Email Subscription Illinois Folk Songs with Bucky Halker
Bucky Halker to Share Illinois Folk Songs and History
Combining the stage presence of a seasoned performer with the research skills of a history PhD, Bucky Halker is uniquely qualified to share the rich heritage of Illinois folk music. The public is invited to hear him in a program of live music and commentary at the Champaign Public Library on Sunday, February 7, from 2 to 3 pm. Halker produced the three-CD series “Folksongs of Illinois,” from the Illinois Humanities Council and the University of Illinois Press. The 2007 release is considered a model for documenting original recordings of regional folk music.
Halker describes himself as “a tall man with a big voice and big songs delivered with truth, character, and conviction.” Born in 1954, he grew up on the shores of Lake Superior in Ashland, Wisconsin, an industrial town on the decline. His interest in folk music, which dates to his teens, meshes well with a passion for history — the subject in which he earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Working-class history and labor folklore are a particular focus of his. The 2002 album “Welcome to Labor Land” featured Halker’s interpretations of Illinois labor and working-class protest songs from 1865 to 1955.
The library is located at 200 W. Green St. For more information, call 217/403-2070.
Contact:
Judith Blaford
Adult Services Assistant Manager
Champaign Public Library
217/403-2070 | jblaford@champaign.org
More about the performer: http://www.buckyhalker.com