Special Event to take place during GRAMMY® Week in Los Angeles on Thursday, Feb. 11, and feature performances by GRAMMY®-nominated Blues Legend Bobby Rush, current GRAMMY nominees the Cedric Burnside Project, the DMI All-Stars, and rising country trio Southern HaloGRAMMY Museum® Mississippi announces Mississippi Night will take place on Feb. 11, 2016 at the GRAMMY Museum at L. A. LIVE in Los Angeles. This event has become an integral part of GRAMMY® Week activities and allows Mississippi to showcase its musical talent underscoring why the state is seen as the Birthplace of American Music.
Performing at this year’s event is rising country trio Southern Halo, the DMI All-Stars, the GRAMMY-nominated Cedric Burnside Project, and blues legend Bobby Rush.
“This event highlights Mississippi and its achievements, and also promotes the state as a tourist destination,” said Emily Havens, Executive Director of GRAMMY Museum Mississippi. “Evening activities will begin with a reception on the Museum’s rooftop terrace, hosting Mississippi music, film, and tourism industry professionals, GRAMMY Award winners, and others, and culminates with performances in the Museum’s intimate Clive Davis Theater.”
Prior to the evening’s performances, GRAMMY Museum Mississippi will lead an education program for Los Angeles students utilizing music and film that illustrates and celebrates Mississippi and its contributions to the arts. The education program will also feature special performances.
“The DMI All-Stars are great ambassadors for the Delta Music Institute’s entertainment industry program, and Delta State University. What I really hope our students get out of this opportunity is that it’s possible to start anywhere, even a small town, and succeed in this industry,” said Walker.
About GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi
Set to open on March 5, 2016, GRAMMY Museum Mississippi is affiliated with the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE and will share its mission to celebrate the enduring legacies of all forms of music, the creative process, the art and technology of the recording process, and the history of the premier recognition of excellence in recorded music — the GRAMMY® Award. In addition, GRAMMY Museum Mississippi will focus on continuing achievements of Mississippians. The Museum will house interactive exhibits dedicated to its mission, as well as host educational programs for students of all ages. For more information about GRAMMY Museum Mississippi, please visit www.grammymuseumms.org, follow @GRAMMYMuseumMS on Twitter and Instagram, and like “GRAMMY Museum Mississippi” on Facebook.
About the Artists
Bobby Rush is an 82-year-old legendary R&B, soul, funk, and blues artist with the energy and performance style like he’s in his prime. Rolling Stone magazine calls Bobby Rush “The King of the Chitlin’ Circuit” for his constant touring and vibrant live show on a circuit that has been home to Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, James Brown, and other black entertainers. As a result, the Blues Music Awards named him B.B. King Entertainer of the Year for 2014. Just released is his first-ever box set titled Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History on Bobby Rush with 74 recordings on four CDs from 1964-2014 from 20 labels, with three new songs, outtakes, and testimonials from his friends Mavis Staples, Elvin Bishop, Keb’ Mo’, Al Bell, David Porter, and more. In 2006 he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and from 2014-2015 he garnered back-to-back GRAMMY nominations and Blues Music Awards.
Cedric Burnside Project epitomizes the unique sound that originates in the Hill Country of North Mississippi. Cedric Burnside began playing drums for his grandfather, the legendary R.L. Burnside, when he was only 13 years old. His uncle, Garry Burnside (R.L.’s youngest son), got his start as the bass player for Junior Kimbrough at his world famous juke joint in Chulahoma, Miss. Trenton Ayers also got his start at that juke joint. His father was Kimbrough’s original bass player and Ayers learned by watching his dad and the older guys who played there every Sunday night, including Cedric and Garry. Cedric, Garry, and Ayers collaborated to create Descendants of Hill Country, which is a love letter to their families and the hypnotic beat that echoes through North Mississippi Hill Country.
The DMI All-Stars, a student band selected from Delta Music Institute Entertainment Industry Studies majors, covers songs associated with Mississippi GRAMMY-winning artists, songwriters, and producers. This year’s group of students includes eight performing band members and three non-members who assist with road management, social media, and tech support.
Southern Halo, whose members hail from Cleveland, Miss., are a dynamic modern country- rock band composed of teen sisters Natalia Morris on guitar and lead vocals, Christina on drums and vocals, and Hannah on bass guitar and vocals. Their amazing sibling harmonies and expert musicianship best define their sound. Southern Halo has performed across America, from Atlanta, Georgia to San Diego, Calif., and at concert venues across the Mississippi Delta to the hallowed stage of the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn. Their debut single, “Little White Dress,” from their 2015 self-titled album, has recently cracked the national MusicRow radio chart and entered 2016 by holding down the #1 spot on the European Hotdisc chart for 8 consecutive weeks.
