'Georgia On My Mind' celebrates the music of Ray Charles

May 11—One of America's most iconic and influential singers will be celebrated on the MSU Riley Center stage by an all-star cast of award-winning performers.

"Georgia On My Mind: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles" will be presented Saturday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m., at the downtown Meridian venue.

"Georgia On My Mind" commemorates the late singer, songwriter, pianist, composer and Georgia native in the best way possible: with his music, which is based on gospel, blues, jazz and country. Recognized as an American treasure, Charles transcended racism and culture upheavals to win every major honor: from the Georgia Music Hall of Fame to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. From The Kennedy Center Honors to a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

Boasting iconic tunes from the catalogue of the man often referred to by contemporaries as "The Genius," "Georgia On My Mind's" artists "make each song a winning part of the tapestry that is Ray Charles music," according to a press release. The show features performances by:

Clint Holmes, Emmy Award Winner

The Las Vegas-based vocal star has been selling out concert halls around the world with his powerful voice and magnetic stage presence which embrace the upbeat side of life. making every performance an original. Holmes, best known for his silky vocal stylings, has also honed his many other talents, which include dancing and a warm comedic touch. Having spent more than 20 years performing, Holmes has served as Joan Rivers' sidekick and announcer on "The Late Show," as the musical feature and event correspondent for "EntertainmenTV Tonight," and as the host of his own Emmy award-winning talk/variety show.

Duenna Frelon, Grammy Nominated Jazz Vocalist/Composer/Actress/Playwright

Six-time GRAMMY® Award nominee Nnenna Freelon has earned a reputation as a compelling and captivating live performer. Freelon is no stranger to the music of the master singer, having toured with Ray Charles, as well as many other greatest jazz artists including Ellis Marsalis, Al Jarreau, George Benson, and others.

As writer, composer and producer, Nnenna's recent productions include the original theatrical presentation of "The Clothesline Muse," a devised theatrical work of dance, music, spoken word, vibrant art and projections. She is also one of the stars of the musical theater piece. The play explores the intergenerational relationship between Grandma Blu, played by Freelon, and her granddaughter Mary Mack, played by Cloteal Horne. The clothesline becomes a magical place where memories are shared and stories told. "The young Mary has little interest in the past," explains Nnenna, "but discovers that there are more than just clean white sheets hanging 'on the line'."

Take 6, 10-time GRAMMY and Dove awards winners and Gospel Music Hall of Famers

Take 6 showcases six voices united in crystal clear harmony, placed against a backdrop of syncopated rhythms, innovative arrangements, and funky grooves that bubble into an intoxicating brew of gospel, jazz, R&B and pop. Members Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble (who recently won his 11th Grammy Award, this one as arranger), Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea and Khristian Dentley have been heralded by Quincy Jones as "the baddest vocal cats on the planet."

Take 6 has come a long way from their days at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama, where McKnight formed the group as The Gentleman's Estate Quartet in the 1980s. When tenor Mark Kibble heard the group rehearsing in a dorm bathroom, he joined in the harmonies and performed on stage that night. Their self-titled debut CD scored two 1988 GRAMMY Awards, and landed in the Top Ten Billboard Contemporary Jazz and Contemporary Christian Charts.

Tom Scott

Tom Scott is a renowned composer, arranger, producer, musical director, saxophonist and educator. His 33 solo recordings have earned him 14 Grammy nominations and 3 Grammy awards. In 2013, he produced a CD for ukulele master Brittni Paiva which won a Hawaiian Grammy for Ukulele Album of the Year, and received his first Emmy Award nomination in 2017 for Musical Direction of the Tony Bennett 90th Birthday TV Special on NBC.

Scott's career as a guest artist spans more than 500 recordings — by such diverse artists as Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Thelonius Monk, the Blues Brothers, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Aerosmith. His numerous contributions as a player and arranger include Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark," Steely Dan's "Aja"; hit singles like Carole King's "Jazzman," Paul McCartney's "Listen to What the Man Said," Rod Stewart's "Do You Think I'm Sexy," Blondie's "Rapture," Toto's "Rosanna," Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love for You;" and on countless movie soundtracks such as "The Jerk," "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?," "Toy Story 2," "Monsters Inc." and two versions of "A Star Is Born."

Other career achievements include composing film scores, among them "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes," "Stir Crazy," "Soul Man" and "Shakes the Clown. His television composing and conducting credits include the themes for "Family Ties" and "Starsky & Hutch," background scores for "Baretta," "Streets Of San Francisco," numerous T.V. movies and specials, and most recently the underscore for the HBO documentary "Bronx,U.S.A.". He has also served as Musical Director for the Academy Awards, the Emmy Awards (nine times), the People's Choice Awards and Comic Relief, among others — and toured four continents as leader of his own group. As music educator, Tom has taught Master Classes in Woodwinds, Arranging & Film Composing, and is currently on the faculty of the New York University Summer Jazz program.

Tickets for "Georgia On My Mind: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles" are $50 to $115 (included in the MSU Riley Center's Fall/Winter Season). Tickets may be purchased online at www.msurileycenter.com or call 601-696-2200.