Historical June 1991 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Friends and neighbors! Dust off your lawn chairs and picnic baskets and mark your calendars for the month-long festival of music at Four Corners Plaza, Kingsbury at DesPeres.
On four consecutive Sundays from 4-6 p.m., the West End Arts Council, the Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council and radio’s KDHX will sponsor music on the plaza by a wide variety of St. Louis musicians.
The festival is designed to celebrate the talent and diversity of our city with music ranging from jazz to bluegrass, to gospel and blues.
In addition, Lori Diefenbacker, celebrated children’s recording artist will give a special performance for children and families on Saturday, June 15 at 10:30 a.m.
The Willie Akins Ensemble will perform the first concert on June 2nd. One of St. Louis’ foremost jazz musicians, Willie Akins plays tenor and soprano saxophone.
For many St. Louis jazz listeners, Akins is the master jazz stylist in the city.
He always plays with remarkable consistency, leading the listener through a demonstration of his wide-ranging versatility on the saxophone.
He moves easily from a lyrical interpretation of Ellington’s “Sophisticated Lady” to hard bop, a bubbly bossa and the blues.
Most importantly, Akins performs in a style that is distinctly his own, in a voice ever graceful, helping to keep the rich tradition of this music alive in our city.
On Sunday, June 9. the Plaza will echo with the distinctive blues of Doc Terry and the Pirates. Born in Sunflower, Mississippi in 1921, Terry Adail, more commonly known in the blues world as Doc Terry, started to play the harmonica at the age of 12.
He has been active in the blues scene since the late 40’s playing at times in his career with blues legends: Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Yank Rachel, and Henry Townsend.
He has written and recorded such songs as “Things Can’t Stay the Same,” “Dr. Boogie,” “Rock with Doc” and “Hoo-Do Blues.” Doc currently performs with his band Doc Terry and the Pirates which features Patti Thomas, vocals, Thomas Johnson on lead guitar, Nathaniel Thomas on drums, Johnnie Coleman on Keyboard and Don Westerholt on bass. Doc has been playing blues in St. Louis for over 40 years and is today considered an integral part of our St. Louis music heritage. Curtis Buckhannon and the ILLMO Boys will set your feet tapping on June 16th with traditional old-time fiddle and ragtime tunes. Buckhannon was born and raised in Ferguson.
He and his brother, Dennis, formed one of the earliest and longest-lasting old-time string bands in the area, “Cousin Curtis and the Cash Rebates.” They have performed throughout Missouri from the early 70’s and have become popular radio and TV entertainers appearing on Channel 9, KDHX. KCLC and KWMU. Buckhannon now plays a lot of mandolin with the “ILL-MO Boys” and the June 16th performance promises to be a lively combination of the two groups. Rick Hibbs from the original “Cash Rebates” will be playing the banjo and guitar. Geoff Seitz, once of the “Cash Rebates” and now with the “ILL-MO Boys” will play fiddle. Geoff is also an accomplished violin maker with his own shop here in St. Louis. Buckhannon will round out the trio for some foot-stompin’, down-home string band music.
On June 23rd recording artist and gospel vocalist Michael Johnson will perform with guest artist Zella Jackson Price. Minister Johnson is a St. Louis native who released his first album in 1985 entitled “The Michael Johnson Singers, A Worldwide Singing Ministry.” This recording received national and international recognition from the “Midem Music Festival” in Cannes. France and magazines such as Cashbox, Black Radio Exclusive, and Billboard.
He has worked musically and vocally with such artists as Luther Ingram, Lois Snead, The O’Neal Twins, and Zella Jackson Price. Recently Michael Johnson rehearsed his first solo recording entitled “I’m Happy With Jesus Alone.” In addition to the four Sunday concerts, Lori Diefenbacher will perform specially for families and children on Saturday, June 15 at 10:30 a.m. Lori is an entertainer and singer who has two cassette tapes out for children: These are My Shoes and Nature Sings!
Her musical background started in her early years and today she sings and plays a variety of unusual musical instruments including the guitar, musical saw, jaw harp, and spoons. Lori also has a Master of Arts in Teaching and has taught Spanish and Environmental Education for all ages.
She just finished teaching a course, “Making Music in the Classroom” for a graduate program at Webster University. And she is writing a book with her sister, Wendy Hyman, for Harper and Row entitled “Singing USA: A Springboard to Culture.” When asked about her work she says, “What sets me apart from other children’s songwriters is that I don’t try to pretend I’m a kid or that I know what’s going on in the minds of kids.
I try to present music to kids in what I consider a mainstream or adult way.” Whatever your tastes in music may be, there is something for you in June on the Four Corners Plaza (Kingsbury at DesPeres). Bring your friends and neighbors to hear some of St. Louis’ finest musicians. Bring your picnics and lawn chairs to relax and enjoy SkinkerDeBaliviere on summer Sunday evenings.
All concerts are free and open to the public. Donations to help us raise required matching funds will be greatly appreciated.
For more information call 862-5122, weekdays.
Original photograph caption
Willie Akins. Photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, June 1991.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Lori Diefenbacher in body, caption Laurie Diefenbacher; originalnamevariantretained.
Original source: SD_Times1991_06.pdf, printed page(s) 4, 5; PDF page(s) 4, 5.
