Popular Artists at Tanglewood
New Names Added
By: BSO - Mar 07, 2024
New additions to the Popular Artist Series at the Tanglewood Music Festival bring a parade of classic rock, contemporary pop, and R&B stars to the Koussevitzky Music Shed between June 20 and Independence Day, supplementing several more previously announced dates in July and August. New additions to the Shed lineup include Roger Daltrey with KT Tunstall, Brandi Carlile, and Jon Batiste, as well as John Fogerty and George Thorogood on tour together and Jason Mraz with the Boston Pops conducted by Sean O’Loughlin.
The Tanglewood season kicks off on Thursday, June 20 at 7 p.m., pairing classic rocker John Fogerty with Special Guests George Thorogood and the Destoyers and Hearty Har. As lead singer and guitarist of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fogerty won a Grammy and was inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Songwriters Hall of Fame. Fogerty is touring with Thorogood, whose high-energy boogie-blues sound made him a staple 1980s rock radio. Their highly anticipated “Celebration Tour” marks a significant milestone as it's the first time Fogerty is performing his songs since acquiring ownership of his extensive song catalog. Hearty Har features Fogerty’s sons Shane and Tyler.
The Who’s founding lead singer Roger Daltrey returns to Tanglewood on Saturday, June 22 at 7 p.m. with Very Special Guest KT Tunstall. Daltrey, who starred in 1973 and 1975 films by Ken Russell (Tommy and Lisztomania), last performed in the Shed in 2018 with the Boston Pops and Tommy in Concert. Inducted to the Rock and Hall of Fame with The Who, Daltrey has released ten solo studio albums and was awarded a CBE by Queen Elizabeth for his service to music and charity. In crafting a completely new show, Daltrey presents not only Who hits but also Who rarities, solo hits, and other songs from his incredible near 60-year career, performed with a new semi-acoustic rock-based band. He will also share some anecdotes from his life in and out of music by way of a Q and A. The Grammy® nominated Tunstall burst onto the music scene with her 2004 multi-platinum debut, Eye to the Telescope, which spawned the global hits “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” and “Suddenly I See.” Tunstall last performed at Tanglewood in 2019 with Squeeze.
As previously announced, two-time Grammy winners Kool & the Gang will bring their R&B, funk, soul, and disco hits to Tanglewood audiences for the first time on Sunday, June 23 at 2 p.m. Releasing 26 studio albums since forming in 1969, the group has earned seven American Music Awards and 31 gold and platinum records. Joining them are the R&B/soul trio En Vogue, who headlined last summer’s July Fourth Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular with original members Cindy Herron and Terry Ellis alongside Rhona Bennett.
Five-time Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-winning singer, songwriter and composer Jon Batiste will perform solo on Friday, June 28 at 7 p.m. Nominated this year for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, “It Never Went Away,” recorded for his 2023 Netflix documentary American Symphony, Batiste made his Tanglewood debut in 2021 with the Boston Pops. He won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award in 2021 for Best Original Score for the Disney-Pixar film Soul.
Eleven-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile returns to Tanglewood on Sunday, June 30 at 6 p.m. Known for spanning musical genres from country to folk to rock and admired for her activism, Carlile has released seven studio albums since her self-titled breakout in 2005 and has won two Children’s and Family Emmy awards. Her 2021 memoir Broken Horses debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list. She made her Tanglewood debut in 2022 with Indigo Girls who will be back this August with July Collins and Rufus Wainwright.
The final new addition being announced this week is two-time Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter and Songwriters Hall of Fame Honoree Jason Mraz, who will make his Tanglewood debut with the Boston Pops on July 2 at 7 p.m. Mraz released his eighth studio album, Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride (featuring the single “I Feel Like Dancing”) in 2023 and placed second on Season 32 of “Dancing With The Stars,” which aired live on ABC and remains streaming on Disney+. Mraz previously performed the role of Dr. Pomatter in the hit Broadway musical Waitress. The Pops will be conducted by Sean O’Loughlin, Principal Pops Conductor of the Victoria Symphony and of Symphoria in Syracuse, NY.
Previously announced dates include the sold-out 50th anniversary performances of James Taylor and his All-Star Band on July 3 and 4, An Evening with Pretenders on July 16, the triple bill of July Collins, Rufus Wainwright, and Indigo Girls on August 30, and DISPATCH with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops on August 31. More Popular Artist dates will be announced in the coming weeks.
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