About the Event:

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

About the Artist:

During his renowned stage show Bobby Rush frequently jumps high into the air, arms spread and legs tucked, only to land gracefully and return without a hitch to his dazzling routine. It’s a move you might expect at a contemporary R&B show, but it’s downright shocking when you realize that Rush is in his late 80s.

“I never thought I would be here this long,” says Rush. “I was 83 years old before I won a Grammy, but it’s better late than never. I laugh about it, but I’m so blessed and I surely never thought I’d be making a living doing what I’m doing. I’m not just an old guy on my way out.”

Hardly. Rush’s busy schedule includes headlining European festivals with his band and solo programs at venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, and he just recorded an album of brand new material, All My Love For You, coming out via his own label Deep Rush Records in collaboration with Nashville-based Thirty Tigers. Over the last several years he’s won a second Grammy, re-recorded his 1971 hit Chicken Heads together with his old friend Buddy Guy and young blues star Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, and written a critically acclaimed autobiography, I Ain’t Studdin’ You: My American Blues Story.

That story began in rural Homer/Haynesville, Louisiana, where Rush—born Emmett Ellis, Jr.—grew up on his family’s farm picking cotton, tending to mules and chickens, and living in a home without electricity nor indoor plumbing. He built his first guitar on the side of the family’s house out of broom wire, nails, bottles and bricks.

The blues, Rush recalls, provided “an escape from the cotton fields. You’d go out on Saturday night to the juke joints, but then on Monday morning you’d go back into the cotton fields to work for your bossman.”

He left behind farm work to perform on the road with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, and as “Bobby Rush”—a name he took on out of respect to his father, a minister—he toured the jukes and clubs of Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi before settling in Chicago in the 1950s. Through singles on labels including Chess, ABC and Philadelphia International and relentless touring Rush established an unparalleled reputation as an entertainer, which later led to him being crowned by Rolling Stone magazine as King of the Chitlin’ Circuit, the network of African American clubs that arose during the segregation era.

Based in Jackson, Mississippi since the early ‘80s, Rush began “crossing over” to new audiences several decades ago, featured in the Martin Scorsese-produced documentary The Road to Memphis, appearing alongside Terrence Howard, Snoop Dogg and Mavis Staples in the documentary Take Me to the River, and performing on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon along with Dan Aykroyd. And the eternally youthful Rush was even able to play himself in the 1970s in Netflix's 2019 hit biopic Dolemite is My Name in a scene with Eddie Murphy. And the recognition keeps coming. In addition to his two Grammy wins (and six nominations), he’s in the Blues Hall of Fame, has won 16 Blues Music Awards (among 56 nominations), and there’s currently a musical in development called Slippin’ Through The Cracks with sights on Broadway, recently co-written by Rush and playwright Stephen Lloyd Helper, who co-wrote the 7x Tony-nominated musical Smokey Joe’s Café  celebrating the songs of Lieber and Stoller.

Rush, meanwhile, still remains steadfastly committed to the African American audiences who sustained him for decades, and on his new album he looks back from his current vantage point as a seasoned artist celebrated by an ever-growing fan base. 

“I put together all these songs when I was down with the COVID, thinking about where I was going to go from here. You’ll find everything about me inside these songs—folk funk, traditional blues, ballads, love, a comedy and a shit-talking. I don’t know if it hurts me, but my head just won’t let me be still.”

“The first song is, ‘I’m free, look at me. I’ve got the shackles off my feet and the chains off my mind.’ As a blues singer, as a Black man, there were a lot of places I could not go, a lot of things I could not do. But now I’m a free man, I can do some things I never did before and talk about some things I couldn’t talk about.”

In the romping autobiographical ‘I’m the One’ Rush celebrates his long history, including learned from B.B. King and Muddy Waters after arriving in Chicago in 1952. But he was always one to carve is own path, and relays here the challenges in his ultimately successful efforts to “bring the funk into the blues.”

“Back in the day it was hard for me to convince people about recording ‘Chicken Heads’ with that kind of beat—there was none of my peers cutting that kind of record. It was too funky.”

Most of the album finds Rush with new takes on the foibles of romance, addressing the sort of morality tales that he often acts out on stage with the help of his voluptuous dancers. Many of his songs over the years, such as “What’s Good For the Goose (Is Good For the Gander Too),” have drawn from the well of African American folklore, as does the first single off his new album, which revisits a classic that was recently covered by a young star of Southern Soul.

“King George had a record out called “Keep On Rollin,” and that really comes from a record I did 28 years ago called “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show,” which was about  woman who said she was going to leave me. So I now have a single, “One Monkey Can Stop a Show”—I’m going to treat her better so she sticks around.”

Rush advocates body positivity in celebrating his “TV Mama” ‘with the big wide screen,’ and in “I’ll Do Anything For You” proclaims that he’ll serve as his lover’s chauffer and masseuse, sleep out in the rain, and even rescue her from the jungle.

 “I joke and talk about sex in a way that people can understand. I’m all for lifting it up, because if it wasn’t for sex, none of us would be here. That’s what the world is built around, making love and making money. I’m in the position now that I can tell the story better than most people, and plus I’ve got nothing to lose now.”

