Kenneth and Kenne — Image by Mary
I was able to spend a few hours with Kenneth and Mary, re “Ken and Mary’s Blues Project” on Monday.
They are friends we try to spend some time with when we are visiting in the Houston area — love you guys!
— kenne
Archive for the ‘Porter Texas’ Tag
Blues Brothers 4 comments
Black Man Leave a comment
‘Black Man’ — Photo-Artistry by kenne
‘We pledge allegiance
All our lives
To the magic colors
Red, blue, and white
But we all must be given
The liberty that we defend
For with justice not for all men
History will repeat again
It’s time we learned
This world was made for all men’
— from Black Man by Stevie Wonder
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Singer-songwriter, Guthrie Kennard 2 comments
Guthrie Kennard at Ken & Mary’s Blues Project (October 15, 2013) — Image by kenne
In October of 2013, we were visiting family and friends in the Houston area. The timing was great since we could
attend one of Ken & Mary’s Blues Projects in Porter, Texas. The headliners for this event were Guthrie Kennard and Julie Bonk.
I just learned that Dallas singer-songwriter Guthrie has cancer and is undergoing radiation. However, it hasn’t stopped him;
he’s out on the road doing shows. Guthrie, may the force be with you.
attend one of Ken & Mary’s Blues Projects in Porter, Texas. The headliners for this event were Guthrie Kennard and Julie Bonk.
I just learned that Dallas singer-songwriter Guthrie has cancer and is undergoing radiation. However, it hasn’t stopped him;
he’s out on the road doing shows. Guthrie, may the force be with you.
— kenne
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The Blues Is Poetry 2 comments
Ken and Mary Dancing to Porterdavis (October 2007) — Image by kenne
You Don’t Have to Go
Whoa, babyYou don’t have ta go
Whoa, babyYou don’t have ta go
I’m gonna pack up darlin’Down the road I go
Well now, I give you all my moneyThen ya go downtown,An’ you get back in the evenin’Told me, walked down town
Whoa baby, you don’t have ta goI’m gonna pack up darlin’Down the road I go
Whoa baby, honey what’s wrong wich’ you?Whoa baby, honey what’s wrong wich’ you?Well you don’t treat me darlin’, like you used to do
Two Years Later, Porterdavis was back in Porter, Texas, at The Ken & Mary Blues Project Doing A Muddy Waters Cover, “Can’t Be Satisfied.”
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Remembering Mike Durbin 3 comments
Mike Durbin Talking To Blues Friends (Ken & Mary’s Blues Project, May 2017) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
The Blues Project
They called it a project,
a Blues Project, but really,
it was a party — a party for
family and friends to share
happy times, talk about living life,
and a love for good old blues music.
Once this party began
there would be no stopping it,
even when forced undercover
of rain, friends laugh and
talk about déjà vu the
evening had become.
Just sitting on the front porch
doing that front porch thing
telling stories now embellished
by all the good times dancing
and singing the night away
in the woods off Old Houston Road.
The Blues Project may be over
so listen, the night will lead you
to the music, the stories told,
and smile one more time
for each house concert was just a
rehearsal for what our tomorrow’s will bring.
— kenne
Kenneth Harris shares the story of how Ken & Mary’s Blues Project came about. (May 20, 2017)
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Blues Project Revisited Leave a comment
Ken & Mary’s Blues Project with Ashton Savoy & The Moe Hansum Band (10/18/02) — Image by kenne
Kenneth and Mary Harris produced house concerts for family and friends
for over two decades in the piney woods of East Texas —
“House concerts are our life
House concerts are our everything
House concerts give us joy
House concerts keep us happy
House concerts keep us dancing.”
— kenne
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Ken & Mary’s Blues Project — A Flashback Leave a comment
Ken & Mary’s Blues Project (11/16/09) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
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Ken & Mary’s Blues Project: Part V — Tighten Up Leave a comment
Archie Bell, Ken and Mary Harris (May 20, 2017) Image by kenne
Video by kenne
Hi everybody
I’m Archie Bell of the Drells, from Houston, Texas
We don’t only sing
But we dance just as good as we walk
In Houston, we just started a new dance
Called the Tighten Up
This is the music we tighten up with
First tighten up on the drums
Come on now, drummer
I want you to tighten it up for me now, oh, yeah
Tighten up on that bass now
Tighten it up, ha, ha, yeah
Now let that guitar fall in
Oh, yeah . . . (click here for all the lyrics)
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Just Sitting On The Front Porch 2 comments
Computer Painting by kenne
The Blues Project
They called it a project,
a Blues Project, but really,
it was a party — a party for
family and friends to share
happy times, talk about living life,
and a love for good old blues music.
