“On Freedom Highway, Rhiannon Giddens shows us that while America was never as innocent as some nostalgists want to believe, its young spirit still lives within, resistant to corruption, leading those who can hear its voice toward a better place down the road.” NPR Music First Listen
“Freedom Highway is full of songs like ‘At the Purchaser’s Option,’ which were written over the past few years but sound like they’ve been lurking around the American subconscious for centuries, passed along by oral tradition or via song collectors and academics until they found their way to this particular singer, to this particular album, to this particular moment in history.” UNCUT
Rhiannon Giddens announces a headlining tour in celebration of her second full-length album, Freedom Highway, starting April 28 at the Stagecoach Festival in Indio (full schedule below) with tickets on sale this Friday. Freedom Highway, due February 24 on Nonesuch Records, includes nine original songs Giddens wrote or co-wrote while she and her band toured for her debut album, 2015’s Tomorrow Is My Turn’ plus a traditional song and two civil rights-era songs, “Birmingham Sunday” and Staple Singers’ well-known “Freedom Highway.” Giddens co-produced Freedom Highway with multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell in his Breaux Bridge, Louisiana studio, with the bulk of recording done in a converted studio that was built prior to the Civil War.
The album was already chosen by NPR Music to be part of its First Listen program and the UK’s Uncut magazine named it album of the month. Freedom Highway is a departure from Tomorrow Is My Turn, which included one original song, with the rest being interpretations. Giddens and Powell assembled the Freedom Highway musicians, which included her superb touring band, local musicians from the bayou, a soulful horn section from New York, and talented family members. The principle recording was done over an intense eight-day period. The result is an album that is rawer and more personal than its predecessor.
Besides her musical work, Giddens also has a new recurring role in CMT’s series Nashville. Her duet with country superstar Eric Church on his powerful anti-racism song “Kill A World” is currently in the top 10 on country radio.
04/28/2017 STAGECOACH INDIO CA
04/29/2017 RIALTO THEATRE TUCSON AZ
04/30/2017 MIM MUSIC THEATER PHOENIX AZ**
05/02/2017 NATIONAL HISPANIC CULTURAL CENTER ALBUQUERQUE NM**
05/03/2017 THE KESSLER THEATER DALLAS TX**
05/05/2017 NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FEST NEW ORLEANS LA
05/06/2017 VARIETY PLAYHOUSE ATLANTA GA**
05/07/2017 MEMORIAL HALL CHAPEL HILL NC**
05/09/2017 LINCOLN THEATRE
05/11/2017 SOMERVILLE THEATRE SOMERVILLE MA
05/13/2017 ALICE TULLY HALL NEW YORK NY
05/14/2017 WORLD CAFE LIVE DOWNSTAIRS PHILADELPHIA PA
06/08/2017 CAROLINA THEATRE GREENSBORO NC
06/09/2017 SPOLETO FESTIVAL USA CHARLESTON SC
06/10/2017 KCD THEATER
06/11/2017 CHICAGO BLUES FESTIVAL CHICAGO IL
06/22/2017 ROMP
06/23/2017 SHAFTMAN PERFORMANCE HALL ROANOKE VA
06/24/2017 AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL KATONAH NY
07/21/2017 GILA RIVER ARENA
07/22/2017 CITIZENS BUSINESS BANK ARENA ONTARIO CA#
07/23/2017 VALLEY VIEW CASINO CENTER SAN DIEGO CA#
07/28/2017 CHAUTAUQUA AMPHITHEATER CHAUTAUQUA NY
07/30/2017 NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL NEWPORT RI
08/01/2017 STONE MOUNTAIN ARTS CENTER BROWNFIELD ME
08/04/2017 NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL NEWPORT RI%
08/05/2017 NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL NEWPORT RI
08/06/2017 THE EGG ALBANY NY
08/08/2017 RAM’S HEAD ON STAGE ANNAPOLIS MD
08/09/2017 NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF ART RALEIGH NC
08/18/2017 ROCKY MOUNTAIN FOLKS FESTIVAL LYONS CO
** WITH SPECIAL GUEST AMYTHYST KIAH
# OPENING FOR TIM MCGRAW AND FAITH HILL
% CO-HEADLINING WITH TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE
