Student Historian

Chris Ott graduated magna cum laude from University of Washington and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He is currently pursuing his Masters in Teaching from the UW and hopes to be teaching high school social studies in the near future. His historical interests pertain to music, theater and other performing arts.

Robert “Bumps” Blackwell (1918-1985)

Robert “Bumps” Blackwell was a musician, producer, and composer who worked with the top names in early jazz and rock and roll.  Blackwell was born in Seattle, Washington on May 23, 1918.  By the late 1940s his Seattle-based “Bumps Blackwell Junior Band” featured Ray Charles … Read MoreRobert “Bumps” Blackwell (1918-1985)