As part of its mission to educate young people about blues music, the Big Pines Blues Festival brought Mr. Blue Shoes — aka Michael Dyson — on Thursday to three Longview schools.
Mr. Blue Shoes is an interactive live music experience that combines blues music, oral history and life lessons to inspire children about music and learning, according to Dyson's website.
The program covers 400 years of the country's cultural heritage using music, dance and storytelling.
Children at Ware Elementary School in Longview ISD and at Parkway and Birch elementary schools in Pine Tree ISD learned about West African culture, early 20th century history, famous blues musicians, The Great Migration and blues music's influence on American music.This year's Big Pines Blues Festival — formerly called the T-Bone Walker Blues Festival — is set June 2 and 3 at Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center.