**MEDIA ADVISORY**
GRAND PERFORMANCES KICKS-OFF SUMMER SERIES OF FREE CONCERTS WITH TRIBUTE TO SLY STONE, WHO TURNS 75 TODAY The concert, Higher! The Psychedelic Soul & Genius of Sly and The Family Stone (1966-1983), will take place June 1st in downtown L.A.
WHAT: Grand Performances will launch its Summer Series of free concerts with a grand celebration of the ubiquitous Sly Stone, his musical cohorts and the funky sounds of liberation with the tribute performance, Higher! The Psychedelic Soul & Genius of Sly and The Family Stone (1966-1983) on Friday, June 1, 2018. Exercise your freedom to be Fresh, to Dance to the Music, and to Stand by joining Grand Performances on a trip through some of the most magical and influential music moments in history. This show is exclusively produced for Grand Performances by Dexter Story, Music Director, and Rocio Wyldeflower Contreras, Novena Carmel & Dexter Story. The critically acclaimed Nelson George will host the show.
Sly Stone, who turns 75 today, pioneered the "psychedelic soul" sound that was realized by his band, Sly and the Family Stone, the first major integrated (race & gender) American rock group. Sly’s groundbreaking and revolutionary lyrics cemented the band's legacy as legitimate with their 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. From the Hall of Fame: THEY TOOK US HIGHER. Sly and the Family Stone were a brief glimpse of utopia. Their songs were more than danceable hits—they were a force for positive change. When Sly and the Family Stone played, we all got along. We were part of the family.
The upcoming Grand Performances 2018 season will be announced in early April. Please visit www.grandperformances.org for full line-up.
WHO: Mari Riddle, Executive Director, Grand Performances Dexter Story, Music Director & Producer Rocio Wyldeflower Contreras, Producers Novena Carmel, Producer and daughter of Sly Stone Nelson George, Host & Creative Consultant Señor Quiza (Museum of Traffic), Visuals
WHEN: Friday, June 1, 2018 8:00 pm
WHERE: Grand Performances at California Plaza 350 S. Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
MEDIA Maricela Cueva, VPE Public Relations CONTACT: 626-224-0778, [email protected]
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ABOUT GRAND PERFORMANCES Celebrating its 32nd year, Grand Performances’ mission is to inspire community, celebrate diversity, and unite Los Angeles through free access to global performing arts. Hailed as the “Best Free Outdoor Summer Concert Series” by Los Angeles Magazine and called “a grand gift to the public... democracy in musical action” by the Los Angeles Times, Grand Performances presents high-quality music, dance, theater, and more during the summer at the breathtaking California Plaza in the heart of Downtown as well as at other venues throughout the year including the Los Angeles State Historic Park and Los Angeles World Airport. Follow @GrandPerformances on Facebook, @GrandPerfs on Twitter and Instagram and our Youtube Channel at youtube.com/grandperformances.