Bland Simpson is an American author, professor, and musician from North Carolina.
Early life
![Columbia NC Albemarle sound](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Columbia_NC_Albemarle_sound.JPG)
Simpson grew up in the northeastern area of North Carolina in
Elizabeth City
Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 18,629. Elizabeth City is the county seat and largest city of Pasquotank County. It is the cultural, economic and educ ...
and spend much of his time around the
Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound () is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Currituck Banks, a bar ...
. He completed his undergraduate degree at
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
. In the middle of his undergraduate career, Simpson left the university to spend time songwriting in New York, particularly for musical theater. He later returned to UNC-Chapel Hill to finish his degree, and graduated in 1973 with a major in political science.
Career
Teaching
Simpson began teaching creative writing at his alma mater in 1982.
[Bland Simpson]
", University of North Carolina, retrieved 2011-07-11 He is the Kenan Distinguished Professor of English and creative writing at
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
. Simpson was the creative writing program's director from 2002 to 2008, and the faculty representative for the UNC-Chapel Hill General Alumni Association's Board of Directors from 2011 to 2012.
Simpson was awarded many awards for writing and teaching.
Among them are the Chapman Award for Excellence in Teaching, which he received twice, and the Tanner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.
Writing
He has written several books, including ''The Great Dismal'' and ''The Mystery of Beautiful Nell Cropsey''.
Some of his books also feature
photography
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employe ...
by his wife, conservationist Ann Cary Simpson (''Into the Sound Country,'' ''Inner Islands'', ''Little Rivers & Waterway Tales'').
Simpson is well-versed
Eastern North Carolina
Eastern North Carolina (sometimes abbreviated as ENC) is the region encompassing the eastern tier of North Carolina. It is known geographically as the state's Coastal Plain region. Primary subregions of Eastern North Carolina include the Sandhil ...
's mysteries, geography and culture.
His works focus on North Carolina's coast and natural elements and enforce the appreciation and protection of these resources.
Simpson is also a member of the North Carolina Coastal Federation. His work with the Coastal Federation allows him to learn about the systems of eastern Carolina estuaries. Simpson draws inspiration from this information when writing about the coast and coastal plain.
Music and Performances
Simpson has written music and lyrics for, as well as performed in, a number of plays which have been performed Off-Broadway, at Ford's Theater in Washington, and other prominent venues; his plays include ''Diamond Studs'', ''Kudzu'', ''Fool Moon'', and ''King Mackerel And The Blues Are Running''.
Simpson also wrote a song for Tony-nominated musical ''
Pump Boys & Dinettes
''Pump Boys and Dinettes'' is a musical written by a performance group of the same name. The group, Pump Boys and Dinettes, consists of John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann. The members directed and sta ...
''.
Simpson also wrote "Follow You All Over the World" by
Marti Jones
Marti Jones is an American singer and visual artist known for her albums (solo and with husband Don Dixon) and her paintings. She sings, records, and performs as "Marti Jones" and exhibits visual art as "Marti Jones Dixon."
Early life
Marti ...
, from her 1985 debut solo album Unsophisticated Time.
He was awarded the North Carolina Award for Fine Arts in November 2005.
Simpson is also the long-time pianist for The
Red Clay Ramblers The Red Clay Ramblers are a North Carolina-based band founded in Durham, North Carolina, performing continuously since their formation in 1972. The current touring band has been together since 1987, with Jack Herrick (trumpet, bass), Bland Simpson ...
, the
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
-winning
string band
A string band is an old-time music or jazz ensemble made up mainly or solely of string instruments. String bands were popular in the 1920s and 1930s, and are among the forerunners of modern country music and bluegrass. While being active countr ...
.
['The Great Dismal' Book Coming]
, '' Mount Airy News'', February 25, 1990, p. 7C, retrieved 2011-07-11 After his time songwriting in New York, he and Jim Wann, another UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus, wrote the musical ''Diamond Studs''. This musical led Simpson to work and perform with The Red Clay Ramblers.
When Simpson and Wann were writing ''Diamond Studs'', they were in a band called the Southern States Fidelity Choir. They invited The Red Clay Ramblers to perform with them in a show about outlaw Jesse James. When they performed this show in Chapel Hill in 1974, the Chelsea Theater Center of Brooklyn noticed and took interest, moving the show to New York. Simpson continued to work closely with The Red Clay Ramblers, even as band members continuously changed. Despite his constant work with the band, he did not become an official member until the end of 1986.
Simpson has toured North America, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa with The Red Clay Ramblers.
Starting in September 2001, he has also worked with The Red Clay Ramblers and others to produce choreographed ballets of their music. These ballets have been performed in places such as the Fox Theater in Atlanta, GA and the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh, NC.
Bibliography
*''Heart of the Country, A Novel of Southern Music''
*''The Great Dismal, A Carolinian’s Swamp Memoir''
*''The Mystery of Beautiful Nell Cropsey, A Nonfiction Novel''
*''Ghost Ship of Diamond Shoals, The Mystery of the Carroll A. Deering, A Nonfiction Novel''
*''Into the Sound Country: A Carolinian’s Coastal Plain''
*''The Inner Islands, A Carolinian's Sound Country Chronicle''
*''The Coasts of Carolina, Seaside to Sound Country''
*''North Carolina, Land of Water, Land of Sky''
References
External links
Simpson's websiteBland Simpsonat the University of North Carolina
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bland
20th-century American novelists
21st-century American novelists
American male novelists
Living people
Novelists from North Carolina
Year of birth missing (living people)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty
20th-century American male writers
21st-century American male writers
People from Elizabeth City, North Carolina
20th-century American non-fiction writers
21st-century American non-fiction writers
American male non-fiction writers
American male pianists
21st-century American pianists
21st-century American male musicians