Boogie for Survival

Bonni McKeown-- Barrelhouse Bonni onstage-- is a West Virginia writer, musician and producer working in Chicago.  Her artistic mission is " to use blues to benefit the African-American community which created it—and to bring people together as a healing force for all of us." 

COMMUNITY BLUES:
Bonni co-founded the Charleston WV Blues Society in 2006-07.  In 2013, Fractured Atlas donations helped her sponsor free concerts on Chicago's West Side  Larry Taylor and the Soul Blues Healers played in BUILD's 2018 “Light the Night” concerts for peace in Hubbard playground park.
In 2017 Bonni led discussions on blues for Chicago West Side tourism and  community development.   Into the 2020s, she keeps promoting blues, art, literature and local business with the Austin neighborhood (West Side Chicago) Chamber of Commerce

BLUES EDUCATION
Bonni helps young people and adults make up and sing their own blues verses in her traveling workshop, the Chicago School of Blues 

BLUESMAN LARRY TAYLOR 

Bonni promotes West Side blues bandleader  Larry Taylor—Aided by Fractured Atlas donors, she helped Larry produce four original songs in 2017.  Chicago Dept. of Culture, Arts and Special Events  named Larry one of 13 "Esteemed Artists"  for 2020-21.
Bonni has produced short blues narrative and performance films, plus a 2019 hour-long  interview with Taylor on Chicago's public CAN-TV  with Chris Wilkinson. 

FEATURE MOVIE
 The Rhythm and the Blues.   Bonni wrote and  Darryl Pitts is producing a feature film, “The Rhythm and the Blues” based on true events involving Larry Taylor and his musical familyl..  The actor Leon ( "Five Heartbeats" and "The Temptations") stars as Larry’s stepfather,  Eddie Taylor Sr. Acoustic bluesman/actor Guy Davis, plays  Eddie’s musical partner Jimmy Reed.

LITERATURE
In 2020-22, Bonni is working on a novel, "Delta Song." and editing fiction by other writers. Bonni’ Peaceful Patriot, a biography of West Virginia conscientious objector/Vietnam War medic Tom Bennett.  She wrote the blues section of the Maxwell Street Foundation historical website plus an  Austin Weekly News  blog on "West Side blues."  She co-authored Larry Taylor's  autobiography "Stepson of the Blues."

MUSIC
Barrelhouse Bonni’s solo blues/folk act reflects her home state, West Virginia, and bygone juke joints of the South. Great for house party singalongs.  

Sponsored since Oct 25, 2009