Rush has become one of the most prominent advocates for the blues tradition, and says “it’s the root of all music, it’s the mother of all music. If you don’t like the blues, you probably don’t like your mama.”

And he has no plans to slow down.

“I’m still in decent health and my mind is pretty keen, and the most blessed thing is that I still have people around me who love what I do. And even if you don’t like me, you’re still going to say, “I don’t like Bobby Rush, but, damn, he’s good.’

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

About the Artist:

After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, Pokey LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois-born singer/songwriter/actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm—a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist. On his new album Rhumba Country, LaFarge reveals his newly heightened devotion to making music that channels pure joy. “There was a time when I glorified sadness because I lost sight of who I was, but now I understand that creating and expressing joy is my gift, and gifts are meant to be shared,” he says. Reclaiming his voice, LaFarge has recorded his boldest album yet.

Rhumba Country was initially shaped from material that emerged while LaFarge was deep in work on the farm. “I’d be pushing a plow or scattering seeds, and the songs would just come to me,” he recalls. “It was tremendously inspirational and made me realize that apart from singing, farming is perhaps the oldest human art form.” But as he moved forward with his songwriting, something felt undeniably amiss. LaFarge then spoke with fellow Midwestern transplant Elliot Bergman (Wild Belle), who suggested he return to city life in Los Angeles for a season so that the two musicians could work together—a collaboration that soon brought the rhumba to LaFarge’s country. As he immersed himself in the album’s creation, LaFarge began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll. Co-produced along with Chris Seefried and Bergman and recorded in L.A., the resulting Rhumba Country is an invitation to come together to celebrate life and love. “The songs that naturally come to me are upbeat and make you wanna dance or at least bop your head—they’re all very colorful,” says LaFarge. “I used to think of my music in dark blue, but now I see it in technicolor.”

LaFarge’s boundless curiosity for music from other cultures played a vital part in shaping the album’s instantly captivating sound. “Listening to a lot of music from around the world helped simplify my approach,” he notes, naming Brazilian singer/composer Jorge Ben among his key inspirations on Rhumba Country. “When you scale back the chord progressions and get a good rhythm going, the musicians have more freedom to play anything or nothing at all. There’s so much space everywhere, and as a singer, it allows me to be that lead instrument and weave in and out however I want.” At the same time, LaFarge brought a more intense and focused rigor to his songwriting process. “I need to trust in what feels good to me, but I also have to ask myself, ‘Is the message coming through? Am I stimulating thought in a way that might shift someone’s perspective? Am I being honest in telling my story, and am I doing it in love?’” he says.

Reflecting on the origins of Rhumba Country, LaFarge points to one of the most crucial revelations he experienced while farming: a newfound understanding of the uniquely human potential to be “conduits of continuous creation.” To that end, his effort to provide listeners with “medicine for the soul” has led LaFarge toward a deeper level of dedication when it comes to nurturing his own spirit. “You have to live the life you’re singing in your songs—no matter what you’re going through,” he says. “Everything will come out in your music whether you want it to or not. I’ve realized that the more I can pursue goodness and live in peace, the more I can make the music I was put here to make.” And by living with intention and fully connecting with his truest purpose, LaFarge might finally be ready to lay his head in a place he calls home.

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

About the Artist:

KUDZU KINGS (kud-zoo kingz) (Reges pueraria sollemnitas) have been on a musical crusade since 1994, playing at festivals and music venues in the Southeast and beyond with their diverse catalogue of original music and decidedly waggish banter. These good-time botanical royalists gained early popularity playing the jamband circuit. However, the majority of their songs are in a more traditional vein: true stories about life in the South, in a style they describe as “funktry (see excerpt in the book “Jambands: the Complete Guide to the Players, Music, & Scene” by Dean Budnick ). Over the years, Kudzu Kings have shared the stage with the likes of Widespread Panic, Black Crowes, Chris Stapleton, Larkin Poe, Aquarium Rescue Unit, Weir/Wasserman, Oteil & Friends, Leftover Salmon, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Junior Brown, just to name a few. In 2020, the band was honored with an exhibit and living e-archive in the University of Mississippi Blues Archive. 

Although the band has had personnel changes over the past thirty years, the original lineup has been reunited and play together for the last decade: Tate Moore (vocals, acoustic guitar), Robert Chaffe (keyboards), “Kudzu” Dave Woolworth (vocals, bass), Max Williams (vocals, lead guitar), Chuck Sigler (drums), and George McConnell (vocals, rhythm, and lead guitars; also, formerly of Beanland and Widespread Panic). 

With two live releases in 2023 and 2020 that include previously undistributed material, the band continues to write and play new songs live and collaborate with other projects. The band has sold over 10,000 units each of their first two albums (1996’s Kudzu Kings and 1999’s Y2Kow), and fans continue to post and trade live shows online. Kudzu Kings’ music has a broad and empyrean appeal to the young and adventurous at heart across the entire Southern Zodiac; where this band goes, good times follow. 

