Musician to perform Civil Rights Movement music next week
Jonathan Blanchard didn’t choose the music path, it chose him.
The artist who interweaves music and history, and strives to spark conversation and research, will return to El Dorado to perform during South Arkansas Community College’s 10th anniversary of African American Family and
Friends day.
The day is part of the college’s African American heritage week, which will be Feb. 10 - 15.
This is the second time the college has brought Blanchard to El Dorado, and Blanchard said he’s excited to be back. He said this time he will perform a history program that is the soundtrack
the Civil Rights Movement, which includes music from Billie Holiday to Mahalia Jackson and Aretha Franklin, from Curtis Mayfield and Sly Stone to Gil Scott-Heron, Marvin Gaye and more. However, Blanchard doesn’t tie himself to one genre.
“I sing whatever feels good, whatever feeds my spirit,” he said.
Blanchard was bitten by the music bug while growing up in the 80s. Although he took piano and violin lessons, neither instrument stuck. In middle and high school, he did acting.
In college, he began his studies in science and found himself in the music room.
“Although I had a knack for science and I enjoyed it, I couldn’t see myself (doing it),” Blanchard said. “It’s not something I had a passion for. I would say I’m passion driven and music had always been my passion.”
He graduated from Tennessee State University with a Bachelors of Science in Commercial Music and a Master of Science in Music Education, and became a full-time musician.
Blanchard said he got started with Negro Spirituals, which are songs created by the Africans who were brought to the United States and sold into slavery.
He said it would be difficult to sing those songs without discussing the history, and that most genres of music descend from those songs. He said certain genres of music are the same as others but with different names.
“R&B is just blues renamed R&B,” Blanchard said.
Blanchard presents his programs to students of all ages, whether it be K-12 or college, as well as for the performing arts.
He said the most challenging aspect of it is to get school administrators to take a chance on artists they’ve never heard of before.
“They… have the responsibility of protecting the students as well as making sure that things are not too overboard,” Blanchard said. “When you’re dealing with anything concerning history and social studies, there’s some not so savory stories that have to be told, and those stories can be offensive or draw on emotions. As an artist you have to be careful of how you show the stories.”
Blanchard said he will make some changes to the wording or approach of his programs and that it really depends on the audience.
His goal with every performance, though, is to expose the audience to the honesty music and art provides, as well as to guide people to think for themselves and ask questions.
“Exposure is everything… my parents made sure I was exposed to as much as they possibly could,” Blanchard said. “Because of the internet and because you can get online… you have access to a lot of stuff, but you may not know (what questions to ask).”
He isn’t the only one on this mission, though. Blanchard said there are a number of artists out there bringing their perspective and educational materials to students, “but no one does it quite like I do.”
Blanchard will perform at 5 p.m. Feb. 11 at the El Dorado Conference Center. The event is open to the public and free to attend.