chris thomas king is an award winning author, and public speaker.
“an untold authentic counternarrative blues history, the first written by an African american blues artist.”
I’ve toured the world as a musician but now I’m booked often as an author, public speaker, and lecturer. I’ve lectured on college campuses such as the University of Chicago, William and Mary, LSU, and Xavier. My book tours include libraries and museums. I love giving book talks and I plan to continue releasing books and public speaking. My book The Blues made it possible for the authentic musical and cultural story of American music to be told for the first time.
I’ve recently been invited to lecture at several universities. I’ve lectured at Louisiana State University, Nicholls University, Xavier University, the University of Chicago, and William & Mary to name a few. Also, I’ve hosted book talks at several bookstores, libraries, and museums.
I’m excited about the work my non-profit The Blues Origin Institute is doing to develop a new expanded history of Louisiana African American Musical Heritage that has long been ignored.
I founded a non-profit The Blues Origin Institute. An organization that is tailor-made to be a great source of information and provide guidance to projects such as the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail and other programs.
I’ve invested my own resources into investigating the origins of blues, jazz, and all of Louisiana’s music for over 20 years. With The Blues Origin Institute, we hope to raise funds that will help us to grow.
I have collected in my travels numerous primary interviews and archival information. I’ve studied and interrogated the folk curriculums of Ivy League schools such as Harvard. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, my years of research included digitized black newspapers and magazines of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Court records and other primary sources that most folklorists and sociologist have either ignored, obfuscated, or overlooked. Additionally, there is no substitute for growing up in the culture and coming of age in my father’s juke joint, Tabby’s Blues Box and Heritage Hall
After doing a book talk and signing in New Orleans at the Tennessee Williams Festival, I celebrated at a reception at a friend's uptown home.
My research was published in my book 'The Blues the Authentic Narrative of My Music and Culture.' The book was published by Chicago Review Press. It is academically sound. The book contains more than three hundred citations and notes.
In October of 2023, my speaking tour made it to Louisiana State University.
After my lecture at LSU, I celebrated with my faculty hosts.
Notice the Tabby's Blues Box T-Shirts. Very cool.
The Blues, The Authentic Narrative of My Music and Culture is available in bookstores nation wide. It can be ordered at Amazon, too.
The book won a prestigious award. (Chris Thomas King’s book, "The Blues: The Authentic Narrative of My Music and Culture" was the East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s One Book One Community selection for 2023.)
The Blues Origin Institute
In addition, I founded a Blues After School program that is now known as the West Baton Rouge Blues After School program. It is a program I continue to support through The Blues Origin Institute and I hope to duplicate it across the state.
At the WBR Museum's juke joint doing a book talk with the Blues After School students.
WBR Museum has created a great space for the program. In this space, I play music with the students and sometimes I talk about the history.
I’m excited about the work my non-profit 'The Blues Origin Institute' is doing to develop a new and expanded history of African American Musical Heritage that has long been ignored.
In the background picture of Jelly Roll Morton and Bessie Smith.
My fans know I am very passionate and committed. However, my peer-reviewed, and award-winning research credentials on the subject of blues, are why I believe I’m best qualified to serve The Blues Origin Institute. If you would like to join our team and help or donate in any way, please contact us. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
