Otis Redding Foundation Announces Fourth Annual King Of Soul Music Festival Sept. 12-13 In Macon, Georgia

The Otis Redding Foundation (ORF) announced the Fourth Annual King of Soul Music Festival, taking place Sept. 12–13, in Macon, Georgia. The event benefits the newly opened Otis Redding Center for the Arts in Macon.

The festival is a celebration commemorating the Georgia born soul and R&B singer, songwriter and producer on what would have been his 84^th birthday. A pivotal figure in the 1960s civil rights movement, Redding died in 1967.

The legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band joined by special guests including Lamont Landers and Yola will headline “An Evening of Respect” on Sept. 12 at the Macon City Auditorium. The evening includes the presentation of the Otis & Zelma Redding Award of Respect, which honors individuals who embody the compassion, dignity and community spirit of Otis and Zelma Redding. The Otis Redding III Award of Philanthropy and Otis Redding Foundation Dream Award will also be presented at the gala event. Tickets are available now.

“My dad performed in New Orleans and Southern Louisiana several times between 1965 and 1967,” states Karla Redding-Andrews, Vice President and Executive Director of ORF. “After recently seeing them perform, my mom, Zelma, was thrilled to invite the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to headline this year’s celebration. Now that we’ve successfully opened the Otis Redding Center for the Arts, this festival is the perfect way to honor tradition while creating opportunities for future generations.”

The festivities continue Sept. 13, with the “Big O’ Homecoming Show & Dance,” hosted at the Capitol Theatre and surrounding grounds at the Otis Redding Center for the Arts.

Open since March, the Otis Redding Center for the Arts (ORCA) offers programs that combine music and arts with technology, emphasizing both the creative and business aspects of the music industry. All proceeds from the King of Soul Music Festival benefit ORCA’s educational mission.