The Tampa Bay History Center Presents: "Tampa's Got the Blues"

From the 1920s to the 1960s, Central Avenue was an exciting place for musical entertainment. Many well-known blues and jazz artists played on the “Chitlin Circuit,” which included Tampa. Famous entertainers such as Tampa Red, Ray Charles and others got their start right here. celebrities like James Brown, B.B. King, Ella Fitzgerald, and many more performed on Central Avenue. Come hear their sounds and stories.

Speaker Bio:
Jim spent most of his working life in the computer industry. After graduating from Indiana University, he worked for IBM and GTE Data Services until 1990. He then started his own computer consulting company. After retirement, he spent most of his time volunteering with his Sertoma club, the Tampa Sports Authority, and The Tampa Bay History Center. Since moving to Tampa in 1978, his interest in the history of Florida and Tampa in particular has increased. He is a founding member of the Tampa Bay Civil War Round Table, and an avid genealogist. He also teaches courses for OLLI, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of South Florida. He has been a docent at the Tampa Bay History Center for more than a decade.