Actin' Up: Juke Joint and Holy Blues with Ernie Hawkins and Scott Ainslie
BIOGRAPHY
Performance Formats:
Actin" Up: Juke Joint and Holy Blues
Ernie Hawkins & Scott Ainslie in Concert
In Actin" Up, Scott Ainslie and Ernie Hawkins bring Delta and Ragtime Blues to the stage in a spirited tour of hot ragtime instrumentals, passionate singing, slide guitar, stories and songs. Lifelong students of Ragtime-Piedmont Blues and Mississippi Delta Blues, Hawkins and Ainslie bring more than seven decades of experience with them to the stage. Their long apprenticeships with known and unknown traditional players from all around the country have lined their pockets with music, personal anecdotes, and history " riches that we hear jingle as they tap their feet.
Ernie Hawkins has been called 'an important link in the unbroken chain of Blues and Gospel artists." In 1965, at the age of eighteen, he moved to New York City to find Rev. Gary Davis. A generous and inspired player and teacher, Ernie has five solo recordings. He also has instructional video/DVDs on the music of Lightnin" Hopkins, Blind Willie McTell, Mance Lipscomb, Reverend Gary Davis, and on guitar theory. He has been featured in SingOUT!, Acoustic Guitar and Dirty Linen magazines, and has appeared on "A Prairie Home Companion", "Mountain Stage", "Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour", and XM Radio.
Scott Ainslie took up guitar after hearing Virginia Bluesman (and gravedigger) John Jackson in 1967. With deep roots in Appalachian as well as traditional Gospel and Blues music, Scott has one recording of old-time fiddle and banjo music, and four CDs of Delta and Piedmont Blues, and literally �wrote the book" on the music of Mississippi Blues legend Robert Johnson. Ainslie has a teaching DVD on Johnson"s music as well . Ainslie has provided music for video and film, and has numerous grants and awards for performing and preserving traditional music.
Both men tour widely performing and teaching. They are available for guitar master classes, workshops and school outreach programs in addition to their active performing careers. To have them together on the stage for an evening is a rare treat.
