RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – The Library of Virginia will present a free music performance and book talk on Jimmie Strother and the Virginia songster tradition on Friday, March 7, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in its Lecture Hall.  

Author and historian Gregg D. Kimball will explore the world of songster James Lee “Jimmie” Strother, based on his new book, “Searching for Jimmie Strother: A Tale of Music, Murder and Memory.” Strother epitomized the itinerant musicians who roamed the city streets and byways of the upper South through songs recorded during his time at the Virginia State Prison Farm by famed folklorist John Lomax for the Library of Congress in 1936. Kimball will illuminate Strother’s troubled life and compelling music through images, recordings and live performance with bandmates Rick Manson and Sheryl Warner and demonstrate how Strother’s influence lives on. A book signing will follow the program.

Strother’s songs have been covered by artists such as Pete Seeger and Jefferson Airplane, and he has gained a new audience among young African American musicians who are now recovering and exploring the roots of American music. 

Kimball is the former director of Library of Virginia’s Public Services and Outreach division.

Registration is required at https://lva-virginia.libcal.com/event/13801663. Limited free parking is available underneath the Library at 800 East Broad Street. 

ABOUT THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA 
The Library of Virginia is the state’s oldest institution dedicated to the preservation of Virginia’s history and culture. Our online offerings attract nearly 4 million website visits per year, and our resources, exhibitions and events bring in nearly 100,000 visitors each year. The Library’s collections, containing more than 130 million items, document and illustrate the lives of both famous Virginians and ordinary citizens. The Library is located in downtown Richmond near Capitol Square at 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Learn more at www.lva.virginia.gov.

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