Virtual Author Visits and Concerts

Now that distance learning has come to the fore, I have brought back my Virtual Author Visits and am adding Virtual Concerts to my program offerings. Perfect for school systems, library systems, as well as virtual and traditional classrooms, these budget-friendly live events run twenty-minutes and include a Q&A section for students and teachers to ask me questions.

In the Author Visit, I read several of my most popular books and talk a bit about the craft of writing for children to inspire children to read and write. In the Concert, I sing several of my most popular songs and talk about my passion of sharing various Louisiana music styles and cultural heritage with children. Book and song request as well as student questions may be sent in advance of the scheduled events. As with my live presentations, these programs involve audience participation to actively engage students in the learning process.

To read more about these exciting new programs, visit the Programs page on my website!

To schedule virtual programs, fill out the online booking request/quote form under Contact.

I hope to see you soon!

-Johnette

The Spanish Tinge: Louisiana Music Pioneers of Canary Islands Descent is published!

(Photo Captions: #1 Book cover, #2 Scott Billington, Johnette Downing and Eduardo Perez in the Ediciones Idea publishing office, and #3 Scott signing his very first published book to Carol Perez Nunez, the daughter of Irvan Perez.)

Scott and I are pleased to announce that our book (for grownups) The Spanish Tinge, Louisiana Music Pioneers of Canary Islands Descent was published in Spanish by Ediciones Idea in Santa Cruz, Tenerife. This is our first book project together, and we enjoyed researching and writing about the musical link between Louisiana and the Canary Islands, The book honors the legacy of three key Louisiana musicians of Canary Islands lineage: jazz clarinetist Alicide “Yellow” Nuñez; Cajun accordion player Joe Falcon; and décima singer Irvan Perez, and celebrates their contributions as pioneers of three forms of American music at pivotal moments in American music history.

The book may be purchased through the publisher Ediciones Idea.

We are deeply grateful to Jose Carlos Hernandez Santana, Carol Perez Nunez, Wade Falcon, Robert Nunez, Francisco Pomares, Eduardo Perez (Edward T. Riker), Greg Lambousy, Jonathan Cabrera Ascensio, David Kunian, New Orleans Jazz Museum, Melissa Smith, Bruce Raeburn, Alania Hebert, Michael Leathem, Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans Jazz Club Collection, Tulane University Hogan Jazz Archive, Music Rising, Charlene Bonnette, State Library of Louisiana, William de Marigny Hyland, Catherine Frank, John Hickey, Chris Strachwitz, Jimmy LaRocca, Miguel Angel Navarro Menderos, Wrenna M. Poirrier, Joseph D Poirrier, and so many others who helped us make this book a reality!