50 / ’southern
CLASSNOTES
Class
Notes
’46
EmilyBlakeVail
was awarded
the 2013GeorgiaAuthor of the
Year Award for poetry for her
book Poems fromTimes Past:
Crossroads, Byways, Destination.
She now resides inGreensboro,
N.C.
’58
DonaldBrown
, author of theBSC
history Forward, Ever, is adding
another title to his repertory of
books. His first novel, Gruesome,
is being published this spring.
The story is based on a crime he
coveredhalf a century ago as a
young reporter atTheBirmingham
News. BorgoPublishing is
producing the book, whichwill be
sold onAmazon.com and other
onlinemedia. In addition towriting
the college’s sesquicentennial
history, Brown is the author, co-
writer, andeditor of nine other
books. He and hiswife, Hannah,
live inTuscaloosa, where he
teaches advanced journalismat
theUniversity of Alabama. He is
the former senior editor of daily
newspapers inTuscaloosa and
Florence.
In honor of
the 100th
anniversary
of the death
of composer
and pianist
Erich J.Wolff,
Arabesque
Records has released the
recording“MichelangeloCycle
andSelectedSongs” performed
by internationally known baritone
Dr. STKimbroughJr.
of Durham,
N.C. His distinguished career
spans operatic,musical theater,
concert, and art and folk song
repertory performed and recorded
on four continents. His recordings
of arts songs have twice been
nominated as“BestVocal
Recordingof theYear.”
Dr. DavidVest
is convinced that studyingEnglishprovided the perfect foundation for his career
inmusic.
“Reading a poemor listening to jazz, you can really feel the beat in bothof them,” saidVest,
whomajored inEnglish at BSCand received amaster’s and aPh.D. in the subject fromVanderbilt
University. “Themore you learn aboutwhat’s goingon, themore enjoyable it becomes.”
Vest is a Southern-bredpoet andboogie-woogiepianistwhowon the2013MapleBluesAward
for Piano/KeyboardPlayer of theYear. After hisMapleBlues nomination for 2013Recordingof
theYear for his albumEastMeetsVest, hewas signed toCordovaBayRecords,
a leadingCanadian independent label. He alsoplayed pianoon a new albumby
blues guitarist DavidGogo thatwas recently nominated for a prestigious Juno
Award.
Vest has been rocking and shouting theblues since the age of 15, inspired
by hanging outwith artists from the golden age of R&B and swing. Hegrew
up inWest End, just a fewblocks away fromEnsley’s famedTuxedo Junction.
After enrolling at BSCwithplans tobecome awriter,Vest supported
himself through college by performing on local television onweekdaymornings and playing
several nights aweek indowntown clubs. He’dgo from jammingwithBig JoeTurner to studying
Coleridgeon theHilltop.
By the timehewas a junior, hehadwritten thefirst songs ever recorded by his friendWynette
Byrd, soon tobe known as countrymusic superstarTammyWynette.
“I got tomeet all of themusicianswho came to the campus to perform,” he said. “Carlos
Montoya, the flamenco legend, allowedme to carry his guitar to the car after a show.“
Vest haswonnumerous awards over the years for his pianoplaying andhas performed at
countless blues festivals. At age70, he shows no signs of slowingdown. Thismonth,Vest is
touring and promoting his newCD, RoadhouseRevelation. OnApril 26, heheld aCD release
showat oneof his favorite venues, Hermann’s Jazz Club inVictoria, B.C.
He liveswith hiswife, Anne, inCanada and has three sons from a previousmarriage and five
grandchildren. Vest saidhe intends to keepon rocking and shouting theblues“as long as the
flavor lasts.”
Alum
News
’66
by PatCole