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

MPPF Set Times:

5:00: YOUR ACADEMY
5:45: THE SONNY WILSONS
7:00: THE CONNELLS

About The Connells:

The Connells, one of North Carolina’s most successful indie rock bands, released “Steadman’s Wake" in 2021, their first full-length album since 2001. Beyond the fact that “Steadman’s Wake” is the group’s first new release in over 20 years, it is the first Connells’ album to feature their two newest members, guitarist Mike Ayers and drummer Rob Ladd (who have been in the lineup since 2002 and 2012, respectively), and the band’s first record made up of songs contributed solely by Mike Connell,  who happens to take on a more prominent role as vocalist.

Even though it’s been 20 years since their last recording, The Connells never quit playing live, and Mike Connell never quit writing songs. Eventually enough material came together to suggest it was finally time to make another record. “Steadman’s Wake” features eight new songs that have never been released, while three of the album’s songs previously appeared in different versions on 2001’s “Old-School Dropouts” – a collection of demos recorded at the group’s practice space.

“Steadman’s Wake” was originally to have been released in 2020 but was held up due to the pandemic, a hard delay for a band that had waited so long for this followup. It joins the catalog as The Connells’ ninth full-length album in a career going back to 1984. That was when the band first formed in Chapel Hill at the University of North Carolina, debuting a year later with “Darker Days.” Their 1987 Mitch Easter-produced album “Boylan Heights” established The Connells as college-radio favorites, and they went on to work with producers including Gary Smith, Hugh Jones and Lou Giordano on subsequent albums.

Three Connells albums made the Billboard 200 charts in America, but their biggest commercial success came overseas. “’74- ’75,” a pensive and moody ballad from 1993’s Giordano-produced LP “Ring,” reached the top-10 in 11 different European countries in the mid-1990s (including No. 1 in Sweden and Norway). The song’s evocative time-traveling video, juxtaposing then-and-now photos of alumni from The Connells’ hometown Broughton High School, also earned a cult following with fans making their own video versions.

“We’ve been trying to figure out if there’s some kinda theme to this new record,” says MacMillan. “If anything, I’d say it’s 20 years older. The minor-key-heavy chord progressions and the way Mike puts songs together, still give it dark undertones. But the lyrics seem a little more upbeat than before, even if it still has that longing aspect. It feels a little more grown-up than we’ve done in the past - more upbeat and not quite as cynical. Every record we’ve ever made, we’ve thought it was the last one. Maybe this really will be it. Then again, as long as we’re still playing, chances are that Mike will still be writing songs. We’ll see.”

The Connells Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

About The Sonny Wilsons:

The Sonny Wilsons is the power pop project of Adam Yancey (Solo artist, Afterglow, The Chain Hopsons, The Becky’s) and Allen Couch (East Link).

Adam Yancey, who gigged his way through flight school is, and this is a direct quote, “The only idiot in the world that got into the music business for the money. And the only idiot, in the history of idiots, which is a long list, who had to fall back on a music career to become an airline pilot!”

Multi-instrumentalist Allen Couch's love of music began when he stumbled upon, and subsequently appropriated, his parent's 8-track copy of Abbey Road. Yep, he's that old…. Thus began a lifelong appreciation for a well structured pop harmony.

They are joined by singer-songwriter-guitarist Danny McGreger (Lately David), singer-guitarist Chris Swenson (The Devil Brothers, David Brookings Band, Victor & The Spoils, Megawhat, Black Oak Arkansas) and bassist Johnny Norris (Crash Into June, Your Academy). The Sonny Wilsons’ first album, recorded at Ardent and High/Low studios with Jon Auer (Posies, Big Star) producing, will be released late summer of 2025.

The Sonny Wilsons Socials:

Instagram | Facebook

About Your Academy:

When semi-legendary Memphis power pop band crash into june acrimoniously split in 2005, founding member and bass player Johnny Norris clinged to hope that the band would one day regroup to make one more great album to complement its critically acclaimed releases from blind to blue (1999) and Another Vivid Scene (2002). While reunion shows in 2013 and 2016 sparked hope, a group commitment to record again never materialized. And, when Norris’s efforts to reform the band in August 2019 to celebrate his birthday were rebuffed by the latest incarnation of the group, it appeared that all hope of another CIJ- related recording was extinguished.

Enter guitarist Chris Gafford and drummer Dan Shumake, both of whom appeared on CIJ’s debut release, from blind to blue. Since leaving crash into june, Gafford and Shumake remained active in the Memphis music scene and had joined Stephen Burns’ most recent reincarnation of The Scruffs. When approached, the two eagerly signed on to join Norris for an August 2019 performance of crash into june songs and other power pop classics. But, the question remained: who would sing?

Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Brandon McGovern cut his teeth on the soul and blues sound of his city. With a love for The Beatles and 60's garage bands, he spent his early years playing in various bands, including Madison Treehouse, which played many shows with crash into june throughout the 90’s on Memphis’s famed Highland Strip.

