Melissa Etheridge, Ann Wilson Lead Aretha Franklin Tribute Show
Melissa Etheridge, Heart‘s Ann Wilson, Todd Rundgren and Kenny Loggins will lead “The Music of Aretha Franklin” tribute concert, scheduled for March 6th at New York CIty’s Carnegie Hall. Acclaimed Afrobeat act Antibalas will serve as house band for the 14th annual installment of Michael Dorf’s “Music of” series, which benefits music education organizations for underprivileged youth.
Living Colour, Glen Hansard, Rhiannon Giddens, Taj Mahal, Sarah Dash, Allen Stone and Bettye LaVette will also perform, and many additional artists will be announced soon. Dorf’s previous tribute shows have honored the music of Bill Withers, Talking Heads mastermind David Byrne, Paul Simon, Prince, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, R.E.M., Neil Young, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie.
This year’s dazzling, sold-out Bowie tribute featured performances from the Flaming Lips, Michael Stipe, Pixies, Debbie Harry, Cat Power, Laurie Anderson and Mumford & Sons, among others. Longtime Bowie producer Tony Visconti helped form the house band with Spiders From Mars drummer Mick “Woody” Woodmansey.
Dorf’s tribute nights have raised over $1.3 million for music education programs including Young Audiences New York, Little Kids Rock, Church Street School of Music, The Center for Arts Education, TON, Grammy in the Schools and the D’Addario Foundation.
In August, Franklin canceled a handful of concerts following a recommendation for rest by her doctors. The soul legend performs next in Chicago on December 17th.