7:30 PM
All Souls UU Congregation
60 Huntington St., New London, CT 06320
Photo: "Deacon" Ray Bowman
James “Sparky” Rucker is a folksinger/folklorist/historian who presents African-American and Euro-American history and folk-culture. He has toured for over forty years and has produced more than ten recordings and videos. Born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, he now resides in Maryville.
Sparky began playing guitar at age eleven. He also played trumpet in the Junior High marching band and sang in church, school, and community choirs throughout his childhood. After graduating from University of Tennessee, Sparky taught school in Chattanooga. He was active in the Civil Rights Movement, playing freedom songs at rallies, marches, and sit-ins, alongside other folksingers such as Guy Carawan and Pete Seeger.