NORTH MISSISSIPPI ORCHESTRA Symphony

The NMSO brings a semi-staged version of Frank Loesser’s immortal score Guys and Dolls. Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical New York City, this oddball romantic comedy features gambler Nathan Detroit, his girlfriend and nightclub performer, Adelaide, fellow gambler Sky Masterson, and the straight-laced missionary Sarah Brown. Travel from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York City. The production is a collaboration of the NMSO and the outstanding University of Memphis Department of Musical Theatre.

RAIN - A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES performs songs from Abbey Road & the Rooftop Concert LIVE, in addition to all your favorite hits. This mind-blowing performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is the next best thing to seeing the Beatles. Experience the world’s most iconic band and get back to where you once belonged with RAIN – A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES.

Bobby Rush, born Emmett Ellis Jr. in Homer, Louisiana, is one of the nation’s most distinguished and well-loved bluesmen and performers. Twanging a guitar since he was 11 years old, Rush’s style incorporates elements of blues, rap, and funk, which has earned him 13 Blues Music Awards. In 2017, at the age of 83, he won his first Grammy Award for the album Porcupine Meat and has been nominated for the prestigious accolade six times. Long-ranked as one of the blues’ best storytellers, Rush is an inductee of the Blues Hall of Fame, Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame, and Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame.

The bluesman’s charisma and way with an anecdote have also made him a go-to subject for filmmakers. In 2003, he starred in “The Road to Memphis,” an episode of the Martin Scorsese-produced documentary series The Blues that aired on PBS stations nationwide. He appeared in the 2014 documentary Take Me to the River alongside Terrence Howard, Snoop Dogg, and Mavis Staples. That same year, he joined Dan Aykroyd on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to perform two songs backed by The Roots, marking his first latenight television appearance. In 2015, he appeared in the documentary I Am the Blues, and in 2019 came the Emmy-nominated Dolemite Is My Name. His performance itinerary has encompassed some of the largest music events around the world, from Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis to Byron Bay Bluesfest in Australia, countless European engagements, the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, Bonnaroo, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Rush was the first bluesman to perform at the Great Wall of China, attracting an audience of more than 40,000 and earning him the title of “China’s Ambassador of the Blues.”

The release of his 2020 album Rawer Than Raw an all-acoustic effort paying tribute to the rich blues history of Mississippi, earned Rush his second Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. Undoubtedly, Rush has cemented his reputation as one of the last living links to the American blues’ glorious past and an inspiration for its future stars.

RELEASE

“HELP...I’M ALIVE” JUNE

Formed in 2007 by Academy Awardwinning actor Billy Bob Thornton and J.D. Andrew, The Boxmasters have recorded an impressive and diverse catalog of music that touches on their love of a wide array of influences, but most importantly, the rock and roll of the 1960s. Listening to The Boxmasters, one can hear odes to the Beatles, Byrds, and Beach Boys, but also important to The Boxmasters are The Mothers of Invention, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, and Big Star.

Since forming The Boxmasters, several long-time friends have contributed to the sound of the band, but the core of The Boxmasters has always been Andrew and Thornton. As primary songwriters, the sound of the Boxmasters has been an evolution as the duo constantly strives to find new inspiration, new sounds, and new ways of expressing what is in their hearts and on their minds. But at the core, there is a backbeat, a lyric with meaning and music played with emotion.

During the shutdown of 2020, the avid creators would record their three newest records. A very personal album called Nothing Personal which is yet to be released, Christmas In California which was released in November of 2021, and Help...I’m Alive, which was released in April 2022 on Keentone Records/ Thirty Tigers.