Singer-songwriter and past Carnegie Hall Perspectives artist Rosanne Cash continues to guide New York City audiences in an exploration of Southern roots music with American Byways-a two-concert series in Zankel Hall that celebrates Appalachian music traditions and the blues. "There was a tremendous response to the four shows presented on my Perspectives series, and the team at Carnegie Hall was very enthusiastic about continuing our partnership to present more American roots music. Needless to say, I'm honored and beyond excited," says Cash on the inspiration behind these upcoming performances.
Kicking off the series, on
Saturday, December 2 at 9:00 p.m., Cash brings together two brilliant young bluegrass performers--Oklahoma-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Parker Millsap and singer and fiddler
Sara Watkins. Together these talented artists give their unique and modern twist to this timeless American music. The second concert, on
February 3 at 9:00 p.m., showcases two blues musicians at the top of their game--singer-songwriter Ruthie Foster, who is celebrated for her rich performances that feature gritty blues, funky soul, and energetic gospel, and the North Mississippi Allstars, a pair of brothers who bring their gravelly vocals, biting guitar, and relentless drumbeats, creating a new brand of Southern blues-rock.
About the Artists
At only 24 years old, Oklahoma native Parker Millsap is quickly making a name for himself with his captivating live performances, soulful sound, and character-driven narratives. He recently wrapped up a banner year, which included his network television debut on Conan, an invitation to play with
Elton John at the Apple Music Festival, an Austin City Limits taping, and an Americana Music Association nomination for Album of the Year, as well as winning the International Folk Music Awards' Artist of the Year. Parker's most recent release, The Very Last Day, has received praise from The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, Austin Chronicle, and Rolling Stone.
Best known as the fiddler in the platinum-selling progressive bluegrass group Nickel Creek, as well as for her role with bandmate/brother
Sean Watkins in the Watkins Family Hour,
Sara Watkins has firmly established herself as a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist on her own.
Watkins was encouraged to strike out on her own by
Led Zeppelin bassist
John Paul Jones, who produced her first solo album. Three albums later-plus collaborations with
Jackson Browne, the Decembrists,
Fiona Apple, and members of Tom Petty's band the Heartbreakers-and Watkins is now acclaimed as a fully formed artist in her own right.
Ruthie Foster was born in the small rural town of Gause, Texas. Raised in a family of gospel singers, Foster first learned to sing during worship services at her community church. With a chapel-bred bravado trained on the works of powerful women such as
Mavis Staples and
Aretha Franklin, her sound grew into an inspired blend of blues, folk, and gospel.
Her debut, Full Circle, was released in 1997 and was followed by Crossover in 1999. The two albums secured Foster as an up-and-coming singer/songwriter in the Austin scene and caught the attention of Texas independent label Blue Corn Music. Since then, Foster has stuck with Blue Corn to release seven albums over the past twelve years. Ruthie's studio album releases on Blue Corn Music include: Runaway Soul in 2002, The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster in 2007, The Truth According to Ruthie Foster in 2009, Let It Burn in 2012, and Promise of a Brand New Day in 2014. The latter three were all nominated for Grammy Awards in the category of Best Blues Album. She has also released two live albums, Stages in 2004 and Live At Antone's, a CD and DVD release, in 2011. Now comes Foster's latest - Joy Comes Back - again on Blue Corn Music. When she recorded this album, Foster wasn't merely singing about love and loss; she was splitting a household and custody of her 5-year-old daughter. Music was her therapy.
Founded in 1996 by brothers Luther (guitar and vocals) and Cody Dickinson (drums, piano, synth bass, programming, and vocals), North Mississippi Allstars are entering their third decade with what is unquestionably the most vital album of their career. Prayer for Peace sees the band continuing to think globally following 2013's World Boogie is Coming. That album, North Mississippi Allstars' seventh studio recording, proved the sensation its title promised, with The Guardian simply declaring it the band's "best yet." Now North Mississippi Allstars weave their musical sensibility with a potent message of positivity, inclusion, family, and hope. Original songs like the powerhouse title track and classic covers including Mississippi Fred McDowell's "You Got To Move" - the latter featuring accompaniment from Hill country blues guitar hero Kenny Brown and award-winning singer/bassist Danielle Nicole - pay homage to the Dickinsons' long lineage of musical heroes, celebrating the blues' extraordinary legacy while reshaping and pushing it into contemporary relevance.
Program Information
Saturday, December 2 at 9:00 p.m.
Zankel Hall
Parker Millsap
Sara WatkinsRosanne Cash, Creative Partner
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Saturday, February 3 at 9:00 p.m.
Zankel Hall
Ruthie Foster
North Mississippi Allstars
Rosanne Cash, Creative Partner
Presented as part of American Byways.
Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of
Carnegie Hall.
Ticket Information
Tickets, priced at $69 and $82, are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, or can be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800, or online by visiting carnegiehall.org.
For more information on discount ticket programs, including those for students, Notables members, and Bank of America customers, visit
carnegiehall.org/discounts. Artists, programs, and prices are subject to change .
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