Palace Theatre brings Ray Charles' music back to its stage for one-night-only centennial concert

Country artist Jackson Dean and jazz trumpeter Etienne Charles join all-star lineup for Palace 100 concert

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Palace Theatre will celebrate its 100th anniversary by bringing Ray Charles' music back to a stage where he performed throughout his career. CAPA today announced that country artist Jackson Dean and jazz trumpeter Etienne Charles will join host Paul Shaffer and an all-star cast for Palace 100: The Genius of Ray Charles at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, at the Palace Theatre in downtown Columbus.

An all-star lineup spans musical genres

Dean and Charles join a lineup that includes Grammy Award-winning R&B and jazz vocalist Patti Austin; multiplatinum singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc; Grammy-nominated gospel singer-songwriter Blessing Offor; Grammy and Academy Award-winning singer Lisa Fischer; Grammy-nominated singer Monica Mancini; and Columbus native, singer and songwriter Billy Valentine. A Guggenheim Fellow, Etienne Charles is known for blending jazz with Afro-Caribbean musical traditions.

Spanning R&B, jazz, gospel, country and contemporary music, the lineup reflects the range of styles Charles explored throughout his career.

Paul Shaffer and Gregg Field bring personal Ray Charles connections

Paul Shaffer, David Letterman's longtime musical director and bandleader, will host the evening. Shaffer performed with Charles on programs including Saturday Night Live and Late Night with David Letterman. The concert will be produced by Grammy and Emmy recipient, music producer, and former drummer for Ray Charles, Gregg Field.

"Ray Charles represents the kind of musical excellence that transcends genres, generations and boundaries," CAPA Vice President of Marketing and Sales Peter Keiser said. "Bringing his music back to the Palace honors his extraordinary legacy and the theatre's history as a place where great artists and unforgettable moments continue to come alive."

Palace 100 at a glance

• Event: Palace 100: The Genius of Ray Charles
• Occasion: The Palace Theatre's 100th anniversary
• Date: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio
• Host: Paul Shaffer
• Producer: Gregg Field
• Featured artists: Aloe Blacc, Billy Valentine, Blessing Offor, Jackson Dean, Patti Austin, Lisa Fischer, Etienne Charles and Monica Mancini 
• Tickets: Starting at $62.50 at the CAPA Ticket Center at the Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St.; online at www.capa.com; or by phone at 614-469-0939
• Significance: A one-night-only concert created for the Palace Theatre's centennial

An exclusive concert for the Palace Theatre's 100th anniversary

Created specifically for the Palace Theatre's centennial, the concert will be performed only once, in Columbus, and will not tour to other cities. Charles performed at the Palace Theatre throughout his career, most recently on June 6, 1992. Bringing his music back to the Palace links the theatre's history with a new generation of performers and audiences.

"A theatre doesn't reach its 100th anniversary by simply surviving—it gets there by becoming part of the lives of generations of people," Field said. "The Palace Theatre has that kind of history. For its centennial, we're bringing the music of Ray Charles, who performed on that very stage, back to the Palace with an extraordinary collection of artists. Having worked with Ray for many years, I can't imagine a more powerful way to honor his legacy and celebrate 100 years of this extraordinary theatre."

National talent and Columbus musicians share the Palace stage

The program will include a special rendition of "America the Beautiful," one of Charles' best-known interpretations. The concert will bring nationally recognized artists together with musicians from the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Jazz and The Ohio State University School of Music. Led by Grammy-nominated conductor Chris Walden, the orchestra will feature Grammy-nominated guitarist Dean Parks, bassist Nathan East (Eric Clapton), Columbus Hammond organist and former Ray Charles band member Bobby Floyd, saxophonist Tom Scott (Blues Brothers) and Grammy-winning keyboardist Matt Rollings. The concert also marks a homecoming for Columbus native Billy Valentine, a performer and songwriter who co-wrote "My World," the title track of Charles' 1993 album.

The Palace Theatre celebrates 100 years

Billed as "A Theatre of a Thousand Wonders," the Palace Theatre opened Nov. 8, 1926, as a vaudeville house. Over the next century, its stage welcomed generations of artists and audiences across nearly every performing arts genre. Six days after the Palace's 100th birthday, Palace 100: The Genius of Ray Charles will celebrate that history by returning Charles' music to its stage.

The concert is one of several programs CAPA has planned in celebration of the Palace Theatre's centennial. Visit www.capa.com/100-celebration-palace for additional information.

Media Contact:
Shannon McCormick
[email protected]
614-477-2719

SOURCE CAPA