The River and the Rousters

Middle of Everywhere

What things does a paddlewheel steamboat bring to your mind? Is a “roustabout” one of them? They may not be so familiar but there is a treasury of music surrounding the Black men and women who worked on steamboats in the last two centuries. These roustabouts and chambermaids had tough jobs, and music was one of the things that helped them get through it. We’ll hear and talk about the music of the roustabouts and keeping their history alive.

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