Music program at Chester Public Library

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Randolph County Genealogical Society, along with the Chester Public Library, will host Dennis Stroughmatt in a program of French Creole music entitled "Fiddle Music and Tall Tales" on June 8, at 6:30 p.m. in the community room of the Chester Library.

Stroughmatt is an authority on the culture of 'Upper Louisiana', also known as Illinois and Missouri, and his presentation will explore what brought the French to this area, their fiddle music, a few of their escapades, and the lasting influence they had on what was then called the 'Illinois Country'.

He is a member of the Illinois Humanities Council Road Scholars Speakers Bureau and has studied the French Creole language extensively, played music in the 'Cajun country' of Louisiana and spent time studying in Quebec, thus learning the complete circle of French culture in North America.

This will be a great program for young and old alike, everyone is welcome. There is no charge for admission, light refreshments will be served after the program. Come and enjoy an evening of Creole music and French history.