Rosanne Cash to Close FirstWorks' 2015-16 Artistic Icons Series, 4/10

The 2015/2016 FirstWorks Artistic Icons Series wraps up with iconic singer/songwriter Rosanne Cash in her only New England tour appearance of the season with a full band for "The River & the Thread" in concert on Sunday, April 10 at 6:30 p.m. at The Vets (1 Avenue of the Arts, Providence). Tickets are $28-$75 (prices include a $3 restoration fee). The $75 Premium Ticket includes a post-show bourbon tasting and reception with Rosanne Cash. Tickets are on sale now at 401-421-ARTS (2787) and at first-works.org.

One of the most compelling figures in popular music for over three decades, Rosanne Cash's evening-length multimedia experience features the music from her three-time Grammy Award-winning album, "The River & the Thread". The eldest daughter of Johnny Cash and stepdaughter of June Carter Cash of the legendary Carter Family, Rosanne Cash's musical and family legacy is rooted in the origins of American country music with its deep cultural and historical connections to the South.

Featuring songs co-written by Cash and her longtime collaborator, producer and husband, John Leventhal, "The River & the Thread" is her most accomplished album to date. "The soul and richness of the people and the music of the South resonates in a particular way for all of us. It's a deep connection," says Cash.

The album itself is a mini-travelogue through the mystical South. While touching some on Rosanne's own personal connection, it examines the indelible impression - physical, musical, and emotional - that this mythic landscape has on our collective culture.

"FirstWorks' Artistic Icons Series features performers who are both leaders in their genres and important to the broader artistic landscape. Rosanne Cash's remarkable body of work fits both of these criteria," said Kathleen Pletcher, Executive Artistic Director of FirstWorks. "Her emotional acuity, rich imagery, and honesty create a unique intimacy with her audiences. She is truly an American musical icon."

"The River & the Thread" features a multigenerational cast of characters: from a Civil War soldier off to fight in Virginia, to a New Deal-era farmer in Arkansas, to a present-day couple in Alabama. Inspired by the many musical styles associated with the South - Delta blues, gospel, Appalachian folk, country, rock, and others - Cash and Leventhal have created a collection of songs considered the defining work of her career. The album garnered three Grammy Awards in 2015.