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Blues guitarist returns for Q-C residency
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He has played with Professor Longhair and Clifton Chenier, and has visited the Quad-Cities five times to perform and teach. Now, thanks to a grant from the Riverboat Development Authority, New Orleans-based blues guitarist and educator Spencer Bohren will kick off the Mississippi Valley Blues Society's 2009-2010 Blues in the Schools Artists-in-Residence series next week. He will conduct workshops at area schools and offer three free public performances: -- Tuesday, Nov. 10, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at Center for Active Seniors, 1034 W. Kimberly Road, Davenport. -- Wednesday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m., at Mojo's, River Music Experience, 129 Main St., Davenport. -- Friday, Nov. 13, 4-5 p.m., at the Davenport Public Library, 3000 N. Fairmount St. Mr. Bohren, 59, was born and raised in Wyoming, where he sang in a family choir that performed in churches, schools and nursing homes. He acquired his first guitar at 14 and began to study the blues, listening intently to all the music he could get his hands on and integrating it into his guitar playing. He spent hours poring over albums, learning the name of every musician, producer, label and songwriter. In 1968, he began playing in the duo Eagle Ridin' Papa, named after a Big Bill Broonzy song and featuring the music of the Mississippi Sheiks, Bo Carter, Robert Johnson, Skip James, Snooks Eaglin and other legendary blues musicians. Mr. Bohren moved to New Orleans in 1975, where he began performing regularly in clubs such as Tipitina's and the Absinthe Bar. Often he was paired with legends Professor Longhair, Earl King, Clifton Chenier or James Booker. In 1983, he launched a seven-year tour all over the U.S. with his family in an Airstream trailer towed by his 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air. He later toured extensively in Europe and Japan. As an educator, Mr. Bohren has 20 years of experience conducting workshops for children of all ages throughout the U.S., Belgium, and Germany. He has been teaching students how to play guitar for five years and hosts a regular guitar workshop in New Orleans. This is Mr. Bohren's sixth visit to the Quad-Cities since 1989 to perform and teach blues music. -- Jonathan Turner 
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