Enter Adam Hill. Hill is affectionately known in power pop circles as “The Big Star Archivist” having assisted Ardent Studios founder, the late John Fry, with locating, transferring and mixing long lost Big Star and Chris Bell tracks for inclusion on box sets released in the early 2000’s. Adam also plays guitar in The Scruffs and is an accomplished recording engineer having worked with Jack White, Cat Power, Klaus Voorman, Low Cut Connie, and, of course, Big Star. Adam signed on to play lead guitar in and record Your Academy.

Under Hill’s tutelage, Your Academy has recorded what truly is the resurrection of Memphis power pop.

Your Academy Socials:

Instagram | Facebook

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

About the Artist:

When their instrumental prowess earned them a vast following on social media, childhood friends turned all-star act Shadowgrass found sudden success. But as a young band, the expectations that went along with a large audience proved daunting. “We felt a lot of pressure to make something uniquely us, because we had such a big following, and we felt that they deserved more than what we had given them as of yet.” explains the band. The group dug deep into their own musicality, and tried to block out the noise for their sophomore release All That Will (release date: Oct 4, 2024). “It turned out that dropping those self-imposed expectations and just writing/making music for our own enjoyment was the key to finding our collective voice and making a record we are all proud of.”

Shadowgrass began in 2014 when Clay Russell (Banjo), Luke Morris (Mandolin), Kyser George (Guitar) were jamming at the Grayson County Fiddler’s Convention in Elk Creek, VA. Sometime before their first real show, the name Shadowgrass was suggested simply because they thought it sounded “cool”. Kyser, Clay, and Luke were 9, 13, and 14 years old at the time. Now in their early twenties, their influences and listening habits have changed drastically, but the group has always grown in the same direction musically. They have welcomed fiddle player Madison Morris, who also lends vocals and songwriting prowess, and bass player Evan Campfield. Luke and Madison trade off lead vocals, and harmonies seamlessly with one another. Their commitment to and keen interest in songwriting brings additional dimensions to the band, allowing the group to appeal to listeners outside of the expected jam-band community.

As a very young band that has already been playing together for a decade, Shadowgrass has a unique bond. “We’ve grown up together and have watched each other evolve into the people we are today”, they say. “It sounds cliche but we definitely act more like siblings than bandmates”. On All That Will, the group explores themes of anxiety and uncertainty, and questioning the people they want to become. Luckily, they’ve had each other to share these experiences with, and it seems that their companionship has only pushed their artistic and musical abilities to new heights.

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

About the Artist:

Back with a vengeance, Lukah has teamed up with legendary New York producer and DJ Statik Selektah for a cross-continental LP that explicates and contorts the black American dialect through rich lyrics traded with a formidable lineup of guest MCs, including Grammy winner Killer Mike, Memphis legend 8-Ball, frequent homies and collaborators Stooky Bros and Sonny (Everyday Saints).

 Lukah has established a name for himself among hip-hop purists for complicated and encyclopedic rhymes that remain heartfelt and true to his life experience. Across his discography, every new song adds another piece to the puzzle. His last project, Temple Needs Water, Village Needs Peace, drew heavily on jazz and neo-soul, with contributions from Billy Woods, Shabakah Hutchins, and Adrian Utley. On A Lost Language Found, he relates the experience of his great grandparents and their work in the political underground of the Southern 70s to the persistent issues faced by underprivileged communities in Memphis, interlacing monologues from a vibrant cast of local characters. The effect is like a documentary film.

This project features verses from a national cast of top tier MCs: Killer Mike, Bun B, 8Ball, J Worthy, and more.  The album campaign will see Lukah interviewing many prominent Memphis figures about their respective “languages” (in this context meaning their craft or art form) on video, notably Bart Jones, Bertram Williams, and Boo Mitchell. The album will be digitally distributed by Perfect Timing, with PR from Dark Matter and international vinyl distributed by RRC.

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

Price

$45 GA Advance
$50 GA Day Of Show

Event Times

Door open 6:30pm
Event starts 7:30pm

About the Artist:

Justin Scott (born August 26, 1986), better known by his stage name Big K.R.I.T., is an American hip hop musician and record producer from Meridian, Mississippi. K.R.I.T. is an acronym, meaning King Remembered In Time. K.R.I.T. first came into the hip hop scene in 2005 with the release of his two mixtapes, See Me On Top and See Me On Top II.

Know Before You Go - Shell Yeah! Benefit Series:

This concert is part of our Shell Yeah! Benefit Series. No outside food, drinks, coolers or pets are allowed at ticketed events. Reusable water bottles may be brought in to fill up at our water fountains.

All seating is GA outdoor lawn seating. Lawn chairs and blankets are strongly encouraged. No tents or umbrellas.

The two box office entrances are located on Veterans Plaza, on the left side of the Shell near the Zoo entrance, and on Museum Drive between the Brooks Museum and the Overton Park Shell.

Please have your ticket ready and pulled up on your phone before you arrive at the box office to ensure a speedy entry-- your cell service connection may be impacted by large events. Tickets should be loaded into the Ticketmaster app or your Google/Apple Wallet.

