Bluesman Otis Taylor to honor civil rights workers

Bluesman Otis Taylor will perform during the upcoming conference, "Unsettling Memories: Culture and Trauma in the Deep South." The event—which will be held at Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss.—honors the lives of Civil Rights Workers James Earl Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner on the 40th anniversary of their deaths.

Unsettling Memories occurs from June 15-21 during "Juneteenth" the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery. For more info, visit www.tulane.edu/~memories.

Taylor, the only musician performing during the convention, is noted for his Afrocentric themes and "gimlet-eyed lyrics about race relations in America" (New Yorker). His songs relate issues of the past from a contemporary perspective, making him an appropriate guest for the Usettling Memories convention.

Taylor also has a new CD, Double V (Telarc Records), and the title is indicative of the civil rights movement. "After World War II," Taylor explains, "the black soldiers would hold up their hands and make a 'V' out of their middle and index fingers. This stood for victory at home and in Europe. The 'V' is also indicative of the blacks' unremitting fight for the right to vote."

Conference attendees can expect to hear a healthy dose of material from Double V, including songs like "Please Come Home Before It Rains," "Mama's Selling Heroin" and "Buy Myself Some Freedom."

Taylor's music is often inspired by his unconventional childhood. "On all my records," he says, "the subject of struggles is often discussed from a historical perspective. But on Double V, a lot of the songs take an internal approach and reveal some of what I experienced as a kid. See, now you'll know why I am the way I am."

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