SUMMER 2026 THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY hosts the energizing empowerment of history…

celebrating the blues as every child’s key to being listened to and respected…

electrified by bluesicians Downtown Charlie Brown, ivy ford, lynne jordan and dee dee hardy, Chicago’s hometown music revealed itself as a uniquely fun and effective exercise in self-affirmation and perfecting life-changing communication skills. SEE FOR YOURSELF HOW THIS UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY THROUGH BLUES HISTORY, language twisting AND STORYTELLING CAN HELP EVERY KID HONOR AND ELEVATE THE AMAZING POTENTIAL OF HER/HIS/THEIR IDENTITY.

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This letter, from Anne Glass of the Brooklyn Music School, is tremendous validation that “The Blues Parade” has been right on target in the attempt to translate the lessons of the blues into practical, kid-friendly strategies to help every child find, and share her/his/their voice with the world.

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as the blues parade

descends from the sky,

best pals Pork chop

and one-nose willie’s

magical encounters with

the howlin’ wolf, lightnin’

hopkins, koko taylor,

little walter and the

legends of American music

bring to life a journey

you never will - and never

should - forget. shared in

authentic blues verse by

terry abrahamson, muddy

waters’grammy-winning

songwriter, the blues

parade is a coffee table

treasure, a springboard

to learning, and a

wondrous and whimsical

reminder of the power of

song, imagination and art

as a tool for survival.

About the Book

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PORK CHOP & WILLIE’S

ADVENTURE IS A TALE OF THE

american spirit. 32 pages

of larger-than-life

characters whose legacy

never fails to remind us

of the limitless power of

hope and imagination.

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The

booksibition

in july 2022, The blues parade brought “the booksibition” to family week in provincetown, ma, where everyone got a blues name, everyone helped write a blues song, and we all learned how to use whimsy, imagination and swagger - the same tools first used in the cotton fields in defiance of white supremacy - to find our voices and share them with the world.

Joanne gets her autographed copy

welcome picnic W CRAIG & HEAD HONCHO LIZ

LOVIN’ THE CHANCE TO PAY HOMAGE TO THE QUEEN OF THE BLUES, MZ KOKO TAYLOR

THEIR OWN BLUES NAMES AND A BOOK!

TUNING UP - ALL THREE CHORDS

THE MIGHTY ARAN WRITES HIS BLUES SONG; MY ALL TIME FAVORITE COLLABORATOR…..

….MAYBE AFTER THIS GUY: MUDDY WATERS.

MAXINE GETS HER BLUES NAME.

 

IN THE BEGINNING…..

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 Step into history as the

larger-than-life pages of

The Blues Parade surround

you, gallery style, inviting

you, your family, class or

group to join Pork Chop and

One-Nose Willie, walking

hand in hand with the giants

of American Music.

The Booksibition comes

as a 34-piece gallery

package of 24 x 18 canvases

with springboard

study guides.

Terry Abrahamson is 

available to lead your group

through the Booksibition,

sharing his tales of a life

in The Blues, and signing

your book with

a personalized

song-lyric autograph.

in celebration of African

american history month,

on february 8, 2020

the chicago public library

hosted the gala

global premiere of

the booksibition

at the library’s

uptown branch.

the crowd - including

the daughters of

koko taylor &

Howlin’ wolf -

joined terry for a

“walk thru the book,”

as iconic chicago

bluesicians

oscar wilson

Billy Flynn & ken smith

performed

the delta blues,

chicago blues

and rock & roll.

here are some

photos from that

historic event.

Bronzeville arts icon aki antonia grabs her copy of the blues parade

Bronzeville arts icon aki antonia grabs her copy of the blues parade

Terry with bettye kelly, one of the daughters of the legendary howlin’ wolf, the first blues singer terry ever saw back in 1969.

Terry with bettye kelly, one of the daughters of the legendary howlin’ wolf, the first blues singer terry ever saw back in 1969.