Screenshots and confirmation emails are not accepted for entry.

Children 5 and under do not require a ticket.

The Overton Park Shell is wheelchair accessible

No professional photography, video, or audio recording equipment

Because this is a fundraiser, no refunds are available. Thank you for helping to power our FREE concert series

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Food Trucks:

TBA

Sponsored By:

Sponsorships still available

About the Artist:

A.D. was born and raised in Memphis, TN. She has been mixing music for nearly 20 years, and DJing professionally for 15 years. House Music/Dance Music is her favorite genre to play when she is having fun. She is excellent at putting her own "spin" on a mix which gives her a unique flair that makes her stand out from the rest.

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook |

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

About the Event:

Princeton James Productions is proud to be a featured partner in the iconic Overton Shell Free Concert Series, bringing an unforgettable night of creativity, culture, and community to the historic Memphis stage. This dynamic celebration will feature a powerful blend of live music, theater, film, poetry, and performances from our Kooler Kids and Kooler Grands, showcasing talent that spans generations.

More than a show, this experience is designed to entertain, engage, inspire, and educate. A soulful reflection of the love, unity, and brilliance within our communities. Join us as we celebrate storytelling in all its forms and stand together in joy, purpose, and power.

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

About the Artist:

Arkansauce calls forth melodies of the Ozark Mountains' rolling hills and raging rivers with their distinct blend of newgrass. This progressive string quartet features Tom Andersen on bass, guitarist Zac Archuleta, Ethan Bush on mandolin, and Adams Collins on banjo. Their music features improvisational string leads matched with complex melodies, intriguing rhythms, and deep thumping bass grooves. Each member sings lead and harmony parts as well as contributes to the lyrics, which offer authentic, intelligent songwriting with hard-hitting hooks. 

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

About the Artist:

Daisha McBride, also known as "The Rap Girl", is a hip hop and R&B artist, songwriter, and pioneer in Nashville's hip-hop scene. Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, McBride studied the music business at Middle Tennessee State University. She first gained online attention by layering rhymes over radio hits and posting them from her dorm room.

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

GONERFEST 22 SUNDAY SET TIMES:

5:30: Tarwa N-Tniri (desert blues from Ouarzazate, Morocco)

6:30: Silver Synthetic (country psych from New Orleans, LA)

7:30: Dummy (synth/guitar pop from Los Angeles, CA)

8:30: Snooper (aerobic punk from Nashville, TN)

About Gonerfest 22:

Gonerfest is a festival in Memphis organized by Goner Records. The festival is known for its intimate setting and cutting edge mix of bands. Bands who have played Gonerfest include Shannon & The Clams, Mudhoney, Guitar Wolf, Ty Segall, Cosmic Psychos, Osees, Oblivians, Robyn Hitchcock, Derv Gordon, Bill Orcutt & Chris Corsano, King Brothers, The Oh Sees, The King Khan & BBQ Show, Negative Approach, Compulsive Gamblers, Reatards, Amyl & The Sniffers, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, AWFM, Snooper, Black Lips, New Bomb Turks, Gories, Mummies, Fred & Toody Cole, Carbonas, Leather Uppers, Head, The Gizmos, X_X, Wreckless Eric, The Hipshakes, Human Eye, Sonny Vincent, Sick Thoughts, Icky Boyfriends, and tons and tons more. 20 festivals at 30 + bands per festival = 600 plus bands!

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

About the Artist:

The New Respects are a high-energy throwback rock and soul quartet comprising siblings Alexandria, Alexis, and Darius Fitzgerald, and their cousin Jasmine Mullen. The children of a Nashville preacher, twins Alexandria (guitar) and Alexis (bass) and their brother Darius (drums) grew up on gospel music, and while Mullen (vocals) heard a wider range of influences in the house, her parents were both songwriters in the Christian music industry, with her mom, Nicole C. Mullen, having established herself as a prominent recording artist in the early 2000s. Forming in high school as the John Hancock Band, the quartet was initially based around more of an indie folk sound. As they became more established, the influences of early rock, R&B, blues, and soul began to inform their sound, and their music became more dynamic. By 2016, they'd signed with Capitol CMG and changed their name to the New Respects. Following a pair of singles later that year, they made their debut in early 2017 with the Here Comes Trouble EP. The non-album single "Freedom" appeared in May 2018.

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

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Deck Parties Available

About the Artist:

After thirty-five years of being at the forefront of the ever-evolving musical landscape of New Orleans, Grammy Award winner Jon Cleary decided to bring that sound back home, both figuratively and literally. He assembled his Absolute Monster Gentlemen (his acclaimed all-star big band) in his home studio in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans, drew up a setlist of some of his most beloved songs– and some new favorites– and rolled tape.

“We set out to capture that sound in the old-fashioned way: everybody in the room, playing together,” Cleary explains.

The result is The Bywater Sessions, a musical tour-de-force that showcases the grit, funk and joy that’s packed concert halls from New Orleans to Tokyo and beyond. Co-produced by Cleary and John Porter (Roxy Music, The Smiths, Taj Mahal), it’s a stunning collection of performances that affirms Cleary’s place in the New Orleans musical vanguard.

