Walters State Community College will celebrate Black History Month with song, words and drums. The month begins with an educational and emotional journey through music and stories with Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, a Grammy-nominated folk duo.
The Ruckers will be performing at all four Walters State campuses. All concerts are free and the community is invited: 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 27 in the auditorium of the Claiborne County Campus; 12:25 p.m. on Jan. 31 in the Lyceum Theatre of the Student Services Building on the Morristown campus; 6:15 p.m on Jan. 31 in Room 100 at the Greeneville/Greene County Campus.
The Ruckers’ concerts often begin with slave and cowboy songs, then work through history to their witty commentaries about current events. The couple’s 1991 release, “Treasures and Tears,” was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award.  Their music is also featured on “Singing Through the Hard Times,” which was nominated for a Grammy in 2009.
Sparky Rucker developed a self-described “raucous” guitar style playing in doo-wop and early rock bands. His expert blues and bottleneck style of guitar playing make him a popular teacher at folk music camps and gatherings. Active in the civil rights movement, he also worked to win better pay and benefits for Sparky became involved with the civil rights movement at an early age and worked to expand that movement to push for civil rights for all people, regardless of race. His activism gave him the opportunity to play with performers like Pete Seeger. Seeger summed up the couple by saying “Sparky Rucker is unique. He will make you glad to be alive and struggling.”
Sparky worked for equality for blacks through sit-ins and marches. He also worked to win better pay and benefits for Appalachian coal miners.
Rhonda is a medical doctor, but gave up her practice to join Sparky in sharing their music around the world. She is a self-taught harmonica player and is known for her unique “barrelhouse” piano playing talent.
The pair has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival and the Robert Johnson Blues Festival.
The concerts at Walters State are free and open to the community. Anyone with questions can contact Eileen Bowers at Eileen.Bowers@ws.edu or (423) 318-2347.

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