May 13—ALBANY — The Blues Is Alright Tour debuts at the Albany Civic Center with The Good Life City Blues Festival on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.
Blues music is authentically raw; transforming tragedy, adversity, and heartache into a visceral and cathartic experience. This special night of emotive lyrics and guitar-driven accompaniment features performances by King George, Tucka, Pokey Bear, Lenny Williams and Theodis Ealey.
Tickets go on sale to the general public May 19 at 10 a.m. and start at $59, plus additional taxes and fees. Pre-sale tickets go on sale Wednesday at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and at the Albany Civic Center Box Office.
Tickets, which are $59, $75, $99 and $125, are available at https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/22005E9DDEA8CBDE.
Bursting onto the Southern Soul scene with his signature partycentric sound filled with R&B flair, King George has quickly become a fan favorite. Based out of Hopkins, S.C., King George rose quickly to headliner status on The Blues Is Alright Tour this past spring. His album “Juke Joint Music” was released in 2022.
For old-school music lovers, King George’s music is the perfect combination of R&B, soul, and funk that is sure to get anyone to do a little two-step. His songs “Keep on Rollin’,” “Too Long,” “Friday Night” and “Leave & Party” are his top hits.
Equally influenced by R. Kelly and Barry White, Louisiana’s Tucka James is an R&B singer who can deliver “pillow talk” songs that recall the grooves of the ’70s, ’80s, and 2010s. He kicked off his career in 2007, singing lead vocals with Keith Frank & the Soileau Zydeco Band. He introduced his solo career in 2008, along with his nickname “the King of Swing.” He soon became a regional Louisiana favorite, and opened gigs for Mystikal and Lenny Williams. His “Love Rehab” album landed in 2009 with songs like “Sex on My Mind” and “Myspace Love.” “Forever King” followed in 2011, then in 2015 he released “Love Rehab 2.”
Wardell “Pokey Bear” Brown was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is known for his Blues/Southern Soul sound; however, he did not start out that way. Pokey Bear began his career as a rap music artist, but after doing it for a while decided to try other styles. He was first recognized in music for his first two projects produced by Beat Flippa, particularly his songs “They Call me Pokey” and “Side Piece.” He has worked with artists such as Tyree Neal, Adrian Bagher, Ms. Pat, Veronica Raelle, and Cupid.
The ultimate soul crooner, Oakland, Calif., native Lenny Williams possesses one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music. Williams began his musical career making records that have subsequently become R&B and Pop classics, tunes like the mega-hit “Cause I Love You” and “So Very Hard to Go,” which he recorded as the lead singer for Tower of Power. Williams and Kanye West were honored with the BMI Songwriter’s Award for the song “Over Night Celebrity,” recorded by rapper, Twista.
Blues guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, producer and entertainer … those are just a few of the titles that describe the phenomenon of Theodis Ealey. When Ichiban Records closed its doors, Ealey used this opportunity to create his new label home, IFGAM Records. The 2004 “Stand Up In It” project was a runaway success as the No. 1 Single on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles Chart for five consecutive weeks, debuting at No. 5 on Billboard’s Blues Album Chart and No. 69 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip Hop Charts.
The blues fest is produced by North American Entertainment Group Inc., one of the leading independent promoters of entertainment tours and live events in the United States, in conjunction with Heritage Entertainment Group.