Donna Herula and Tony Nardiello performed Delta blues, country and Chicago blues on Thursday night at the Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library, 109 South State Street in Hampshire, as part of the library’s ongoing Living Room Concert Series.
Herula and Nardiello are a husband and wife duo who has performed at the Chicago Blues Festival, King Biscuit Blues Festival in Arkansas and the Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth, Minnesota, according to library officials.
They are regular performers at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago and have performed at the Chicago House of Blues and BB’s Jazz Blues and Soups in St. Louis.
“Our first date was at the Chicago Blues Festival in 1990,” said Nardiello. “We went to it every year after that.”
Herula said she once participated in a Chicago celebration to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the “godmother of rock and roll” who influenced Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis.
“She had a great talent for singing and playing the guitar,” said Herula. “She brought gospel music into the mainstream.”
The Living Room Concert Series began in September with a performance by the Harp Twins. Michael McSweeney’s Steelpan Ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16.
The free concerts have been sponsored by Heartland Bank & Trust Company and Country Financial of Hampshire. Ella’s Friends, a library support group, has been providing free cookies, coffee and water for concert attendees.
Ella’s Friends will be holding their third annual Festival of Chocolate from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Hampshire Township building, 170 Mill Avenue.
“Entries will be accepted for judging from noon until 12:30,” said Ron Anderson, president of Ella’s Friends. “There will be a prize for people’s choice and first, second and third prizes for brownies and bars, cookies, cakes and cupcakes, candy and gluten-free. Entry forms are due by Friday, Feb. 3. The event raises funds for the library.”
For information, contact the library at 847-683-4490; www.ellajohnsonlibrary.org.
Denise Moran is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
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