True Blues & The Campbell Brothers Band to Play Merrill Auditorium, 3/25

Portland Ovations presents a powerhouse double-bill that illuminates the connection between the blues and gospel music, with Corey Harris, Guy Davis and Alvin Youngblood Hart (True Blues) joining the powerhouse sacred steel guitar sound of The Campbell Brothers Band on Friday, March 25, at 8 pm at Merrill Auditorium.

A true double-bill concert, this performance transports audiences from the rousing music of True Blues found in Saturday night juke joints straight into the Sunday morning gospel sound of the Campbell Brothers' sacred steel. Taking their name from the documentary film of the same title - Bates alum Corey Harris teams up with Guy Davis and Alvin Youngblood Hart to showcase why this living tradition of the blues serves as the foundation for American popular music. Coupled with the unparalleled sound of The Campbell Brothers', growling, wailing, shouting, singing, and swinging voice of the steel guitar, played as you never heard before, this performance serves as a spirited reminder of all that is great about American roots music.

At 7pm in the Merrill Rehearsal Hall, Ovations Offstage offers a pre-performance lecture "Walk With Me Lord: The History of Gospel Music." Interweaving the sacred song with the sacred story, Reverend Kenneth Lewis with members from the AME Green Memorial Zion Church on Munjoy Hill, illuminates distinction between different gospel periods and genres including; Traditional Gospel Music, the Golden Age of Gospel, Contemporary Gospel and Mass Choir, Urban Contemporary Gospel and Praise and Worship music.

Tickets for True Blues and The Campbell Brothers Band range from $32.40 to $37.80 for Ovations' Members and $36 to $42 for the general public with a limited amount of $15 Student Deal tickets also available. Generous support is provided by the Center for Cultural Exchange Foundation and AME Green Memorial Zion Church, with Dispatch Magazine providing media support. To purchase tickets visitwww.portlandovations.org, contact PortTIX at 207.842.0800 or visit the box office at Merrill Auditorium.