With an eye toward the future of Memphis music, the Memphis Music Initiative (MMI) will host its first virtual music and arts showcase on Thursday (Dec. 10), drawing upon the support of a blues legend committed to the musical legacy of his grandfather.
Dubbed “MMIxTape Live: Songs for the Future of Memphis Music,” the online fundraising event will feature musical performances from youth in MMI’s in-schools and works programs and teaching artist fellows.
Renowned bluesman Cedric Burnside, the grandson of legendary Delta blues guitarist R.L. Burnside, will perform as the headliner for the showcase, which is set to begin at 7 p.m.
The showcase is crafted to “highlight the youth and music professionals who are the stewards of Memphis’ musical legacy, and to support MMI’s work in building a strong local arts ecosystem.”
MMI leverages targeted philanthropic investments, programmatic offerings and strategic capacity building to strengthen youth, community arts and music engagement activities primarily for Black and Latino youth across Memphis and the Mid-South.
MMI invests in two ways: through direct programs that connect youth to in-school, after-school and summertime opportunities; and by providing funding and resources to advance organizations working with young people.
The backdrop for the fundraising event is that Memphis’ youth-serving nonprofit organizations have struggled to maintain daily operations and to continue offering programming and youth engagement opportunities in the months following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to showcase presenters.
“Memphis’ arts community has likewise suffered, with local musicians facing loss of income due to cancelled shows, lessons, recurring gigs, and more,” they said in a media release pitching the event. “Nevertheless, Memphis artists have continued creating, performing, and inspiring our community even, and especially, through this difficult time.”
MMI’s mission involves “supporting the ecosystem of community organizations that work to extend music and arts engagement opportunities for black and brown youth.”
Tickets for the “MMIxTape Live: Songs for the Future of Memphis Music” main event are pay-what-you-will, with a suggested donation of $15+. VIP tickets, which include access to a virtual pre-event listening party with Memphis youth, are $50. To purchase tickets, visit Eventbrite.
(For more information, visit website at http://memphismusicinitiative.org/ or social media: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @mmusinitiative.)
