Memphis Tourism Hosting Virtual Music Festival to Help Struggling Musicians

Memphis Tourism’s music hub serves to connect the city’s current local musicians, music venues and music organizations with the city’s visitors. It also highlights the city’s top independent musicians. 

Now, in an effort to support Memphis’ local music community and engage global audiences during the COVID-19 crisis, the hub has created a virtual music relay festival. The event kicked off at 8pm Thursday, March 26 with one performance and continue through Saturday with performances scheduled at a variety of times. The festival will be held on Facebook, and several other pop-up virtual performances will happen throughout the week on Instagram Live.
 
“This is the time to give back to the Memphis music community that has given so much to our city’s cultural identity,” says the hub’s Music Specialist Jayne Ellen White in a press release. “Our music has brought such joy to so many and now is the time to speak to the world through our universal language: music.”

The lineup includes Mononeon, Lucero’s Ben Nichols, Southern Avenue, Imakemadbeats, Cameron Bethany, Derek & Doll, Louise Page, D’Monet, Tonya Dyson, the Stereograms and the Wealthy West’s Brandon Kinder.

Memphis Tourism Music Hub also seeks to collect donations for a COVID-19 Relief Fund that benefits musicians struggling to make ends meet in the wake of this crisis.

“Our local musicians play an integral part of the Memphis destination’s identity as a live music city,” says Kevin Kane, Memphis Tourism’s President and CEO. “Their talents not only keep Memphis’ music scene vibrant but, now more than ever, they are able to share those talents to lift up, not only our local community but also a world of music fans. As people around the world connect with us during this virtual musical festival, these outstanding artists will have an opportunity to not only share their talents with new audiences, but also share messages of hope.”