Redding Family Celebrates 75TH Birthday Of Otis Redding With An All-Star Blowout Weekend Culminating In "An Evening Of Respect"

MACON, Ga., May 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Otis Redding Foundation is pleased to announce Celebrating 75 Years of Otis Redding September 9 – 11 in Macon, GA. The festivities are a highlight of the "Year of Georgia Music."

The events will kick off Friday, September 9, with the declaration of "Otis Redding Day" in Macon and a number of activities around the Macon Downtown area where the headquarters of the foundation is located. The celebration will continue around Macon on Friday and Saturday, before finally culminating with "An Evening of Respect" tribute concert at the Macon City Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.

In previous years, "An Evening of Respect" has boasted performances from Ledisi, Estelle, and Anthony Hamilton, among others. The 2016 gala, produced by Jampol Artist Management, in association with Jonathan Shank/Red Light Management, and the Otis Redding Foundation, will be no different. Indie darlings St. Paul and the Broken Bones are confirmed to pay tribute to their idol Otis Redding, just ahead of the release of their sophomore album. The Reddings, featuring Otis' sons Dexter and Otis III, will reunite for the evening with former bandmate Mark Lockett. Also set to hit the stage is Macon native, and Grammy-nominated violinist Robert McDuffie, as well as the Otis Redding Music Camp All-Stars. Surprise special celebrity guests and additional performers will be announced in the coming months. Proceeds from the event benefit the Otis Redding Foundation and its efforts to establish the DREAM Academy – Georgia's first authentic arts-integrated public charter school, uniquely designed to educate and empower students to reach their full potential through the blending of music, the arts, and academics.

The Otis Redding Foundation's mission is to empower, enrich, and motivate all young people through programs involving music, writing and instrumentation. Each partnership and program sponsored since its inception in 2007 supports the philanthropic commitment of Otis Redding to empower and enlighten all young people to fulfill their dreams.

Redding's wife, Zelma explains: "The Otis Redding Foundation represents all of the ideas and values relating to education that Otis was putting in place in 1966. He wanted all young people to appreciate the value of an education while expressing themselves through music and the arts."

His daughter, Karla, who is the executive director of the Foundation, continues: "The Foundation has remained dedicated to its mission of providing access to music and the arts paired with education to all young people. It is only fitting that in the fundraising events Celebrating 75 Years of Otis Redding we showcase the talents of the annual campers, hear the amazing DREAM Choir and share the planning of the DREAM Academy, a proposed state charter school that intentionally and authentically integrates music and art with core subjects.  DREAM Academy's guiding mission is to expand student access to structured, sustained, and effective education and programming paired with music, the arts, leadership, and entrepreneurship."

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Tickets to "An Evening of Respect" go on sale Saturday, May 14 at 10am ET. Fans may take part in a special Facebook pre-sale or purchase VIP tickets from 10 am ET on Thursday May, 12 to 10am ET on Friday, May 13, using the password 'Respect.' There are two levels of VIP tickets available for "An Evening of Respect": The 'Big O' SUPER VIP experience includes premium reserved seating, limited edition event poster, VIP laminate, early entry into the venue, and an invitation to the official after-party at the Armory Ballroom. The 'King of Soul' VIP experience includes premium reserved seating, limited edition event poster, VIP laminate, & early entry into the venue. Details are available at www.otisreddingfoundation.org/EOR

SOURCE The Otis Redding Foundation