Attaway Fellow Bobby Bridger Presents "A Ballad of the West" Thursday, Oct. 29

SHREVEPORT, La.— Singer, songwriter, playwright and author Bobby Bridger will present his epic western trilogy, "A Ballad of the West," and discuss the significance of the myth of the wild west during his visit to the Centenary College campus Thursday, Oct. 29 beginning at 11 a.m. in the Kilpatrick Auditorium.

An Attaway Fellow, Bridger will also perform, present documentary films, and conduct classroom discussions and workshops with students, faculty and community members during his six-day stay from Oct 23 through Oct. 29.

A distant relative of premiere nineteenth-century American mountain man, Jim Bridger, Bobby Bridger began work on his epic trilogy A Ballad of the West more than four decades ago. Since 1974 Bridger has traveled the globe performing this historical epic as a one-man show to audiences in America, Canada, Europe, Australia and Russia. He has recorded numerous albums and has appeared twice on PBS's "Austin City Limits", on ABC's "Good Morning America", on NPR, A &E and C-Span. He is the composer of "Heal in the Wisdom", the official anthem of the internationally famous Kerrville Folk Festival for 25 years.

Bobby Bridger

Bridger has been an artist-in-residence at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyo., the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Conn., the John G. Neihardt Center in Bancroft, Neb., and Yellowstone National Park. Bridger starred in Dale Wasserman's groundbreaking musical, Shakespeare and The Indians, and was featured with David Carradine and Will Sampon in the drama Black Elk Speaks. He is the author of the award-winning book, Buffalo Bill and Sitting Bull: Inventing The Wild West, A Ballad of the West, and has contributed essays to anthologies on western icons Frank Waters and John G. Neihardt. He was also the subject of the documentary film "Quest Of An Epic Balladeer."

Along with visiting the College, Bridger will appear during the American Heroes Western Film Festival at the Robinson Film Center in Shreveport. The film, Buffalo Bill and the Indians, will be shown Saturday, Oct. 24 at 3:30 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 25 at 7:35 p.m.; and a student matinee Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 2:15 p.m. For more information on the Film Festival, call the Robinson Film Center at 318.424.9090. 

For more information, please contact Dr. Bruce Allen at 318.834.0947 or at email.

About the Attaway Fellows program

The Attaway professorships attract to campus public figures who make distinctive contributions to the intellectual life of students as well as the members of our wider community. These visiting scholars present themselves not as academics who occasionally have public roles, but as full-time public intellectuals and gifted communicators whose foremost interest is civic culture. 
These professorships combine the advantages of guest speakers and internship programs as they provide brief residencies as the fellows interact personally with students and the community. Like internships, the Attaway professors play a mentoring role that encourages students to engage in similar intellectual endeavors. As guest speakers, the Attaway professors bring to campus perspectives that are often underrepresented in the academy.

About Centenary College of Louisiana

Centenary College is a private, four-year arts and sciences college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1825, it is the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi River and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Centenary is one of 16 colleges and universities constituting the Associated Colleges of the South and has been recognized as "One of the Best 371 Colleges" by the Princeton Review and one of "America's Best Colleges" and one of "America's Best Private Colleges" by Forbes.com. In 2008 Centenary College celebrated 100 years in Shreveport and Bossier City.