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Frank and Sarah Hines

BOWLING GREEN, OH— Congress has declared 2003 the "Year of the Blues." In tribute to a local, legendary blues club, WBGU-PBS presents the broadcast premier of its documentary, The Hines Farm Blues Club, Wednesday, February 19 at 8 p.m.

During the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, Hines Farm was the location of one of the premier blues clubs in the United States. Located in Swanton, Ohio, a rural community just outside Toledo, Hines Farm featured a who’s who of blues and jazz entertainers, and served as a cultural center for African-Americans.

"Frank and Sarah Hines, the original owners of the club, created a place that was so special and unique," says Marlene Harris-Taylor, co-producer of the documentary. "Some people called it a country club for black folks because they had everything from baseball to motorcycle racing, and of course some of the best musicians in the world performed there."

The festive environment attracted large crowds and musicians such as John Lee Hooker, Freddie King, Bobby "Blue" Bland and B.B. King.

"We used to play out there quite often, sometimes seemed to me about two or three times a year," says the legendary B.B. King about the old times spent at Hines Farm. "They had good food, good music and pretty girls."

The idea for the documentary came out of co-producer Dr. Matthew Donahue’s book, I'll Take You There: An Oral and Photographic History of the Hines Farm Blues Club.

"Through working on the book on Hines Farm, and now the documentary, I have been given a unique opportunity to meet and work with so many amazing performers and contributors to blues music," says Donahue. "I truly feel that my book and this documentary will make a valuable contribution to not only our regional history in reference to blues music, African American culture and popular culture as a whole, but also have lasting effects on a historical level nationally,"

Hines Farm is a production of WBGU-PBS; Dr. Matthew A. Donahue and Marlene Harris-Taylor, co-producers

Contact: Deborah S. Boyce
(419) 372-7023
February 3, 2003

WBGU-PBS has developed an hour-long historical documentary about a blues Mecca in Northwest Ohio called "Hines Farm".

Internationally Acclaimed Theme
The Hines Farm story has attained national and international acclaim via myriad blues magazine and journal articles. Dr. Matthew A. Donahue at Bowling Green State University has authored a descriptive volume providing major research for the documentary.
Award-winning Producer
The film will be co-produced by Donahue and WBGU TV's award-winning producer, Marlene Harris-Taylor. Marlene has produced documentaries distributed throughout the PBS system.
Distinguished Artists
Viewers will applaud interviews with both nationally known musicians such as BB King, John Lee Hooker and others. Additionally, audiences will gain familiarity with regionally known musicians such as Art and Roman Griswald, Bobby Smith, Big Jack Reynolds and Professor Easy.
On-location Filming
Focusing on the history of the Hines Farm Blues club, the documentary accentuates the relationship between Hines Farm and the fifties and sixties Toledo-area booming music scene. Television audiences will experience how the Swanton/Spencer Sharples area inspired the rise of the Toledo Blues, jazz, and rhythm and blues scene.

Authentic Historical Value
The film will take them on a "sentimental journey" as the African American music scene emerges locally about 30 miles west of Toledo. Property there first became available for purchase in the twenties and thirties. For African Americans desiring to get away from city life, the area became a Shangri-la.
The Memoirs of Common People
In the developing community, Frank and Sarah Hines discovered the desirability of live entertainment and refreshments. They built a juke joint in a wooded area, and word quickly spread. Soon, entertainers on tour in Detroit and Toledo frequented the club with live performances. Throngs of admirers followed, and Hines farm matured into an established jazz citadel over 30 years.
A Musical and Cultural Extravaganza
While focusing primarily on the club’s musical liveliness, the documentary will also maintain appeal to diverse audiences by providing elaborate exposition of other cultural activities. They will witness the era’s events, such as the motorcycle races and the African American exhibition baseball games.
Celebrated Content
Donahue’s I’ll Take You There: An Oral and Photographic History of the Hines Farm Blues Club won the 1999 Best Blues Book of the Year Award from Real Blues magazine, and has been critically acclaimed nationally and internationally.