“There’s a lot to be said for the ‘lean and mean’ sound of a piano trio, stripped down to basics, simple and direct,” Cleary says. “But recently, I’ve been experimenting with different combinations; adding horns, guitar, percussion and even another keyboard player. This expanded line-up has allowed the arrangements to blossom in new directions.”

As for the musicians, it’s the best of the best. Long time Monster Gentlemen Cornell Williams and A.J. Hall anchor the band on bass and drums, respectively. They are joined by Nigel Hall (Lettuce) on Hammond organ, Pedro Segundo (Ronnie Scott’s All Stars) on percussion, Xavier Lynn (MonoNeon, Ledisi) on guitar, and an all-star horn section of Aaron Narcisse (Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra), Charlie Halloran (Squirrel Nut Zippers, Preservation Hall All Stars) and Jason Mingledorff (Galactic).

“Sophisticated, nasty, good-time, low-down funk is the folk music of New Orleans,” Cleary says. “Everyone playing on this recording is a New Orleanian by birth or by choice, having learned their craft at the feet of the masters who in turn were taught by the old lions in their day - it's a tradition stretching back over two hundred years. The roots go deep, but each generation, growing up with street parades and second-lines, absorbs the old and introduces the new, gently coaxing the essential essence into and out of each succeeding decade.”

It’s an apt description of Cleary’s career thus far. Born in London and on a plane to New Orleans before he turned twenty years old, he grew up absorbed by the sounds and rhythms of the Crescent City. His mastery of the city’s music landed him gigs playing as a session musician in the bands of local legends Earl King, Johnny Adams, Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington, Snooks Eaglin, Ernie K-Doe, Jessie Hill– and as a guitarist for Dr. John. He later toured extensively with icons like Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal. His solo career began in earnest in 1989 and includes beloved records like their self-titled band debut and his 2015 Grammy winner, Go-Go Juice. 

In fact, his first job in New Orleans was as a painter at beloved local club the Maple Leaf Bar, and it wasn’t long until he was playing piano in that very room. To this day, he and his band continue to pack that room to crowds that gather from around the world, playing their unique and ever-evolving take on New Orleans funk and R&B.

“These grooves are not museum pieces, they are alive, breathing and fresh - and that’s why joints like Tipitina’s, The Maple Leaf Bar and Chickie Wah Wah are always packed when the locals, young and old, come out to hear the Gentlemen do they thang,” Cleary proudly adds.

On The Bywater Sessions, the band that Rolling Stone’s David Fricke called “as broad, deep and rolling as the Mississippi river” is finally captured as intended– live, in the room and as funky as ever. And with that comes an invitation from Cleary himself:

“Close your eyes, imagine you’re in the room with us, me and the band, Mike Dorsey the engineer, John Porter the producer and Reed the manager. Turn it up and enjoy the experience. I hope you have as much fun listening as we did playing.”

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

Price

$30 GA Advance
$40 GA Day of Show

Event Times

Doors open 6:30pm
Event starts 7:30pm

About the Artist:

“Ingram plays guitar with dramatic, searing tone and sure-handed authority. And that’s just in the studio; he’s even scarier live.” –NPR Music

“Kingfish is one of the most exciting young guitarists in years, with a sound that encompasses B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and Prince.” –Rolling Stone

In just six years since his GRAMMY-nominated debut album Kingfish, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram has become a global blues sensation. Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi — just 10 miles from the legendary crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 — he grew up immersed in the blues. Mentored at the Delta Blues Museum, he developed his distinctive sound, influenced by legends like B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Albert King, Jimi Hendrix, and Prince.

Kingfish topped the Billboard Blues Chart for 91 weeks and earned a GRAMMY nomination. In 2021, his follow-up album 662 debuted at #1, earning him his first GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Blues Album. NPR hailed the album as “astounding.” Since his debut, Kingfish has won 12 Blues Music Awards and 11 Living Blues Awards.

In 2023, Kingfish released Live in London, capturing the raw energy of his live shows with powerful guitar work and soul-stirring vocals. The album was praised for its authenticity and emotional depth, showcasing his ability to bring modern blues to a global audience.

Kingfish’s relentless touring, writing, and recording continue to fuel his rise. With his jaw-dropping guitar prowess and captivating vocals, he delivers contemporary blues that resonate worldwide. Whether headlining his own shows or sharing stages with legends like Buddy Guy, Jason Isbell, and The Rolling Stones, Kingfish remains a dynamic force in modern blues.

Know Before You Go - Shell Yeah! Benefit Series:

This concert is part of our Shell Yeah! Benefit Series. No outside food, drinks, coolers or pets are allowed at ticketed events. Reusable water bottles may be brought in to fill up at our water fountains.

All seating is GA outdoor lawn seating. Lawn chairs and blankets are strongly encouraged. No tents or umbrellas.

The two box office entrances are located on Veterans Plaza, on the left side of the Shell near the Zoo entrance, and on Museum Drive between the Brooks Museum and the Overton Park Shell.

