Lady sings the blues

Contact:
Kim Lucchini
724-938-5245
luc6162@calu.edu.

March 15, 2010

Blues veteran performs March 29, teaches March 30

Composer and musician Gaye Adegbalola will be singing the blues March 29-30

at Cal U.

On March 29 the award-winning performer will give a blues duo performance

with pianist Roddy Barnes at 8 p.m. in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre. On

March 30 she will lead a workshop on the history of women in the blues at 11

a.m. in Vulcan Theatre, inside the Natali Student Center.

Adegbalola is a powerful singer and songwriter who has composed many blues

hits.  She has received the Blues Music Award (formerly known as the W. C.

Handy Award) for Best Song of the Year.  A founding member of Saffire-The

Uppity Blues Women, she also performs solo, in a classic blues duo with

accompanist Roddy Barnes, and as the front woman for Miz A & The Freedom

Band.

Before making music her full-time career, Adegbalola taught science in

public schools in Fredericksburg for 18 years. She was named Virginia State

Teacher of the Year in 1982.

We asked her to perform at Cal U because she is a triple threat an

entertainer, an educator and an activist, Said Dr. Marta

McClintock-Comeaux, director of the Women¹s Studies program.

Her work touches on many of the areas we examine in Women¹s Studies, such

as women's rights and empowerment, civil rights and gay rights.

The performance and workshop celebrate Women's History Month. Sponsors are

the Women's Studies Program, History Club, Department of History and

Political Science, Rainbow Alliance, Office of Multicultural Student

Programs, Women's Center and Frederick Douglass Institute.

The program is open to the public. Admission is free.