Once in a Blue Moon, In Memory of John Bloom


The Cabarrus Arts Council lost a good friend on Saturday, July 31^st when John Bloom died unexpectedly at the Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop , West Virginia .  He was only 51 years old.

John introduced himself to the arts council when he came to the Glenn Center in 2002 to construct the set for West Side Story. An Industrial Arts teacher at Concord High School , he also designed the sets for the two plays that the Cabarrus Playmakers performed.  His students built and painted the wonderful creations that transformed the stage into the scenes of another world. His creativity and love of the arts were evident from the first moment that we met him.

It was not until Bloom came to the arts council the following year while building the set for Oklahoma !  that we learned about his musical talent.  He played many stringed instruments and was a member of two old time music bands, the Stanly County Boys and Cold Creek Ramblers.  In June, the Stanly County Boys presented the pre-show concert for Pops in the Park at Frank Liske Park .

Bloom’s warm demeanor and easy-going manner made him many friends. His love of music and teaching combined to form a desire to teach old time music to children…to teach them music that bubbled up in the round peak mountains near Mount Airy …to instill in them an appreciation for North Carolina music and dance. The Stanly County Boys take their performance into schools through the North Carolina Arts Council’s competitive Touring Arts program.

The Monday following John’s death, his wife, Pam, called the Cabarrus Arts Council.  She wanted to make sure that, even in death, John achieved his goals.  He had planned to apply for Grassroots funding to take his music into schools.  Pam wanted to establish a memorial fund through the arts council to realize his dream.  Funds from the John Bloom Memorial Fund will be used for old time music residencies in the public schools.

John died on the evening of a blue moon.  Somehow that seems appropriate. We will miss you, John.

Memorials can be made out to the Cabarrus Arts Council, with John Bloom Memorial written in the memo section.  Mail these to the Cabarrus Arts Council at PO Box 809 , Concord , NC   28026

John Bloom Memorial Donors

Wallace Ammons
James Bevels
Charlotte Folk Society
Donald Cowan
Florence Crowe
Gary L. & Jane E. Duncan
Alice Thomasson & Kevin Edwards
Randall & Susan Faggart
Patricia A. & Gary R. Feimster
A. David & Elda Franklin
Barbara & Jay Halpern
Carol Sawyer & Thomas Hanchett
Bill & Laura Hendrick
Barbara D. Hollingsworth
Rich & Debbie Hubbard
Wanda Hubicki
P. C. Jackson Plumbing Co., Inc.
Michael & Carol Johnstone
Edward Lynn Kline/Uniforms Limited
Philip Lesser
Linda McPhail
The John Montgomery Family
Dr. Frank & Marilyn Pancotto
Stephen & Allison Bustle Pittman
Martha Plyer
Michael & Melody Popkin, Megan & Ben
Terry Prather
Gary & Kathleen Rubin
June Blotnick & Douglas Sea
Alice Sellers, Joe, Jr., Steve, Keith & Families
Bill Bustle
Mr. & Mrs. Ray Knox
Barry E. & Sarah S. Sigmon
Mr. & Mrs. Mike Sparks
Mr. & Mrs. Bob Taylor
Ruth E. Thomas
Charles R. Tyler & Linda Christopherson
David White
Helene Williams
James & Sandra Woolsey