Please have your ticket ready and pulled up on your phone before you arrive at the box office to ensure a speedy entry-- your cell service connection may be impacted by large events. Tickets should be loaded into the Ticketmaster app or your Google/Apple Wallet.

Screenshots and confirmation emails are not accepted for entry.

Children 5 and under do not require a ticket.

The Overton Park Shell is wheelchair accessible

No professional photography, video, or audio recording equipment

Because this is a fundraiser, no refunds are available. Thank you for helping to power our FREE concert series

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

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Sponsorships Still Available

MCBF Set Times:

5:45: SENSATIONAL BARNES BROTHERS
7:00: NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS

About North Mississippi Allstars:

NMA started by brother Luther and Cody Dickinson in 1996 as a loose collective of musicians from their North Mississippi home inspired by their father Jim Dickinson as well as neighbors and musical elders of their community; RL Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, Otha Turner and Fred McDowell.

Luther’s first national tour was the RL Burnside Ass Pocket of Whiskey tour in 1997, selling out shows in the US and Canada. “Kenny Brown hired me to tour with RL and Cedric and showed me the ropes. That experience blew my mind. Cody and I have been on the road ever since.”

NMA began touring in 1998 and over the years the touring lineup has included, Cedric, Duwayne and Garry Burnside, Chris Chew, Berry Oakley Jr, Oteil Burbruidgem and currently Joey Williams of the Blind Boys of Alabama and Ray Ray Hollowman, guitar player for Eminem and Nee-O.

Since their debut album in 2000 and hitting the never ending road, they have shared the stage with countless legends; Phil Lesh, Mavis Staples, Robert Plant, John Hiatt, the Allman Brothers, The Black Crowes, Buddy Guy, Snoop Dogg, and Jon Spencer to name a few, while earning multiple grammy nominations for their experimental albums of they like to call Modern Mississippi Music.

NMA Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

About The Sensational Barnes Brothers:

The Sensational Barnes Brothers are a melting pot of the old and the new. As Pop Matters states, “The brothers run through a spectrum of moods and modes in their gospel soul, often bridging the gap between, say, the Soul Stirrers and Stax, all the while keeping a local flavor.” The brothers are able to dive deep into their roots, creating a sound that reflects the music of their history, all the while drawing in a modern-day audience.

The Sensational Barnes Brothers are featured on vocalists Don Bryant’s Grammy nominated album Don't Give Up on Love, lead singer of The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach, on his newest solo album, and you can expect to hear them on the soon to be released album from Latin Grammy nominated Making Movies.

The Sensational Barnes Brothers recorded their first album under the Bible and Tire Recording Co./Fat Possum. Inspired by their shared past, fueled by harmonies that resonate with both their blood and their kindred souls, The Sensational Barnes Brothers see themselves singing, playing, and dancing for a long time coming.

SBB Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

About the Artists:

Born to the land of Woodstock, TN, Corey Martin, known affectionately as Corey Lou, came into this world as a born-to-be performer. Gifted with a heart for soul and the ear of a true musician, Lou began his journey as an artist from the young age of five singing the deep gospel sound of the Memphis choirs, to the rugged soul riffs so well trained at the infamous Stax Music Academy, to the polished classical content worthy of Carnegie Hall's stages. It’s safe to say that Lou does it all. A self-proclaimed “lover-boy”, the words of Lou’s work reflect a man in contemplation over life lessons, laments, and most deeply, love. Out of his desire to make meaning of these things, Lou takes each verse and chord as the chance to communicate a message of power with the world. His greatest hope is that in doing so, he can set a standard of success and true expression beyond the mainstream.

As a child, Lou's mother would always quote the saying,"it takes a village to raise a child" and that saying never left his heart propelling him to create his own village. In the year of 2020, Mr. Lou created his backing band officially naming it "Corey Lou & Da Village." He also established DaVillage Entertainment in 2022. To Mr. Lou, his music is his child to help change the culture of the world and spaces around him, while also creating a standard of success and true expression beyond the mainstream.
Corey Lou’s glorious timbres ricochet through your mind in a prominent manner that has his allure drawing you towards the compelling quintessence of his artistry and persona. The energy that he showcases through the seemingly smooth vibes takes you into a whirlwind of resonance that continues to intensify as his records progress.
Incorporating his gospel choir roots that scream out Memphis, there’s the originality that comes from this inimitable lane he has carved out for himself. Corey Lou & Da Village make it so you get everything you need through their intricately crafted soundscapes that are dedicated to making you feel the emotion within. With a hope that his music reaches whomever is meant to hear the message, Corey Lou creates music with the intention for it to be a vehicle of "generational peace, good energy, and fellowship for the world."

