Parents of some Shasta High School students might note a plaintive wail around their homes this week, and I don’t mean the usual teen-age angst.
Students in the humanities program were each given a harmonica as part of their studies of the 1930s and the birth of the blues. A teacher is instructing them in how to play the instrument, and students must write a blues song as part of their assignment.
As a lifelong fan of the blues, I have to say that this program gets my mojo workin’. For the first time, our younger son thanked me for forcing him to listen to the blues all his life.
- The Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce is singing the blues over slow ticket sales to its annual Chamberee. The dinner/dance/awards ceremony is this Friday, starting at 6:15 p.m. at the convention center. This year’s theme is “Puttin’ on the Ritz” and music will be provided by the Straight Ahead Big Band. Tickets are $57 per person and can be reserved by e-mail to Stephanie@reddingchamber.com.
- Tickets also are on sale for a fun event sponsored by the Native Daughters of the Golden West on Saturday, Feb. 28. The “Lunch & Local History” will include a panel of local experts who will talk about growing up in Redding in the 1930s, ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. Our own Doni Greenberg will be on the panel. Admission is only $5, and you can get tickets by calling Jacque Jabs at 222-3505 or 515-5227.
- Doni is also the speaker at next month’s meeting of Writers Forum at the Redding Library’s community room. Mark your calendars for 10:30 a.m. March 7, when Doni will entertain us with a talk titled “Recycling a Trashed Career: When forced do-overs bring magical makeovers.”
Tips appreciated: Send news tidbits to steveb.anewscafe@gmail.com
