Loyola Students Learn All About the Blues during Black History Month

On February 7, 2020, accomplished musicians Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley from the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton​ visited our school to share the rich history of blues music with students as part of the school’s Black History Month celebrations.

Diana Braithwaite is an award-winning and internationally renowned blues and jazz vocalist from Toronto. With roots in the southern United States, her ancestors escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad and lived for four generations in Wellington County, the first African-Canadian pioneer settlement in Ontario.
Chris Whiteley was born in Kansas and came to Canada in his youth. Chris is a multi-instrumentalist, a nine-time Maple Blues Award Winner, and a recipient of Jazz Report Magazine’s Album of the Year Award.
During the presentation, Diana and Chris took students on a musical journey through the history of the blues with a lively interactive musical performance, featuring songs and spoken word.
Students learned about musical instruments all while discovering the roots of blues music and its connection to music today.
Thank you Diana & Chris for sharing the rich history of the blues with our students as we recognize Black History Month!
For more information about Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley, please visit their website.​
Gligoric, JulianaLoyola Students Learn All About the Blues during Black History Month