![]() Bill Clinton, at the time a huge fan and friend of Porter, often joined Porter's group on his saxophone.īy 1971, Porter's popularity was soaring. Other entertainers, such as Liberace, Julius La Rosa and Art Van Dam, often dropped by to join in and enjoy the trio's music. Singer Tony Bennett performed with the Art Porter Trio during a two-week stay in Hot Springs. The trio was in great demand, especially for weddings, country club affairs, and city and state social affairs. Porter supplemented his income by playing piano jazz in the evenings, sometimes as a single but most of the time with his group, the Art Porter Trio. ![]() Porter returned to Little Rock in the late 1950s and spent the next 12 years teaching vocal music at the high school and college level. Consequently, he spent the next two years as a chaplain's assistant at Fort Niagara, N.Y. His extraordinary musical talent on the organ and piano, along with his extensive repertoire of church music, was immediately recognized during his basic training. After two years, he was drafted into the U.S. Porter began his teaching career at Mississippi Valley State University at Itta Bena, Miss., in 1954 immediately after college graduation. Porter continued his graduate study at the University of Texas at Austin in 1974 and earned a master's degree in music from Henderson State University at Arkadelphia in 1975. They spent their honeymoon in graduate study at the University of Illinois at Urbana in 1955. He married Thelma Pauline Minton on June 10, 1955. He came to Pine Bluff to go to college, eventually earning a bachelor's degree in music from Arkansas AM&N College (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) in May 1954. By age 14, he was a seasoned musician, performing for community activities and hosting his own 30-minute classical radio program on KLRA-AM at Little Rock. At 12, he performed his first classical recital. The second of two children, he began his music education at home with his mother, who quickly noticed his talent.Īt age 8, he was playing at his family's church. 8, 1934, when he was born in Little Rock. This jazz and classical powerhouse performed for Arkansas governors, U.S. ![]() Arkansas treasure - that's Art Porter Sr. ![]() Porter was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame, located in the Pine Bluff Convention Center, in 1996.Ĭhild prodigy. Though best known as a jazz musician, he also performed classical compositions and spirituals. was a pianist, composer, conductor and music teacher. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |