Blues guitarist to rock Island Center Hall

Published 10:30 am Monday, October 15, 2018

Blues and jazz guitarist T.J. Wheeler will mark his return to Bainbridge Island with an appropriately titled performance called “My Way Back Home” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20 at Island Center Hall.

The cost of admission is a suggested donation of $10 ($25 for parents with children).

For this concert, Wheeler will mostly be playing a mixture of his original songs as well as his interpretations of classic blues and jazz standards.

“The blues are a great portal into both black history then and now,” Wheeler said.

Over the last 47 years of doing his various music education programs, Wheeler has taught roughly 500,000 students across five continents, and his festival and concert appearances have included The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, as well as the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival.

In the 47 years since he first left the island, he’s returned at least 40 times. Wheeler’s performances have always included a concert at the Island Center Hall.

“None of those concerts would have been possible without the dedicated work of Jerry and Judy Elefendahal,” Wheeler said.

“They have worked tirelessly helping promote both my music and message since before I even left the island…literally for over a half a century,” he said.

Island Center Hall is located at 8395 Fletcher Bay Road.