Musicians providing streaming shows

As we continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic, the blues community continues to keep their spirits up with live shows online. Keep an eye out as more and more get added.

The John Lamb Show is on Facebook Live, as he puts it, “every Wednesday until this crap is over.” For music, to chat or call in, use 350-504-9989. Connect on https:// www.facebook.com /events/149435933053568/

Also check it out, The 5 O’Clocks on Spotify.

⏩ The Middletown Music Festival is a celebration of the wellspring of original music and art in Connecticut. They are a nonprofit organization and this year’s event is supported by a grant from The Middletown Commission on the Arts. Tentative dates are June 5-6; the lineup is being discussed. More information to come.

Tim Duffy of the Music Maker Relief Foundation writes, “Times are tough right now and the Music Maker staff is hard at work ensuring that our partner artists have

Tommy Castro performed on Can't Stop The Blues.

groceries and medicine. We wanted to share some ways that you can entertain yourself during these trying times and maybe find some inspiration through the powerful lives and music of these important musicians.”

Duffy suggests watching their feature length documentary “Toot Blues” or check out the 300-plus videos on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ musicmakerrelieffoundation

Check out a digital version of their photography exhibition “We Are the Music Makers!”: http:// www.wearethemusicmakers .org/exhibition-supplement/

“If the blues teaches us anything, it is how to persevere. We need arts and culture now more than ever,” Duffy said.

⏩ The Blues Foundation established the COVID-19 Blues Musician Emergency Relief Fund to provide immediate resources to full-time blues musicians whose revenue streams have been severely diminished by the current coronavirus pandemic. The fund is intended for blues musicians for whom performing makes up the bulk of their income and who have no other outlets for work. A professional blues musician with financial need will be considered for an award by the Fund Committee based on the subjective merits of their application and financial need. Award amounts are intended to assist primarily with immediate essential needs such as food, rent/ mortgage, utilities, phone and car payments.

Requests for funding should be made by contacting The Blues Foundation directly. Upon contacting the Foundation, you will be asked to complete a short application form that will be reviewed by a committee. To request funding please contact: Elizabeth Montgomery Brown at elizabeth@blues.org

All funds donated to the COVID-19 Blues Musician Emergency Relief Fund go to artist relief efforts. Contributions may be made online or by sending a check to: The Blues Foundation (COVID-19), 421 South Main, Memphis, TN 38103.

⏩ Fender is offering three months of free guitar lessons so you can learn in lockdown. “We’re all going to be spending a lot more time inside — so we might as well make some noise,” said Ben Kaye. The company is offering free threemonth subscriptions to the first 100,000 new subscribers to their Fender Play platform. The service provides instructional videos to teach guitar, bass, and ukulele based on a personal style preference and instrument choice.

⏩ London is using coronavirus closures to restore the Abbey Road crosswalk. It had been looking pretty rough in recent years. Ever since The Beatles used that street for the cover of their final album, millions of tourists have gone to visit the Abbey Road Studios. Often taking pictures of themselves stepping into traffic, often causing unsafe conditions.

With the global coronavirus pandemic keeping everyone at home, Abbey Road hasn’t seen this few tourists since The Beatles made it famous in the first place. London officials took advantage of everyone sheltering at home, restoring the crosswalk with a fresh coat of paint.

U.S. lawmakers voted on a stimulus bill that for the first time includes relief funds for gig workers, creating momentum for future benefits.

Dom Forcella / Contributed photo