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Southern Avenue (band)

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Southern Avenue
OriginMemphis, Tennessee,United States[1]
GenresBlues,soul blues,gospel[1][2]
Years active2015–present
LabelsStax Records
MembersTierinii Jackson
Ori Naftaly
Jeremy Powell
Tikyra Jackson
Evan Sarver
Ava Jackson[3][better source needed]
Past membersDaniel McKee
WebsiteOfficial website

Southern Avenueis an American five- to six-memberbluesandsoul bluesbandfromMemphis, Tennessee,United States. Formed in 2015, they took their name from a street in Memphis running from the easternmost part of thecity limitsto "Soulsville", which was the original home ofStax Records.[4][5]Rock 103described them as "the most talked about band in Memphis."[1]Southern Avenue reached the finals of theInternational Blues Challengein 2016.[4]

Their self-titled debut album entered theUSBillboardTop Blues Albums Chartat number 6 in February 2017,[6]and reached number 1 on the iTunes Blues Chart.

Career

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The band's eventual leader,Ori Naftaly,grew up inIsraeland relocated to Memphis in 2013 to compete for Israel in theInternational Blues Challengecompetition. After advancing to the IBC Semi-Finals (the highest an Israeli artist had placed at that point in time), Naftaly made the move permanent and toured the United States with his own band. However, Naftaly became disenchanted with his own outfit and later met the Memphis native Tierinii Jackson, a vocalist who introduced him to her drumming sister, Tikyra. Other musicians joined the fledgling outfit in 2015 who took the band name Southern Avenue, in recognition of the Memphis street.[1]They toured the United States and in Europe, appearing at several music festivals and competed themselves at the International Blues Challenge in January 2016, representing Memphis.[7]Less than a year after their formation, they signed arecording contractwithStax Records.[1]

Their self-titled debut album was released in February 2017 via Stax Records, a division ofConcord Music Group.[1]It was mixed and produced by Kevin Houston.Southern Avenueincluded ten songs, nine of which were penned by Naftaly and Tierinii Jackson,[8]and the track-list also included a cover ofAnn Peebles' "Slipped, Tripped and Fell In Love".[1]The collection featured guest appearances fromLuther Dickinsonof theNorth Mississippi Allstarsand trumpeter Marc Franklin ofthe Bo-Keys.[1]The album was recorded at Inside Sounds in Memphis and at Zebra Ranch inColdwater, Mississippi.[8]One journalist described their music as "unique blend of gospel-tinged R&B vocals, roots/blues-based guitar work and soul-inspired songwriting".[2]

In June 2017, they performed at an event forRock and Wrap it Up.[9]The North Mississippi Allstars invited Southern Avenue to support them on their "Prayer for Peace" tour.[10]Southern Avenue's debut album entered the USBillboardTop Blues Albums Chart at number 6.[6]The band toured across the US until October 2017.[11]

Southern Avenue played at Firefly Music Festival inDover, Delawareon June 15, 2018 and the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon on July 6, 2019.

Band members

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Touring members

  • Gage Markey (bass guitar)

Former members:

  • Daniel McKee (bass guitar)

Discography

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Albums

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Date of release Album title Record label USBillboardTop Blues Albums Chart[6]
February 2017[12] Southern Avenue Stax Records 6
May 2019[13] Keep On Stax Records 5
August 27, 2021[14] Be the Love You Want Renew Records -

References

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  1. ^abcdefghi"Southern Avenue - Memphis Music - Official Site | Stax Records".Southernavenueband.Retrieved2017-07-11.
  2. ^ab"Listening Room: Southern Avenue sparkles on soulful debut album".Soultracks.12 February 2017.Retrieved2017-07-12.
  3. ^ab"Southern Avenue 2023 11 03" Full Show "Boca Raton, Florida - The Funky Biscuit".datfly. November 14, 2023.Retrieved2024-05-30.
  4. ^ab"Southern Avenue".Concord Music Group.Retrieved2017-07-11.
  5. ^"Google Map: 1932 Southern Ave, Memphis, TN 38114".Vflyer.Retrieved2017-07-11.
  6. ^abc"Southern Avenue - Chart history".Billboard.2017-03-18.Retrieved2017-07-11.
  7. ^"Southern Avenue is Israeli bluesman's street of dreams – BG Independent News".Bgindependentmedia.org.2016-08-23.Retrieved2017-07-11.
  8. ^abBartholomew, Rex (2017-05-13)."Southern Avenue – Southern Avenue | Album Review – Blues Blast Magazine".Bluesblastmagazine.Retrieved2017-07-11.
  9. ^Savitsky, Sasha (2017-06-09)."Southern Avenue: How an Israeli musician and two Memphis sisters who grew up in church formed a blues band".Fox News.Retrieved2017-07-11.
  10. ^Elayna Scott (2017-06-13)."On the Road with Southern Avenue June 6–12".American Blues Scene.Retrieved2017-07-11.
  11. ^"Southern Avenue Tour Dates 2017 - Upcoming Southern Avenue Concert Dates and Tickets".Bandsintown.Retrieved2017-07-11.
  12. ^"Southern Avenue".Memphis Music Hall of Fame.Retrieved2017-07-11.
  13. ^"Keep On - Southern Avenue - Songs, Reviews, Credits".AllMusic.Retrieved31 May2019.
  14. ^"Southern Avenue - Southern Avenue | Songs, Reviews, Credits".AllMusic.2017-02-24.Retrieved2017-07-11.
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