RECENT COMMENTS
Fulton Blues
Corey Harris’ Fulton Blues was released yesterday (iTunes/Amazon):
Fulton is a community in Richmond, VA that is older than the city itself. From its docks on the James river, the first African captives were marched to the city’s slave market to be sold into bondage. This Black town on the east end of the city endured for more than 300 years until its land was seized and the families living there were forcibly evicted in the name of greed masquerading as progress.
Fulton Blues, Corey Harris’ new collection of both original and classic material, celebrates the timeless sound of traditional blues with fresh, insightful lyrics that paint an unflinching picture of life in the American South, both then and now. The stories in the fourteen songs on the album range from love, loss and longing to celebration, tragedy and triumph. Fulton Blues is rooted in the blues tradition with true story-telling and soulful musicianship. It is the next step in the nearly twenty-year career of today’s most daring and innovative acoustic blues player.
Michael Paul Williams has a piece on the album & the Fulton Memorial Park:
Harris, 43, a native of Colorado and the recipient of a 2007 MacArthur “genius grant,” has lived in the greater Fulton area for three years. He said “Fulton Blues” — which was released Thursday — was inspired by the book “Built by Blacks,” a local history by Selden Richardson that chronicles Fulton’s demise.
I hear about Fulton predating the city and it’s hundreds of years of history, but Rockets Landing is that old but the streets of Fulton were not laid out until 1852 Before that it was part of the Mayo estate. According to the Rocket’s website rocket’s was established in 1730 which is only 3 years before Richmond.
http://www.historyreplaystoday.com/2011/11/fulton-is-born.html
Am I wrong or missing something? I know Rocket’s is in Fulton but it hasn’t been in Fulton for hundreds of years. I guess it is technically true… it seems like it may be stretching the truth.
I live in Fulton Hill so I am not a hater, just confused.
On another note. I am excited to check out this album.
I am truly honored and excited to have had a small part in bringing Fulton and its fate to the attention of Mr. Harris. In fact, I’ve already downloaded the album and am enjoying it right now. Good to hear some bluesy music grounded in Richmond’s history.
Corey Harris will be holding a benefit performance for Fulton Memorial Park, a project of Greater Fulton’s Future and the Neighborhood Resource Center at 7:00 pm on February 11, 2013. The concert will be held at the Byrd Theater and tickets are $15 general admission/$5 for students. Tickets can be purchased online at http://fultonblues.eventbrite.com or at the door the night of the show. For more information, email sarahmccaig@nrccafe.org or call (804) 864-5797.
For those interested in the history of Fulton and the ugly face of “urban renewal”, I highly recommend, The World of Patience Gromes: Making and Unmaking a Black Community by Scott Davis. http://www.amazon.com/The-World-Patience-Gromes-Community/dp/1885942516
This book was recommended to me by Jim DuPriest, an incredible wealth of Richmond and Virginia history.