Southern Cultural about to swing with guitars, harmonicas

Published 12:27 am Sunday, July 4, 2010

The Southern Cultural Heritage Center will host harmonica workshops every Tuesday this month and blues guitar workshops on Thursdays.

Blues musician Sherman Lee Dillon will teach the harmonica workshops divided into three age groups for children and an adult class.

Each four-day workshop costs $50 and includes a harmonica. Registration is required.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

The course is geared toward beginners and aims to make the instrument user-friendly. Many of the various playing techniques will be explored. Students will be instructed in playing blues, country and such Stephen Foster tunesas “Oh, Susanna” and “Camptown Races.”

Born in Meadville in 1951, Dillon has been playing music for nearly 40 years. A multi-instrumentalist, he began playing the harmonica at age 14 and has performed with B.B. King, Johnny Winter, Koko Taylor, Little Milton and Bobby Rush.

Also at the SCHF, a four-day blues guitar workshop begins Thursday and will continue the following three Thursdays. The workshop will teach the techniques and licks of such legendary blues musicians as Muddy Waters, Lightning Hopkins, B.B. King and Earl Hooker.

Students will be instructed in the 12-bar blues technique, pentatonic scale, finger exercises and string bending. Richard McComas will be the instructor.

Registration is $100 for SCHF members and $115 for non-members. Handouts and a jam CD are included. The classes will be from 6 until 8 p.m.

For reservations or more information, call the SCHF office at 601-631-2997 or e-mail info@southernculture.org.

If you go

Harmonica workshop

Tuesdays at Southern Cultural Heritage Center; $50; 9 a.m.-10 a.m. — ages 6-8; 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. — ages 9-12; 1-2 p.m. — ages 13 and older

Blues guitar workshop

Thursdays at SCHC; $100 for SCHF members, $115 for non-members; 6-8 p.m. — all ages