Join us as we welcome ELAINE BLANCHARD in conversation with WILLY BEARDEN on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21 at 6:00 PM to celebrate the release of her new book I REMEMBER YOU.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
I Remember You: The Making of an Activist is a story of coming out from secrets, abuse and shame. Elaine writes about her healing process and a life devoted to recovery and activism. The story is rich with hope. Elaine finds strength through learning to trust that God’s love is part of everything in nature. Every human being is a steward, a caretaker of that divine love. Elaine has written this memoir with a desire to give good energy to all who are coming out in big or small ways.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Elaine Blanchard is a spiritual leader, activist, playwright and storyteller. Her work has appeared in Christian Century Magazine and in Memphis Magazine. She has written and performed three one-woman shows, “For Goodness Sake,” “Good People,” and “Skin and Bones.” Elaine teaches memoir writing to senior citizens through a nonprofit, Creative Aging. A lover of nature, Elaine is a daily walker. She is a proud mother and grandmother. And she lives in Memphis, TN with her wife, Anna.
ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER:
Willy Bearden is an award-winning Memphis-based filmmaker, author, producer, and historian whose work captures the culture, history, and music of the American South. A native of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, in the heart of the Delta, Bearden has spent his career preserving and interpreting Southern stories through film, museums, books, and live events.
His documentary credits include Visualizing the Blues, The Story of Cotton, A History of Memphis Garage Bands, Overton Park: 100 Years, Elmwood Cemetery: Reflections of Memphis, Horn Island Journal, Carroll Cloar: Life and Art, and many others. Bearden has also created immersive experiences for museums such as The Blues Hall of Fame, The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange, The Elvis Presley Birthplace Museum, and Gateway to the Blues. Bearden hosts Dialogue with Willy Bearden on WYPL-TV. He also hosts the weekly show, Songs That Move You on WYXR-FM in Memphis.
An accomplished author, Bearden has written five books, including Cotton: From Southern Fields to the Memphis Market, Overton Park, and his memoir Mississippi Hippie: A Life in 49 Pieces. He is also the familiar voice of WKNO’s popular On This Day in Memphis series.
Bearden’s honors include the University of Memphis Distinguished Achievement Award in the Creative and Performing Arts, the Blues Foundation’s Keeping the Blues Alive Award, and the Paul Coppock Award for Outstanding Contributions to West Tennessee History. He served as chairman and founding member of the Delta Symposium (2005–2013) and is a 35-year veteran of live event production, having written and produced the Blues Music Awards since 1998.
In 2025, Bearden was chosen to write Morgan Freeman’s Blues Symphony, now touring the U.S. and Canada, continuing his mission to celebrate the region’s rich cultural legacy.
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