Oscar wilson, Billy Flynn, Terry, Bettye Kelly, Cookie Taylor and Kenny “beedy eyes” smith

Oscar wilson, Billy Flynn, Terry, Bettye Kelly, Cookie Taylor and Kenny “beedy eyes” smith

Terry with chicago bluesician, kenny ‘beedy Eyes” smith, who’s dad, Willie “big eyes” smith, pictured here on page 14, was muddy waters’ drummer before embarking on an illustrious solo career. Willie played drums on the recordings of “electric man,”…

Terry with chicago bluesician, kenny ‘beedy Eyes” smith, who’s dad, Willie “big eyes” smith, pictured here on page 14, was muddy waters’ drummer before embarking on an illustrious solo career. Willie played drums on the recordings of “electric man,” “Unk in Funk” and “bus driver,” three muddy waters songs written by muddy and terry.

as mick jagger prepares to take a bite out of her shoulder, Cookie taylor admires her mom, Koko Taylor, celebrated on the walls of the chicago public library.

as mick jagger prepares to take a bite out of her shoulder, Cookie taylor admires her mom, Koko Taylor, celebrated on the walls of the chicago public library.

As the city flag flies overhead, the booksibition banner heralds the culmination of a three year labor of love.

As the city flag flies overhead, the booksibition banner heralds the culmination of a three year labor of love.

TEACHER JIM WAS SO IMPRESSED, HE’S RETURNING WITH HIS SIXTH GRADE CLASS!

TEACHER JIM WAS SO IMPRESSED, HE’S RETURNING WITH HIS SIXTH GRADE CLASS!

A dad shares some important history lessons with his son.

A dad shares some important history lessons with his son.

On page one alone, there are references to three classic blues songs and three bluesicians. How many can you name?

On page one alone, there are references to three classic blues songs and three bluesicians. How many can you name?

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Meet Terry

Terry with Muddy waters, 1973

Terry with Muddy waters, 1973

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inthebellyoftheblues.com




Terry's

BluesLoveFest

CBS-TV’S “THE TRIALS OF ROSIE O’NEILL”

‘ROSIE GETS THE BLUES’

WRITTEN BY TERRY ABRAHAMSON

CLIP 1 - THE SONG

CLIP 2 - THE CLOSING ARGUMENT

contact/shop

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THE BLUES PARADE

Hard Cover. 34 Pages.  8.5 x 11

Over 60 Bluesicians. 400

years of History, Heroes and

a Whole Lotta Music.

Plus, give us a little

personal info and we’ll

give you a personalized

song-lyric autograph.


$17.99 + tax, shipping

& handling

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IN THE BELLY OF THE BLUES

Part of the permanent

collection of the Rock &

Roll Hall of Fame. 

Hardcover 8.5 x 11, over 100

never-before-seen photos

of 

the Rolling Stones

Muddy Waters

Howlin’ Wolf

koko taylor

George Thorogood

John Lee Hooker

B.B. King

Freddie king

taj mahal

johnny winter

and more.

Plus the never-told and

always entertaining tales of

some truly unique moments 

in the history of the Blues,

including:

• The Rolling Stones‘

night with Muddy Waters

and Willie Dixon

• The recording of

John Lee Hooker’s

first radio commercial

• George Thorogood’s

Boston Celtics Fight Song

session

It’s a fun and insightful

backstage pass into the

world of the artists who

got us all rockin’ & rollin’.

$30.00 + tax, shipping

& handling

TO CONTACT TERRY OR TO BOOK/SCHEDULE AN EVENT, FILL OUt THE following FORM

study guide/Links

NOTE: The roots, history and

impact of The Blues spans

more than 400 years. Please

be patient while we build a

Study Guide that honors this

history with the detail,

accuracy and respect

it deserves.

Links:

big llou johnson

BIG LLOU JOHNSON

MARCIA BALL

la ti da

HOWLIN’ WOLF


  • Johnny Winter

bukka white

bukka white newport ‘66



kenny “Beedy Eyes” smith

what in the world

ROB STONE

dr. martin luther king

The “I Have a Dream”

speech

medgar evers

martyr of the civil

rights movement

thurgood marshall

brown vs the board

of education

fannie lou hamer

The struggle for

the right to vote

a. philip randolph

hero of the civil

rights movement

Rosa Parks

Interview about her

historic bus ride


johnny young

jimmy rogers