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Front Porch Music Series
"Tracing the Blues from the Mississippi Delta to Early Rock & Roll"
Hard Times and Mark Morgan
Wednesday, January 18, 6-8 pm
Museum members free, non-members $5
Join us for a this special evening as the Hard Times band and musicologist Mark Morgan take you on a journey from the earliest days of blues and jazz, through western swing, into pre-rock and jump jazz era, and up to the present. Morgan will enlighten us on how the blues is the stylistic glue that has bound popular music from its inception. While he leads us on our musical tour, Hard Times will perform era highlights illustrating the evolution of music over time. You’ll hear songs from Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Louis Jordan, Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, and then into the electric guitar era.

Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Proceeds benefit the Hampton History Museum. Admission is at the door. Doors open at 5:30 pm.

Hard Times 
Danny Fitzgerald does lead vocals and plays the upright bass. Dan has been playing blues, rock and roll and swing music in the Hampton Roads area for over 40 years. He has played with The Little Big Band, The Rhythm Jets, The Usual Suspects, Martha and Triple Threat, and Hard Times. Dan lives in Hampton VA with his wife Hilary and their cat, and is currently the dockmaster for the Hampton City Docks. Bob Dietz plays guitars and does vocals. Bob is retired from the US Army Band program where he served as a guitar player in Heidelberg Germany, Seoul Korea, and Ft Monroe VA among many other assignments.  Bob has played in many area jazz, rock, and blues bands. Bob lives in Hampton VA with his wife Elaine and two dogs.  Jim Torrey is on saxophone, clarinet, flute, and vocals. Jim is retired from the US Army Band program where he served as a clarinet and saxophone player at Ft Monroe VA, Heidelberg Germany, and Seoul Korea. Jim has played in local blues and rock bands including The Little Big Band, The Usual Suspects, and currently Hard Times. Jim currently lives in Hampton VA with his wife Judy and their two cats.

Mark Morgan
Mark is a music educator who has designed and instructed popular music history and world  music courses for Saint Leo University and the Lifelong Learning Society for over fifteen years. Mark holds degrees from Marshall University, Troy University, and Saint Leo University. He is  also a veteran of the United States Army, where he served as a musician. Mark and his wife  Connie, have lived in Hampton for over twenty years.