Boy Williamson II and Big Walter Horton,

and went on to play with Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon’s

Chicago Blues Allstars, as well as playing harp and bass with

other blues icons for decades, such as Earl Hooker, Robert

Nighthawk, Lowell Fulsom, Eddie Taylor and Jimmy Dawkins.

In 1998 Bell was awarded the Blues Music Award for

Traditional Male Artist Of The Year. Carey Bell Harrington

died of heart failure on May 6th.

King passed away on April 28th, leaving behind his wife Julia

of 22 years and three children … Maxwell, Nathan and

Marilee. Corbin played music around Walla Walla and the

Northwest for several years before moving on. However I

always seemed to run into him at the Waterfront Blues

Festival in Portland where I was greeted by his trademark

smile and a detailed story about his latest musical endeavors.

Although you may recall some of his bands, such as 17 Mile

Drive, The Fray and The King Bros. Circus (with JC Rico),

what you may not know about Corbin is that he also taught

guitar lessons, passing on not only his vast musical

knowledge to his students, but his intense passion for music

as well. Corbin had a warm heart and a very infectious

smile, and he made friends wherever he went. Some of those

friends and fellow Blues lovers were compelled by his passing

to make a donation to the Walla Walla Blues Society’s “Blues

In The Schools” program in Corbin’s name, continuing the

legacy of the man for future generations.

Corbin, you will be greatly missed, my friend.

If there is indeed a Blues band in Heaven, you know they’ve

suddenly got one helluva band!

Bad Dog

Featured bands are all Walla Walla Blues Society members

and include The Rose City Kings, Randy Oxford, Alice

Stuart, Duffy Bishop, Nicole Fornier, The StrangeTones,

Ben Rice & Youth of Blues, Tim Casey & the Blues Cats,

Jimmy Lloyd Rea, Big Steve & The Trainwreck, Blue Onion,

Junkyard Jane, The Howlers, Robin Barrett, JD Parks, and

a special appearance by our good friends The Love Dogs

(from Boston) doing the song they wrote just for us, “Hey

Hey Walla Walla”. Order a copy now before they’re all

gone by emailing us at wwbs@bmi.net or by picking up a

copy at Hot Poop, Hastings or CD Exchange, or online at

CDBaby.com