This Saturday night, Memphis music legend Booker T. Jones will kick off the inaugural On Stage at the Halloran Centre series. Most known as the keyboard player for the widely popular Stax band Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Jones has been the recipient of five Grammy awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame. In addition to that impressive resume, Jones has produced albums for Rita Coolidge, Bill Withers, and Willie Nelson, and played on albums by Ray Charles and Neil Young.
Joining Jones on stage at the Halloran Centre will be three handpicked horn players from the Stax Music Academy. The players will join on the songs “Mr. Big Stuff” and “Respect Yourself,” and classmates of the students selected to participate will have the opportunity to sit in on the sound check before the show. Stax Musical Director Paul McKinney said this is a great learning experience for the students at Stax.
Piper Ferguson
“Any time our students have the opportunity to interact with original Stax Records artists, it’s like something magical happens,” McKinney said.
“But for three of our students to perform in public on stage with an artist of Booker’s caliber and status in the music world will be life-changing for them.”
Individual tickets are available for $35.00 and can be picked up at the Halloran Centre or by calling their ticket office. Tickets are also available at the Booksellers of Laurelwood and through Ticketmaster. Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended.