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Savannah Brister, a Memphis-based singer-songwriter, captivates audiences with her compelling voice and heartfelt songwriting. Her performances are infused with an undeniable emotional depth, resonating with listeners and creating an inviting, intimate atmosphere. Savannah's quirky charm further endears her to fans, making each show a memorable experience.  In early 2019, Savannah gained national recognition when she appeared on NBC's The Voice and earned a spot on John Legend's team. Her talent has also been celebrated through numerous accolades, including an HMMA award for her song "Dear World" and multiple awards for her song "Feelings,” which will be on her upcoming album “Soft.” Don’t miss the chance to witness Savannah Brister’s heartfelt artistry live—she’s sure to leave you inspired and wanting more.

Artists Socials:

Corey Lou & Da Village: Instagram | Youtube

Savannah Brister: Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

About the Event:

TN Shakespeare Co. presents: 9th Annual Free Autumn Shout-Out Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing
Comedy by William Shakespeare

Directed by Stephanie Shine

The victorious soldiers returning to Messina only thought they were laying down their arms. Head-strong Benedick and his men come heart-to-heart with the witty Beatrice and her women in the Italian countryside for a sun-dappled battle of romance. Who knew love could be this funny?

Ideal for the outdoors, families, and picnics, Shakespeare’s romantic comedy plays gleefully in 90 minutes without intermission.

Event Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By:

Deck Parties Available

About the Event:

Rhodes College celebrates 100 Years in Memphis i with a lively concert featuring the Rhodes Faculty Players and the Rhodes Jazz Band with special guest artist Muneer Nasser.

About the Artist:

Trumpeter, composer, jazz historian, and author Muneer Nasser developed a lifelong passion for jazz. His father, jazz bassist, Jamil Nasser and the rich musical landscape of New York City provided a great classroom for his jazz education. “Hearing Dizzy Gillespie at the Village Gate (1976) was a mind-blowing experience, which ignited my pursuit of jazz trumpet,” said Nasser. His major publication, Upright Bass: The Musical Life & Legacy of Jamil Nasser documents 50 years of that history.

Nasser attended The International Art of Jazz Workshop (1979). Trumpeter Dave Burns (Gillespie Big Band Alum) had reservations about his youthful age, but Nasser’s talent overshadowed this concern, "Mr. Burns' acceptance fortified my confidence, and I began studying with him." Additional instruction from George Coleman, Jimmy Owens, Oliver Beener, and Webster Young was tested at jam sessions conducted by Eddie Henderson, Ted Curson, Tommy Turrentine, and Gil Coggins. "If you couldn't play, they would bench you with quickness and give you a homework assignment." Nasser said. Challenging jam sessions at The Village Gate, Sonny’s Place, Smalls, and The Jazz Center of New York provided a forum to apply those basics. Along with his brother Zaid, Nasser played a soulful rendition of “Straight No Chaser” with Lou Donaldson at the Jazz Center in 1984. Lou said, “Y’all on the right track.”

Nasser enrolled in Howard University which placed him in a thriving DC jazz scene. Muneer performed at Blues Alley, Kennedy Center, and Lincoln Theater with Buck Hill, Larry Willis, Keter Betts, and Butch Warren. Nasser earned his degree and decided to take his trumpet outside of the United States. Performing in Europe and North Africa expanded his audience. Touring with Jazz Jamaica in the United Kingdom allowed him to share the bandstand with Courtney Pine and Gary Crosby. “I had a chance to perform with the great drummer Clifford Jarvis, and he shared musical and trumpet gems from Kenny Dorham and Freddie Hubbard."

Upright Bass: The Musical Life & Legacy of Jamil Nasser introduced with Ron Carter’s heartfelt foreword sets the stage for an epic story filled with adventure. Publisher’s Weekly said, "The book covers rare historical events and contemporary issues in jazz.” Muneer launched a book release at St. Peter’s Church in New York City wherein he conducted a panel discussion on Memphis jazz with Harold Mabern. Moreover, Dick Griffin, and Rufus Reid. Jimmy Owens, Lonnie Plaxico, Zaid Nasser, and Winard Harper blew the house down.

Muneer has written and recorded a catalogue of reggae, jazz, rock, EDM, Rap, and R & B compositions. He won the best soundtrack award for the film “Aftershock” at the DC 48-hour Film Festival. Nasser’s post pandemic efforts include teaching master classes and giving lectures in Kassel Germany, Frankfurt Book Fair, JJA Academy London, Berklee College of Music, Howard University, Jazz Education Network Conference, and The Frank Islam Symposium at Montgomery College.

Nasser is developing an exciting Memphis jazz documentary and a new album “Blue House Sessions” a follow up to Nasser’s debut album as a band leader “A Soldier’s Story” which Jazzwise magazine calls, “A hard swinging recording immersed in bebop, Latin, and modal jazz traditions,” features Elijah Easton-tenor saxophone, Allyn Johnson-piano, James King-bass, John Lamkin III-drums.

Artist Socials:

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube

Know Before You Go:

Food Trucks: TBA

Picnic baskets, coolers, beverages, blankets, and lawn chairs are always welcome. We also offer food and beverage for sale in the Autozone Food and Beverage Concourse. Dogs on a leash are welcome in designated areas. Overton Park Shell is a nonsmoking facility.

Click here to learn more about the visitor experience.

Sponsored By: