The annual bluegrass concert series Southern Soul and Song celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with an “all-star lineup.”
Founded by Kevin Grogan of the Morris Museum of Art, the series honors music with its roots in the South, much like the museum highlights the art of the American South. The museum is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, according to a news release.
Proceeds from the concert benefit the many free programs the museum offers.
Concerts begin in September at the Imperial Theatre, and many of the performers have never played in Augusta.
Friday, Sept. 9 – Molly Tuttle
A young, virtuosic, award-winning guitarist with a gift for insightful songwriting, Molly Rose Tuttle is an American vocalist, songwriter, banjo player, and guitarist, recording artist and teacher in the bluegrass tradition. She is especially noted for her flatpicking, clawhammer and cross-picking guitar prowess. This is her first appearance in Augusta, the news release said.
Friday, Oct. 7 Jim Lauderdale with special guest Sunny Sweeney
Legendary country, bluegrass and Americana singer-songwriter, Jim Lauderdale has recorded 31 studio albums, including collaborations with Ralph Stanley and Buddy Miller. A songwriter’s songwriter, his songs have been recorded by dozens of artists, notably George Strait, Elvis Costello, Blake Shelton, Vince Gill, and Patty Loveless. He is joined by special guest Sunny Sweeney, a renowned country music singer-songwriter.
This is their first appearance in Augusta.
Friday, Nov. 11 The Annie Moses Band
A dazzling Nashville-based family band composed of seven classically trained siblings and their veteran songwriter parents. Genre-defying and unforgettable, these Juilliard-educated musicians have graced the stages of Carnegie Hall and the Grand Ole Opry.
This is their first appearance in Augusta.
Friday, Dec. 16
Riders in the Sky
One of the greatest cowboy bands of all time, Grammy-winning Riders in the Sky has, since 1977, released more than 40 albums, starred in a television series on CBS, wrote and starred in an NPR–syndicated radio drama Riders Radio Theater, appeared in television series and films (notably as featured contributors to Country Music, a documentary miniseries by Ken Burns. This is their first appearance on this series, the news release said.
2023
Friday, Jan. 13 John McEuen Band
A true country-folk, folk-rock, bluegrass legend, John McEuen has been writing and preforming for more than fifty years. He is a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (NGDB), and his current band includes two other original members of the NGDB. He is also known for giving banjo lessons to his high school classmate and long-time friend Steve Martin. This is his first appearance with this band in Augusta.
Friday, Feb. 10 An Evening with Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives
A long-time Southern Soul & Song favorite, Marty Stuart is a legendary country and bluegrass singer-songwriter and virtuosic musician, who has won five Grammy Awards. Stuart, a member of the Grand ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame, will be joined his notable band—His Fabulous Superlatives. This is their fourth appearance on the series—always a highly anticipated return, the news release said.
Series and individual tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 26 with the series tickets of six shows for the price of five. All performances take place at the Imperial Theatre and begin at 7:30 p.m.
Since its premier in 2003, the Morris Museum of Art’s Southern Soul & Song series has featured such legendary artists as Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs, Del McCoury, Ralph Stanley and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band—to cite just a few, the news release said.
For more information, visit www.southernsoulandsong.org.
