“Bonnie Blue: James Cotton’s Life in the Blues” – documentary and performances

RI Slave History Medallions presents Bonnie Blue-James Cotton’s Life in the Blues”.

The documentary about Blues Icon, James Cotton, is entitled “Bonnie Blue-James Cotton’s Life in the Blues”.  Bonnie Blue was the name of the plantation where Cotton was born and where he worked as a youngster. The film is not strictly a bio-pic as we also explore the challenges Cotton faced as a nine year old orphan in the segregated Deep South who had absolutely nothing but a harmonica and went on to become an International Blues Icon.

The film was the fifth-place finalist, nationwide, in The Library of Congress Ken Burns Prize for Film in 2021 which came with a 25K award.  The film also came in second place in the International Black Film Festival in Nashville where it was screened at The National Museum of African American Music. We have screened in Boston, Providence, Mill Valley, Nashville, Woodstock NY, and London UK among others, and we have been accepted in Clarksdale MS (the home of The Blues) and also accepted in Tel-Aviv Israel.

The band features Christine Ohlman – The Beehive Queen – from Saturday Night Live who has been the singer on that show for over 20 years. The drummer, Marty Richards, played with Rhode Island’s Roomful of Blues and Duke Robillard, and did a five year stint with the J. Geils Band. The bassist, David Hull is also a member of the Joe Perry Project and has played with Joe Cocker and did 4 tours as the bass player for Aerosmith.  The guitarist, George McCann, is simply the best in the business and has played with Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi in the Blues Brothers Band.

The movie is about an hour and a half so the performance afterwards will be only about 30 minutes. The music should reflect the music from the film so we will be doing Blues and Roots music. 

Kara McKee will sing a rockabilly or a blues song something bluesy by Bonnie Raitt.

Kara is the daughter of Governor Dan McKee. After years of auditions, she was finally chosen to appear on “The Voice” in 2022 coached by John Legend. She did not win but she is still interested in a career in the musical field.

For Black History Month, the RI Slave History Medallions presents the award-winning documentary film “Bonnie Blue: James Cotton’s Life in the Blues” on Sunday, February 26, 7PM at the Casino Theatre, 10 Freebody St., Newport.  Cotton, a virtuoso harmonica player, who brought the blues to worldwide prominence has been screened internationally and co-produced by James Montgomery.  

A live performance follows the film by the James Montgomery Blues Band with special guests Beehive Queen, Christine Ohlman and singer Kara McKee from The Voice. Doors open 6pmwith free appetizers and cash bar.  

Tickets are $40 available online at Eventbrite.com, RISHM.org website, or at the door.