Native & African-American vocalist/songwriter/composer/educator, Martha Redbone, is known for her unique gumbo of folk, blues and gospel from her childhood in Harlan County, Kentucky infused with the eclectic grit of pre-gentrified Brooklyn. Inheriting the powerful vocal range of her gospel-singing African American father and the resilient spirit of her mother’s Cherokee/Shawnee/Choctaw culture, Redbone broadens the boundaries of American Roots music. With songs and storytelling that share her life experience as a Native and Black woman and mother in the new millennium, Redbone gives voice to issues of social justice, bridging traditions from past to present, connecting cultures, and celebrating
Martha Redbone
Intro
Native & African-American vocalist/songwriter/composer/educator, Martha Redbone, is known for her unique gumbo of folk, blues and gospel from her childhood in Harlan County, Kentucky infused with the eclectic grit of pre-gentrified Brooklyn. Inheriting the powerful vocal range of her gospel-singing African American father and the resilient spirit of her mother’s Cherokee/Shawnee/Choctaw culture, Redbone broadens the boundaries of American Roots music. With songs and storytelling that share her life experience as a Native and Black woman and mother in the new millennium, Redbone gives voice to issues of social justice, bridging traditions from past to present, connecting cultures, and celebrating the human spirit.
Her album The Garden of Love- Songs of William Blake, produced by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founder/Grammy Winner John McEuen is an unexpected twist — “a brilliant collision of cultures” (The New Yorker) — Redbone’s magnificent voice, Blake’s immortal words, and a masterful cornucopia of roots music (blues, gospel, bluegrass, soul and traditional Southeastern Woodlands). Featured on All Things Considered the album released on her own imprint Blackfeet Productions rose to the Top Ten on Amazon Folk Charts for many weeks and has become the bedrock of her live shows bringing audiences to their feet with her fiery old time mountain gospel singing and foot-stomping energy.
Redbone and her long term collaborator, pianist Aaron Whitby are called “the little engine that could [by their] band of NYC’s finest blues and jazz musicians” (Larry Blumenthal/Wall Street Journal). From grassroots beginnings at powwows across Indian Country and in the underground clubs of NYC Redbone has built a passionate fan base with her mesmerizing presence and explosive live shows. Her debut Home of the Brave — “Stunning album, the kind of woman who sets trends” (Billboard) — garnered extremely positive critical attention while her sophomore album Skintalk — described as the soulful sound of “Earth, Wind and Fire on the Rez” (J Poet, Native Peoples Magazine — took her music to Europe and the Far East. Albums Skintalk and The Garden of Love: Songs of William Blake are recognized in the Library Collection and “Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians in Popular Culture” exhibits in the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC.
Redbone is Composer for the Public Theater’s 2019 production of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuff”, a revival/reimagining of the 1976 classic choreopoem by the late Ntozake Shange. Redbone joined the all women-of-color Creative Team to celebrate the author’s historical work and legacy, enjoyed a 4-week extended run through December and received rave reviews with notable mentions for Redbone’s “supreme music…brilliant” (NY Daily News) original compositions and score.
The Redbone and Whitby’s newest work is BONE HILL, an interdisciplinary musical theater work that brings to light an important piece of American history that has never been told. Inspired by the lives of Redbone’s family in the hills of coal-mining Appalachia. A multi-racial Cherokee/Shawnee and African American family, they are permanently bonded to their culture, identity and the mountain despite its violent past and the ever-changing laws of the land that attempt to extinguish them. Commissioned by Joe’s Pub/NEA and Lincoln Center for the Arts Bone Hill- The Concert is touring extensively nationwide and is a recipient of the NEFA National Theater Project Creation and Touring Grant and National Performance Network Creation Fund.
Video
Audio
FORMATS
Standard Performance
Acoustic quintet featuring Martha Redbone (vocals, hand percussion), Aaron Whitby (keyboard), plus three additional band members on acoustic guitar, fiddle, and bass.
> An Evening w/
> Festival Headliner
Other Options
> Trio, quartet, sextet, and septet configurations also available.
> “Bone Hill: The Concert” : interdisciplinary theater work with original script and songs written by Martha Redbone and Aaron Whitby.
> Outreach activities available.
OUTREACH
> Workshops/master classes
> Performances for young audiences
> Q&A
> Residencies
A wide range of educational outreach activities are available as related to Martha Redbone’s history of cultural preservation and mentorship through music.
As example, Martha helped curate the Native American session of Carnegie Hall’s youth K-2 music program MUSICAL EXPLORERS.
Please contact your SRO Artist Representative if you are interested in outreach options with Martha Redbone.
ITINERARY
05.18.2020 - 05.19.2020 CO, Denver
06.06.2020 NY, Brooklyn
07.07.2020 KY, Louisville
07.10.2020 - 07.11.2020 WI, Bayfield
08.06.2020 - 08.09.2020 NS, Lunenburg
08.09.2020 NS, Annapolis Royal
01.23.2021 WA, ABERDEEN
02.11.2021 - 02.12.2021 CA, Stanford
02.14.2021 CA, Grass Valley
PROMO ASSETS
Documents
Artist Bio (rev. January-2019) | PDF
Press/Reviews | PDF
Images
Audio MP3’s
Garden of Love – The Songs of William Blake (©2012 Blackfeet Prod.)
> #01 The Garden of Love | ZIP
> #02 Hear the Voice of the Bard | ZIP
> #04 On Anothers Sorrow | ZIP
> #07 I Rose Up At The Dawn Of Day | ZIP
Video MP4’s
> Promo Video, 2013 (1080d) | ZIP | STREAM
> Live Video, globalFEST 2013 , Hear The Voice Of The Bard | ZIP
> also click Media above/left for approved streams on YouTube, SoundCloud, etc.
Bone Hill: The Concert
> For Bone Hill assets, go here.
Featured Media
Reviews
New York Times (John Pareles)
"Martha Redbone's voice held both the taut determination of mountain music and the bite of American Indian singing." Read Review
Huffington Post (Dusty Wright)
“An organic, gorgeous feast for ears and minds.” Read Review
The New Yorker
"A brilliant collision of cultures." Read Review
NPR COVERAGE
Anastasia Tsioulcas covering globalFEST for NPR: "Redbone combines folk, Appalachian, soul and Native tradition in a group of settings of poetry by William Blake — a startling idea, perhaps, but one that brims with potency and freshness." Martha on All Things Considered | Martha on Tell Me More | Martha on All Songs Considered | Read Review
Village Voice
“Poised to be Americana's next superstar.” Village Voice globalFEST Review 2013 | Read Review