Announcing June 30 'Soul of the Sixties'

A celebration of Black Music Month with 3-time Grammy-award-winning Sounds of Blackness

Sponsored by Andersen Corporation

- Live concerts at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. at the Dakota in Minneapolis, Minn.

- Directed by award-winning Music Director and Producer Gary D. Hines

- Executive produced by diversity, equity and inclusion firm Rae Mackenzie Group

MINNEAPOLIS, June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The influence of Black Music on America's history through centuries and decades is monumental, especially in the transformative decade of the 1960s. During Black Music Month, Andersen Corporation presents "Soul of the Sixties: A celebration of Black Music with Grammy award-winning Sounds of Blackness," a live musical event at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 30, 2022, at The Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis, Minn.

Soul of the Sixties is an authentic reenactment and tribute to the greatest soul performers of the sixties: Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Sly and the Family Stone, and many more. Sounds of Blackness performs in full costume with original choreography and their ten-piece band. The Dakota is the stage for this second annual Black Music Month event.

Executive produced by award-winning Rae Mackenzie Group, an industry-leading diversity, equity and inclusion marketing firm, the event is sponsored by Andersen Corporation, manufacturer of America's most loved brand of windows and doors*.

Since January of 1971, Sounds of Blackness has flourished under the direction of Gary Hines. The group proclaims the music, culture and history of African Americans to audiences all over the world including the World Cup, Super Bowl, Ryder Cup, NFL, NBA and Grammy Awards. The award-winning vocal and instrumental ensemble's music spans genres including jazz, blues, rock & roll, R&B, gospel, spirituals, reggae and soul, to share uplifting messages of hope, unity, love and peace for all humankind.

Gary D. Hines, is the Music Director and Producer of this special show.

"Music is the window to our souls. Black Music Month is a special time to celebrate the music and musicians that shaped the past and continue to inspire today," said Jay Lund, chairman and chief executive officer of Andersen Corporation. "We can't wait to share the award-winning music of Sounds of Blackness with our friends and community – it is sure to be an event not to be missed." 

"Celebrating Black Music month is a tradition at Andersen that I now look forward to every year," said Tracey Gibson, vice president and chief diversity officer at Andersen Corporation. "When we thought about who could best take us on a journey through the rich history of Black Music of the sixties, we couldn't think of anyone more apt to do this than Sounds of Blackness, who have been ambassadors of Black Music across the nation and around our world for decades." 

A Minnesota-based company for nearly 120 years, Andersen has been named a Best Large Employer by Forbes for the past three consecutive years, Best Employer for Diversity by Forbes for the past two consecutive years and 'Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality' by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Andersen continually works to build a culture of inclusion, creating a respectful workplace for all employees and removing systemic barriers to success.

Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, CEO of the Rae Mackenzie Group said, "It really means something when a company like Andersen demonstrates their commitment to Black Music and Black culture in this way. We are proud to come together in community to celebrate."

As a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) marketing expert on the national stage, Smith-Akinsanya has long held Andersen Corporation as an example of what a corporation can accomplish when it prioritizes inclusion in every aspect of the company.

"The Soul of the Sixties: A Celebration of Black Music" premieres at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 30, at the Dakota in Minneapolis, Minn.

The event is open to the public and tickets are now on sale at:

7 p.m. https://www.dakotacooks.com/event/soul-of-the-sixties-7pm/
9 p.m. https://www.dakotacooks.com/event/soul-of-the-sixties-9pm/

*2022 Andersen brand survey of U.S. homeowners.

About Andersen Corporation

Andersen was founded in 1903 on the philosophy of working "all together" to deliver on its promise to its customers. Andersen delivers products for the way people live, unmatched performance for the comfort and security homeowners desire, and endless design options to achieve any style.

Headquartered in Bayport, Minn., Andersen Corporation and its subsidiaries manufacture and market window and door products under the Andersen®, Renewal by Andersen®, EMCO®, MQ™ and Heritage™ brands. Andersen, a privately held company with more than 12,000 employees, operates manufacturing sites across North America and Europe. Andersen has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2022 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award.

Visit us at https://www.andersenwindows.com/
Follow us on Facebook @AndersenWindows, Twitter @AndersenWindows, and Instagram @andersen_windows.

© 2022 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved.

About Rae Mackenzie Group

Rae Mackenzie Group (RMG) is an award-winning DEI marketing and strategy firm that helps corporations build authentic and meaningful relationships with People of Color by advising companies on how to best position their brands to recruit and retain Talent of Color. With a business track record spanning over 20 years, RMG has become an authority in the DEI Marketing space and has built a past and present client list consisting of Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and top employers, including U.S. Bank, Midco, Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx, Andersen Corporation, Thrivent, Minute Media, Make-A-Wish® America, Best Buy, Target, Verizon Wireless, and more.

RMG helps corporations avoid DEI landmines by looking at how they approach procurement, recruitment, corporate sponsorships, social responsibility, and leadership through a DEI lens. RMG provides consulting on speeches, websites, social media, advertising, press releases, and more. With a diverse team, each of whom brings a unique perspective to the table, RMG walks the walk by assembling a team that is majority women, and made up of Black, Latinx, Asian, White, and LGBTQIA+ consultants, marketers, and content writers.

Rae Mackenzie Group CEO, Sharon Smith-Akinsanya, has been providing DEI communication and marketing services for over 20 years. To help leaders make change, Sharon authored COLORFULL: Competitive Strategies to Attract and Retain Top Talent of Color - a people-centered approach that shares simple actions we can take to help solve complex issues. The book lays out a playbook on how everyone has a role to play in making the world more just and equitable, starting with building intentional and authentic relationships with people who share different racial, cultural, and ethnic identities.

SOURCE Andersen Corporation