NEWPORT, RI, July 12, 2010 –Concert-goers anticipate seeing the light when the legendary gospel group and five-time Grammy Award winners, the BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA, headline the Newport Yachting Center’s Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series on Saturday evening, July 24^th 2010. Tickets can be purchased at the tiered pricing levels of $40 for preferred and $25 for standard at www.newportwaterfrontevents.com by using the ClickNPrint system which offers the benefit of “at home” ticket printing or by calling the Newport Yachting Center Box Office at (401) 846-1600. The Blind Boys’ special guest will be local blues legend, former member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and W.C. Handy Award winner for “Best Blues Guitarist,” Duke Robillard and his band, while Jamestown-based blues and roots singer-songwriter, Ed McGuirl, will grace the smaller, Courtyard Stage.

 

Five-time Grammy Award winners and the 2009 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award designees, the now–legendary BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA first formed at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in 1939. Today, the gospel and soul group along with its founding member-vocalist, Jimmy Carter, continue to thrill audiences worldwide with their electrifying live performances. In addition to releasing dozens of albums, the Blind Boys were inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame in 2007, have had its songs featured in various television shows, including The Wire and Lost, and toured with numerous musicians, including Peter Gabriel, Tom Petty and John Fogerty.

 

The band’s 2009 album, Down in New Orleans, won a Grammy Award and, within the past few months, the band performed with Lou Reed on the David Letterman Show to support their new Duets album release and sang at the White House for the President and First Lady as part of “A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement.”

 

“The Blind Boys gave a truly inspirational show when they performed at our venue back in 2003 and we’re all looking forward to another amazing concert,” said Michele Maker Palmieri, General Manager of the Newport Yachting Center. “They bring their warm southern hospitality to the stage, the audience feels right at home and lifted by their soulful harmonies!”

 

The rest of the Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series line-up to-date is as follows:

DATE            PERFORMER                        TICKET PRICES

 

Sat., July 17            CAKE                        $50 preferred/$35 standard

Opening Act: Winterpills. Courtyard Stage: Kim Lamothe.

 

Thurs., July, 29       THE INDIGO GIRLS      $50 preferred/$35 standard

Opening Act: Coyote Grace. Courtyard Stage: Emily Smith and Synergy.

 

Fri., July 30            George Thorogood & The Destroyers          $47 preferred/$32 standard

Opening Act: Cadillac Martini featuring Keturah Burgess. Courtyard Stage: John Windle.

 

Fri., August 6 The Machine Performs Pink Floyd With Interstellar Laser Show      $35 preferred/$20 standard

Courtyard Stage: That Acoustic Duo. (No opener due to it being a 3 hour show.)

 

Fri., August 14      Newport Waterfront Reggae Festival      $45 preferred/$30 stand.

Main Stage: The Original Wailers, John Brown’s Body

Courtyard Stage: Rebel Heat, The Ravers, Soulshot with Doreen Shaffer of The Skatalites

 (No opener as it’s a festival)

 

The Newport Yachting Center is located on the waterfront in the heart of historic downtown Newport right off America's Cup Avenue. For each night of the Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series (except for The Machine concert and The Newport Waterfront Reggae Festival), the gates will open at 5:30 p.m., music starts on the Courtyard Stage at 6:00 p.m., the opening act/special guest begins at 7:00 p.m. on the Main Stage, and the headliner starts at approximately8:00 p.m.

 

The gates for The Machine concert will open at 5:30 p.m., music starts on the Courtyard Stage at 6:00 p.m. and the headliner starts at approximately7:00 p.m. (no opening act). Gates open for the Newport Waterfront Reggae Festival at noon with the first of the three acts (Rebel Heat, The Ravers and then Soulshot) on the Courtyard Stage starting at 12:30 p.m. The headliner acts for the Reggae Festival (John’s Brown’s Body and then The Original Wailers) will be featured on the Main Stage and start at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., respectively.

 

A reserved tiered ticket must be purchased for venue entry for the Reggae Festival. Each ticket will guarantee a reserved seat for the Main Stage (tented area) and grant access to the Courtyard Stage which is open air. The Festival will end by approximately 9:30 p.m.

 

In addition to Nantucket Nectars, the Series’ other major sponsors include: Miller Lite, Dunkin’ Donuts, SVEDKA Vodka, Bacardi Rum, Popsicle, Newport Marriott, Matlet Group and Sovereign Bank.

 

For more information on the Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series, please go on-line at www.newportwaterfrontevents.com or contact Michele Maker Palmieri, General Manager at the Newport Yachting Center, 4 Commercial Wharf in Newport, at (401) 846-1600, Ext. 222.

 

There’s something for everyone at the Newport Yachting Center’s Newport Waterfront Events (NWE). A Division of the Newport Yachting Center, Newport Waterfront Events produces the four core Newport Waterfront Festivals, the Sunset Music Series, and is host, event and venue management for the Newport Summer Comedy Series and other entertainment and business events throughout the season.

 

The 2010 line-up produced by Newport Yachting Center includes: the Knorr^® Great Chowder Cook-Off (June 5); the Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series (held throughout the summer); the Newport Waterfront Irish Festival (September 4 -6); the Newport International Boat Show (September 16-19); the Stop & Shop Tastes of Rhode Island (October 2-3); and the International Oktoberfest (October 9-11). In addition, the events hosted by the Newport Yachting Center are: the Newport Summer Comedy Series (held throughout the summer); B.B. King Live in Newport to Benefit the International Tennis Hall of Fame (July 11); Newport Bridgefest, a local music spotlight brought to you by the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County (August 2-5); Newport WineFest (August 20-22); and the Newport Arts Festival (August 28-29).

 

All NWE are held at the Newport Yachting Center where all events meet the waterfront and downtown Newport activities are often a part of the pre- or post-event. Visit us at newportwaterfrontevents.com, become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/waterfrontevents, or follow Newport Waterfront Events on Twitter for the latest news, announcements, contests, and exclusive discounts and offers.