Blind Billy was a Lynchburg musician born about 1805 of unknown parentage who was so renowned with his instrument that his death was noted in Lynchburg and Richmond newspapers. The slave of Howell Davies, he eventually gained his freedom. As with many antebellum black musicians, more can be learned about his artistry than his life.
Blind Billy, as he was named in all known references, was part of a long tradition of black military musicians in England and the Virginia colony. Virginia legislative acts of 1723 and 1776 recognized and attempted to regulate blacks as musicians for militia companies. Fife-and-drum ensembles, often called “drum corps” or “martial bands,” were once as common as fiddlers, and march tunes were the specialty of the traditional fifer.
Local Matters - Plantings aim to stem tide of tree felling
localmatters.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from localmatters.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Doomed and Famous
A professional obituary writer gathers his strangest characters in a book and accompanying exhibition in celebration of life not death.
The Thrive Global Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
By
Adrian Dannatt s Doomed and Famous with Illustrations by Hugo Guinness (Sequence Press, 2021)
“But this is my obituarist he has to come in with me.” Saying so, my friend led me through the velvet ropes of the most exclusive nightclubs of Manhattan. And it is true, for when he dies I will gather together the many details I have jotted down over the years about his extraordinary life, blotched notes from dawn bars and midnight wharf walks to write his story, one unlikely to be told otherwise; diamon
BBC News
Published
image captionPublic pools are currently closed in Wales due to being under level four lockdown
Gyms and leisure centres will be reopened as soon as possible when lockdown is eased amid concerns about mental health, a minister has said.
Gyms and leisure centres were among the last businesses to open their doors following the first lockdown last year.
Mental Health Minister Eluned Morgan said she was concerned about the impact of the closures on people s well-being.
Wales is set to remain under level four stay home restrictions - the highest level of measures - for at least another three weeks.
S Club 7 in talks to reunite and record new music after 20 years
Exclusive
16 Dec 2020, 20:30
Updated: 16 Dec 2020, 21:32
THEY were the pop favourites of a generation and now S Club 7 are bringing it all back.
I can reveal the cheesy British group, who burst on to the scene with debut single Bring It All Back in 1999, are in talks to record their first new music in 20 years as a seven-piece group.
13
S Club 7 are in talks to reunite and record their first new music in 20 yearsCredit: Alamy
Band member Tina Barrett, who was one seventh of the group with Jon Lee, Rachel Stevens, Jo O Meara, Hannah Spearitt, Bradley McIntosh and Paul Cattermole, confirmed their plan.
vimarsana © 2020. All Rights Reserved.