When school children hear Rev. Robert Jones play Son House’s ‘Death Letter Blues’, they are immediately transported into the life of the Delta Blues legend, but a few seconds later they are made aware that modern rap is based in the same structure that House helped to pioneer. Jones’ presentations emphasize the evolution of African-American traditional music from the spiritual into the Blues, and from Blues into everything else. Jones, a full time Baptist pastor in Detroit, has taught and lectured for over 15 years at Wayne State University, Loyola, and the University of Mississippi, among others. In addition, he has taken his unique presentation to into grammar, middle and high schools all over the country. Jones works primarily in the Midwest, but wherever he travels, his sense of humor, engaging storytelling, broad knowledge of Blues history and skills as a multi-instrumentalist makes his presentation a winner with audiences of all ages. In 2005-2006, the Mississippi Valley Blues Society brought Rev. Jones to the Quad City area for a series of 12 very successful workshops.
