Member Spotlight: Denise Schoch

This month’s “Spotlight” is shining on one of our brightest, Denise Schoch, who has been valiantly serving as our organization’s secretary and board member since 2024 when she and her husband Keith moved into the area.  Denise prepares the agenda for the board meetings each month, takes notes during each meeting, and then disseminates and distributes them for all to read. She also created posters for the 2025 Blues Challenge and Road to Memphis fundraiser.

Denise and Keith moved here following their son, daughter-in-law and grandchild. One of the very first things she looked for and identified was our group, the Triangle Blues Society. Finding us gave her an opportunity to volunteer and get involved with an organization that provides a sense of community and allowed her to meet like-minded people to share her love of music. Denise recalls at the early age of 5 hearing Louis Armstrong and being hooked on the blues. Although Denise does not play an instrument anymore (she played clarinet from elementary through college), she and her husband are huge blues fans and have travelled the world to attend blues festivals and see great blues performances. Just last month they travelled to Spain to see Eric Clapton in Madrid!

For the last 8 years, after retiring, they travelled across the US, searching out blues festivals by accessing regional blues societies, much like the Triangle Blues Society. If you are planning to travel anywhere this year, she suggests looking for a Blues Society in that area, and you’ll undoubtedly find some great music, just like here in the Triangle!! Some of her favorite performers are Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters, George Thorogood, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, and anyone playing a slide guitar!!! Her local favorite blues guitarist who wowed her is Pat Lodgson, who is often heard at The Blue Note Grill.

Sadly, Denise and Keith have just moved, once again following their grandchild this time to Lexington, KY. No doubt she’ll find a Blues Society in that area as well to get involved with!!! We’ll miss her expertise and passion for the music in many ways, so if anyone out there wants to get involved somehow, we could always use someone with organizational skills like Denise’s! She can tell you first-hand how fulfilling getting involved with the TBS has been for her and her husband Keith.We’re going to miss her “big time”!!! Safe travels Denise & Keith. You will always have a home here in the Triangle!

Please contact us if you would like to recommend a TBS member for a future spotlight.

Thanks to Bill Stat for preparing this.