Louie Bellson Heritage Days will be held Oct. 10th & 11th with activities ranging from a dinner with entertainment to a concert and drum competition for kids age 8-17. for more details call Gayla Kolb at 815-626-8053. This festival honors native son and world famous big-band drummer, Louie Bellson. Born in Rock Falls in 1924, Bellson was once referred to by Duke Ellington as "not only the world's greatest drummer...(but also) the world's greatest musician!", Louie Bellson has expressed himself on drums since age three. An internationally-acclaimed artist, Bellson has performed in most of the major capitals around the world. With the exception of Bob Hope, who has made the most White House appearances, Bellson holds, along with his late wife, actress and singer Pearl Bailey, the second highest number of White House appearances. He has performed on more than 200 albums with such greats as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Woody Herman, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Louie Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Joe Williams, Wayne Newton and Bellson's late wife Pearl Bailey. Composer and author, he has written more than 1,000 compositions and more than a dozen books on drums and percussion. He received the prestigious American Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1994. Also, he is a six-time Grammy nominee.