Benefit Concert
A celebration of the McCoy Brothers' music, and fundraiser for their gravestones, was held Chicago on October 3 at the Old Town School of Folk Music:
Joe McCoy guitar workshop
3:00-4:30 - Learn to play in the style of Joe McCoy, from Old Town School veteran Chris Walz. Bring your guitar … bonus points for resonators. Click here to register.
Charlie McCoy mandolin workshop
1:00-2:30 - Learn to play in the style of Charlie McCoy, from Northside Southpaws mandolinist John Hasbrouck. Bring your mandolin … double bonus points for resonators. Click here to register.
"Body percussion" workshop
2:00-3:30 - Joe and Charlie were never recorded playing hambone, but we couldn't resist adding one more workshop with "edu-tainer" Sule Greg Wilson. Bring your body! Click here to register.
Restvale Cemetery walking tour
2:00-3:30 - Besides the McCoy brothers, Restvale is the burial location for a dozen other Chicago blues artists, including the great Muddy Waters. Long-time gravestone organizer Steve Salter leads a walking tour of these sites. Meet at the cemetery office at 11700 South Laramie Avenue in Alsip. Please RSVP to if you wish to attend.
Gravestone benefit concert
7:00-9:15 - The main event is an evening of music spanning both McCoy brothers' long careers. Project organizer Arlo Leach emcees the following lineup:
The Second Fiddles
Sule Greg Wilson
Rick Sherry
BLT
The Northside Southpaws
The Barehand Jugband
The Hump Night Thumpers
Gravestone Dedication Ceremony
On May 22, 2011 at 3:00 pm, music fans gathered at Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois (in Chicago's south suburbs) to dedicate the McCoy Brothers' new gravestones. Old Town School teacher and Strictly Jug Nuts leader Skip Landt coordinated the event, and one of the participants posted an album of photos.