Wallace Coleman's Living Blues At Lakewood Public Library: A Free Concert!

Wallace Coleman, living the blues.

Like a million other Americans in the 1950’s, Wallace Coleman left his southern home and headed north looking for work. But he didn’t leave the state of Tennessee without a deep and abiding love for the blues, thanks to a radio his mother had given him as a child. He also had a rare talent for playing the blues harp, and it didn’t come from taking music lessons once a week in a dusty parlor. It came from somewhere inside.

Coleman is packing up his harmonica, along with a lifetime of blues experience, and heading for Lakewood Public Library on Sunday, July 21 at 2:00 p.m. for another great concert. As always, this Sunday with the Friends event is free and everyone is welcome! It will be held in the Main Library Auditorium at 15425 Detroit Avenue.

When Coleman was still listening to Nashville’s WLAC on his radio back in Tennessee and the sounds of Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Walter Horton, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter Jacobs and Muddy Waters made a big impression. Later he saw many of these same performers in person at different clubs throughout Knoxville and then in his new hometown of Cleveland.

For the next 31 years Coleman worked at Cleveland’s Hough Bakeries and saw as many blues players as he possibly could. He didn’t realize it, but during those years he was also mastering the harmonica. He played on lunch breaks. He played after work. He played on his days off. He played for the love of it.

Others started noticing how talented he was. He wasn't convinced. It required a co-worker to play a few tricks, but Coleman finally made his first public debut with Cleveland’s Guitar Slim at the Cascade Lounge in 1985. He was so good that Robert Jr. Lockwood asked him to play in his band, which he did two years later after retiring from Hough Bakeries. They made records and toured all over the world.

Nowadays Coleman is performing and recording music on his own record label, Ella Mae Music.  Ella Mae is the lady who surprised a little boy with a radio so many years ago. Well, he’s all grown up, the awards and accolades keep coming in and he’s still living and loving the blues. Thanks, Mom.

Please join us on July 21 at 2:00 p.m. at Lakewood Public Library for this special Sunday with the Friends Program: Wallace Coleman’s Living Blues.

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Volume 9, Issue 14, Posted 8:59 AM, 07.10.2013