Dr. John, Bob Weir (Skip Bolen/Getty Images for Blackbird Productions; Josh Timmermans)Audio and video releases documenting star-studded concerts saluting Dr. John and the late Jerry Garcia will hit stores soon in multiple configurations as part of a new partnership between Blackbird Presents and the Concord Bicycle Music label.
The events will be available on CD, DVD, as CD/DVD packages and as digital downloads.
The Dr. John tribute, titled The Musical Mojo of Dr. John: A Celebration of Mac & His Music, captures a May 2014 event held at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans’ French Quarter. The show featured a surprise appearance by Bruce Springsteen, who joined Dr. John for a rendition of the New Orleans legend’s funky 1973 hit “Right Place, Wrong Time.” Other guest performers included John Fogerty, Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples, Irma Thomas, Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann and longtime Allman Brothers Band guitarist Warren Haynes.
The show also featured an impressive house band led by Don Was on bass which included drummer Kenny Aronoff and Rolling Stones touring keyboardist Chuck Leavell.
The Garcia homage, Dear Jerry: Celebrating the Music of Jerry Garcia, took place in May 2015 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. The show was held about a month before The Grateful Dead’s historic “Fare Thee Well” 50th anniversary concerts, and featured the band’s four core surviving members — Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Kreutzmann.
Other performers include Peter Frampton, Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, Los Lobos, one-time Dead keyboardist Bruce Hornsby, frequent Garcia collaborator David Grisman, Jimmy Cliff, Widespread Panic, the late Allen Toussaint and many others.
A third tribute concert, focusing on country-folk great Emmylou Harris, also will be released soon as a CD, DVD, CD/DVD set and digital download.
Blackbird Presents has produced a variety of all-star tribute concerts over the last few years, including shows honoring Gregg Allman, Lynyrd Skynyrd, John Lennon and Mavis Staples.
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