Three Generations Of Delta Musicians Spanning Blues, Soul And Hip Hop Come Together For “Take Me To The River” Tour This Fall

This fall, the producers of the acclaimed documentary “Take Me To The River” will present an extensive nationwide tour, which – like the film itself - will bring together multiple generations of iconic Memphis and Mississippi Delta musicians, and chart the musical evolution of the region from blues to soul to hip hop. Following historic performances at Bonnaroo, SXSW, and more, this inaugural tour will feature Grammy winners William Bell, Bobby Rush, and Charlie Musselwhite, as well as performances from Frayser Boy, Al Kapone, the Hi Rhythm Section and Boo Mitchell, with special guests appearing in certain markets. The second leg of the tour, which kicks off in January, will be headlined by William Bell, Bobby Rush, and Don Bryant. Full itinerary below.

In addition to performance events, the tour will also host educational workshops and activities for students as it moves around the country, helping to inspire the goals of social consciousness and community building.

The 2017 Grammy winner for Americana Album of the Year and member of the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, William Bell is primarily known for his central role in shaping the sound of modern soul, funk and blues at the legendary Stax Records. His work has been performed and sampled by artists from Jimi Hendrix to Kanye West. He will be joined on stage by fellow headliners Bobby Rush, the Grammy-winning “King of the Chitlin’ Circuit” (Rolling Stone); and Blues Hall of Fame member and Grammy winner Charlie Musselwhite, who has collaborated with John Lee Hooker, Cyndi Lauper, Ben Harper + more. The acclaimed Hi Rhythm Section, who have 27 Gold and Platinum albums to their name (including all of Al Green’s classics) will serve as house band. All will be under the musical direction of Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, famed producer and owner of Royal Studios in Memphis and son of the late Willie Mitchell – who founded the studio and helmed Hi Records, label home to soul greats such as Al Green, Syl Johnson, Ann Peebles and more.

The events will also highlight a newer generation of Delta artists, including the Academy Award-winning rapper Frayser Boy (well known for his collaborations with Three 6 Mafia) and Critics Choice Award-winning rapper Al Kapone, whose resume includes collaborations with everyone from Lil’ Jon to the North Mississippi Allstars.

"Take Me To The River" previously premiered at the SXSW Film Festival, where it received the highly prized Audience Award. A celebration of Memphis’ ever-evolving music scene – featuring deep dives into the careers of Mavis Staples, Bobby Rush, Yo Gotti, Snoop Dogg + more – the documentary earned recognition from the New York Times (“vibrant”), the Boston Globe (“a moving mash-up”), Paste (“unforgettable”) and more. The documentary is currently available for streaming on Netflix, and the accompanying soundtrack earned raves from USA Today, Esquire + more.

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER TOUR DATES:

Sept 26 – Cleveland, MS – GRAMMY Museum Mississippi*

Sept 28 – Lafayette, LA – Acadiana Center For The Arts*

Sept 29 – Baton Rouge, LA – Manship Theatre*

Sept 30 – Houston, TX – Miller Outdoor Theatre*

Oct 1 – Dallas, TX – AT&T Performing Arts Center @ Strauss Square*

Oct 3 – Midland, TX – Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center*

Oct 5 – Tucson, AZ – The Fox Theatre*

Oct 6 – Mesa, AZ – Mesa Arts Center*

Oct 7 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern*

Oct 8 – Malibu, CA – Pepperdine University*

Oct 11 – San Francisco, CA – Herbst Theatre*

Oct 12 – Folsom, CA – Harris Center*

Oct 18 – Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall*

Oct 20 – Bremerton, WA – Admiral Theatre*

Oct 21 – Kirkland, WA – Kirkland Performance Center*

Oct 22 – Tacoma, WA – Broadway Center For Performing Arts*

Oct 25 – Billings, MT – Alberta Bair Theatere*

Oct 26 – Fort Collins, CO – Lincoln Center Hall*

Oct 27 – Lone Tree, CO – Lone Tree Arts Center*

Oct 28 – Salina, KS – Stiefel Theatre For Performing Arts*

Oct 31 – Minneapolis, MN – Dakota Jazz Club*

Nov 1 – Minneapolis, MN – Dakota Jazz Club*

Nov 3 – Kansas City, MO – Folly Theater*

Nov 4 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant*

Nov 5 – Glen Ellyn, IL – McAninch Arts Center*

Nov 7 – Wausau, WI – Grand Theater*

Nov 8 – Appleton, WI – Fox Cities P.A.C*

Nov 9 – Rochester, MN – Mayo Civic Center Auditorium*

Nov 10 – Milwaukee, WI – Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall*

Nov 12 – Kalamazoo, MI – Kalamazoo State Theatre*

Nov 13 – Kalamazoo, MI – Kalamazoo State Theatre*

Nov 14 – Chicago, IL – City Winery*

Jan 25 – Durham, NC – The Carolina Theatre^

Jan 26 – Roanoke, VA – Jefferson Center^

Jan 27 – Irmo, SC – Harbinson Theatre^

Jan 29 – Gainesville, FL – Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts^

Jan 30 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre^

Jan 31 – Melbourne, FL – Studio Theater - King Center^

Feb 2 – Tampa, FL – Ferguson Hall^

Feb 3 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Parker Playhouse^

* =featuring William Bell, Charlie Musselwhite, and Bobby Rush

^ = featuring William Bell, Bobby Rush and Don Bryant

 

MORE INFO ON "TAKE ME TO THE RIVER"

http://www.tmttr.com/