North Atlantic Blues Festival – Raising the Blues

Each year Raising the Blues present s an award to a deserving young person.  It is an emotional part of the Blues Festival.  “Raising The Blues, Ltd. is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization dedicated to bringing music to children undergoing medical treatment or recovery, and children with physical, emotional or educational challenges. Primarily through the use of Blues music, they seek to raise the spirits, abilities and aspirations of children who can benefit from musical enrichment and interactive musical opportunities.”

This year a young man (12 yo) was brought up.  I got some photos backstage but not his name.  His smile and attitude were more than enough for me.  His name is Elijah.

Fooling around

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The musicians and volunteers bring musical performances, interactive musical opportunities and musical training to children in hospital, rehabilitation facilities, schools and special education settings or other appropriate venues.

Meeting up with Paul

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now it was time to get on stage for the presentation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruth presented a guitar to accompany his singing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then she asked Elijah if he would like to sing.  He took the microphone and in front of thousands, gave us a song.  (I should mention that he was born with a cleft palate and told he wouldn’t be able to do a lot of things like whistle or drink through a straw.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When he was done, there were cheers and shouts and a few tears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions/comments, I can be reached through the Blog comments or at twblus@aol.com.  BluesBeatNews is written, produced, directed and photographed by Domenic Forcella.  My weekly Blues Beat column appears in the New Britain Herald, Bristol Press, Middletown Press and Torrington Register-Citizen.

About bluesbeatnews52

Blues columnist writing a weekly column dedicated to the Blues. The only column of its kind in a commercial (paid subscription) newspaper. Column appears in the Middletown Press, Bristol Press, Torrington Register-Citizen, and the New Britain Herald. Forcella has served on the Board of Directors of the Blues Foundation representing the Journalism constituency. Served on the Board of Directors Connecticut Blues Society as Past President and Past Editor of newsletter. Recipient: Keeping the Blues Alive award in Journalism from the Blues Foundation. Has contributed both writing and photos to nationnal blues publications.

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