Once this party began
there would be no stopping it,
even when forced undercover
of rain, friends laugh and
talk about déjà vu the
evening had become.
Just sitting on the front porch
doing that front porch thing
telling stories now embellished
by all the good times dancing
and singing the night away
in the woods off Old Houston Road.
The Blues Project may be over
so listen if the night will lead you
to the music, the stories told
and smile a smile one more time
for each Project was just a rehearsal
for what our tomorrows will bring.
— kenne
Kenneth Harris shares the story of how Ken & Mary’s Blues Project came about. (May 20, 2017)
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Blues Project — Part II 1 comment
Ken & Mary’s Blues Project — The Last Waltz
Computer Art by kenne
Down the east Texas road,
there is rain in the wind
as the musicians’ setup
for an evening of the blues
with friends gathering
the last time at
Ken and Mary’s Blues Project,
the best house concert ever.
In recent years we’ve missed
some of the concerts in
the woods having moved
to the desert southwest,
then last February, we received
word of the “Last Waltz”
for the Blues Project —
plans were made immediately.
With Coleman cooler,
yard chairs and
cameras in tow
we walked over old
bottle caps toward the
Blues Project stage,
to be greeted with
hugs and kisses — Welcome!
Mary announced the food
was ready, and Ken shared some
background on the beginning
of what became the Blues Project.
Not long after the music began,
lighting lit up the darkening clouds
with thunder adding to
the magical evening.
Other than an occasional
drop or two, the music played on
until, as if the plug was pulled,
the dark sky began to fall.
A rain delay was called
as the tarps were brought out
to covered the equipment.
Using our smartphones
we could see radar showing
the rain would be lasting
for an hour or more.
As has happened in the past,
the musicians gathered inside
to continue an evening of music.
Most of those who remained
were inside or on outside porches,
knowing the best of the evening
was yet to come —
jamming the night away
on a hot, humid night
in the piney woods of east Texas.
It may be the last waltz
for the Blues Project
but that doesn’t mean
the party is over,
the music still plays on
and on, and on — may
we stay forever young.
We’ve got to go, but our friends will stick around.
— kenne
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Moe Hansum Band @ Ken & Mary’s Blues Project — The Last Waltz, 2017 Part I Leave a comment
The blues is life itself.
— Billy Gibbons
Images and Video by kenne
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Memories of East Texas 2 comments
Ken & Mary’s Blues Project (On a humid east Texas night the rain forced everyone to move inside) —
Images and Video by kenne (Flickr Images)
Memories of East Texas keep drafting
over Arizona mountains
headed to El Paso, San Antonio, Houston
where BBQ smoke floats
through the piney woods
and blues music heals the soul
to make up the conscious past
with the Last Waltz of
Ken and Mary’s Blue Project.
Over time we have learned
all good things must
come to an end;
things we enjoy,
things we find comforting,
things we love
all eventually come to an end —
“To everything, there is a season, and
a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
Now it’s time to head on down the highway
to once again experience the blues at the crossroads —
“Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
— kenne
Darkness settled over Ken & Mary’s Blues Project as Sonny Boy Terry and Rich DelGrosso finished their set, October 17, 2009, Porter, Texas.
Original Stage at Ken & Mary’s Blues Project (August 2005)
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A Blast From The Past 3 comments
“A Blast From The Past” Ken & Mary’s Blues Project, December 2003 — Image by kenne
Sadly, several of those playing in this Ken & Mary’s Blues Project house concert are no longer with us — those were the days with some of the best blues ever coming out of east Texas.
In the piney woods
Rhythm and lots of the blues
Jamming through the night.
kenne
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Capturing The Moment — East Texas Blues Leave a comment
East Texas Blues (Ken & Mary’s Blues Project, August 20, 2005) — Image by kenne
When I got them north Texas blues
Thought I’d paid all my dues
Then them south Texas blues
Told me son you ain’t through
Had them east Texas blues
And them west Texas too
I’ve done all I know to do
Tryin’ to lose, tryin’ to lose
These lone star blues
— from “Lone Star Blues” lyrics by Delbert McClinton
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Jamming at Ken & Mary’s Blues Project 2 comments
George Bearishill, Guthrie Kennard and Julie Bonk jamming at Ken & Mary’s Blues Project, October, 2013 — Image by kenne
Video by kenne
Related articles
- “Just Through Loving You” – Julie Bonk (kenneturner.com)
- “Down In A Country Town — Porter Texas (kenneturner.com)
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