Sheldon Gallery Features Legends of St. Louis Blues Exhibit Through 8/28

The Sheldon Art Galleries presents Legends of St. Louis Blues Music, through August 28, 2010 in the History of Jazz Gallery. Gallery Hours are Tuesdays, Noon - 8 p.m.; Wednesdays - Fridays, Noon - 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. and one hour prior to Sheldon performances and during intermission. Admission is free. For more information on the exhibition visit the galleries' website at www.thesheldon.org/galleries.asp. The exhibition is made possible by Kenneth and Nancy Kranzberg , The Engelhardt Family Foundation, and Steve and Andi Schankman.

Organized by the Sheldon Art Galleries, the exhibition Legends of St. Louis Blues Music tells the story of the rich history of blues music in St. Louis through biographies on key musicians, illustrations by Kevin Belford, photographs by Jennifer Silverberg, Charley Taylor, Bob Shelli and Photo Joe, ephemera, recordings and memorabilia such as Johnnie Johnson's electric piano, among other rarities. Building on its key role in ragtime music, St. Louis was a gathering place for early blues musicians like Roosevelt Sykes, Peetie Wheatstraw, Henry Townsend, and Victoria Spivey, among other luminaries. This exhibition uncovers important St. Louis musicians, songs and blues music styles that have influenced our musical heritage, including jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock and roll, and a continually evolving blues tradition. This exhibition uncovers and celebrates important St. Louis blues musicians and songs, and shows how blues music has influenced our musical heritage, including jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll.

The not-for-profit Sheldon Art Galleries exhibits works by local, national, and International Artists in all media. Over 6,000 square feet of the galleries' spaces on the 2nd floor are permanently devoted to rotating exhibits of photography, architecture, jazz art and history, and children's art. A sculpture garden, seen from both the atrium lobby and the connecting glass bridge, features periodic rotations and installations, and the Nancy Spirtas Kranzberg Gallery on the lower level features art of all media. The Sheldon actively supports the work of St. Louis artists in all mediums and features a dedicatEd Gallery with museum-quality exhibits by St. Louis artists, past and present.

Financial Assistance for this project has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. Support is provided by the Regional Arts Commission and the Arts and Education Council. The exhibition in St. Louis is made possible by Kenneth and Nancy Kranzberg.