1990

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Carson brings blues to col lege classroom

diplomat. We lived overseas and I started playmg gu1tar in high school even though I wasn 't in the high school band over there because they didn't have bands " he said. ' In fact, he didn't participate in a band, particularly a marching one, until he graduated from high school in Naples, Italy. "My father retired and moved to Conehatta. which is his hometown. I came here with him and started attending East Cen– tral," he said. A music major, Mr . Carson was encouraged to join the band. However, with no previous band experience, he had to learn to play an instrument. He mastered the French horn. He transferred to Delta State University a nd, in addition to playing for the school's band, he joined several rock groups a nd played guitar. After completing his master's degree, be began teaching at ECCC. Several years later , he formed the Conehatta Blues Con– nection in a n errort to expose his students to the blues. "I've always loved the blues. A lot of my band students played guitar and other instruments, but they don't have the opportunity to play rhythin and blues much," he said. The group includes ECCC students and gradua tes, and

By ldo Brown Steff writer

Three years ago, when Tom Carson was looking £or a way to give his students the blues, he organized the Conehatta Blues Connection. Since Ulen, the East Central Community College ensemble has developed into more than an educational project. Performing exclusively on the Decatur cam– pus, the group. according to Mr. Carson, bas helped the students to acquire an appreciation or the blues. On Friday evening, the group will undertake another· challenge when it will be one of six bands competing in the Rud Blues Talent Search. Sponsored by Main Street, in conjunction with the Chunky Rh)thm and Blues Festival, the competition is scheduled to begm at 5:30 p.m. on the corner or Fifth Street and 22nd Avenue. The competition will kick off the two-day festival. Although a school band direc- tor 's focus on the blues is not uni– qu e, Mr . Carson's music background is. "The first instrument I ~Jayed in high school was the gu1tar ... My father worked for the American government, he was a

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