A group of ladies at the Aliceville Senior Center are meeting and quilting together for their families. Usually, they quilt 4 days a week and use the time to visit and share with each other. In the following video they talk about quilting when they were growing up.

Here the same group of ladies reminisce about going to the ice house and growing up without electricity and refrigeration.

The Alabama Blues Project (ABP) is partnering with internationally renowned bluesman Willie King to present a six-week long Blues in the Schools Artist Residency at Aliceville Middle School in Pickens County, Alabama. The teaching team is completed by blues singer/guitarist, Debbie Bond, and keyboardist and harmonica player, Rick Asherson, both members of Willie King’s band, “The Liberators.”

Bond says, ”It is so wonderful that these children from Pickens County can learn first hand from an outstanding blues artist, from their own back yard, like Willie King. He is someone who has truly lived the history we are teaching, starting with his early experiences of sharecropping and a homemade, one-string guitar. He is an inspiration…”

For more information see here.

Recently, seven or eight of us got together and made music for a couple of hours.We had a great time playing hymns and bluegrass music. We have set a date for a second pickin’ on the Pickens Courthouse Square in Carrollton at 7pm. It will be Saturday, September 22nd. For all locals: bring your instrument; bring a lawn chair. If more than 15 or 20 show up, we will form a second group. Several of the pickers had enjoyed similar events in places like Mountainview, Arkansas. It just seems appropriate for us to do something like this in Pickens. Should the weather not be good, we can move the music back into the Baptist Association building. So, if you like to pick, blow a harp, or sing along, plan to participate.

The fine art of quiltmaking is alive and well in Pickens County. In many locations friends and neighbors gather regularly to assemble and stitch together quilts as community projects. Recently some women in the Bethlehem community welcomed a visitor from Cracow, Poland–a novice to quilting–and instructed her in the quilting process. She was excited about learning and the ladies were thrilled, being able to pass along their knowledge and skills to the next generation.

Craftsmen from miles around donated their weekends to gutting out the burned interior of Dancy First Baptist Church in the winter and spring of 2006. It was hard and dirty work as the volunteers stripped out smoke and water-damaged insulation, drywall and wiring. After successfully killing off the lingering stench of smoke, they reconstructed the interior and added an educational wing. The church was more than filled for its rededication on June 25th, 2006, and has returned to its ministry stronger than before.

This sign at the church captured the sentiment of the church members. They continue to pray for the arsonists and minister to their families.

Dancy is only one of about 150 congregations located in our county. Most are well-connected to the community which they serve and welcome visitors and new members.