Tucson, AZ---On Saturday, November 28, the music of a generation will fill the hallowed halls of La Rosa, Tucson’s premier concert venue (and former convent). Acclaimed vocalist Katherine Byrnes will take center stage at 7:30pm in A Piece of My Heart: The Music of Janis Joplin and Friends. Tickets begin at $32 and are available at LaRosaTucson.org.
Presented by Khris Dodge Entertainment, the show features the most memorable hits from Joplin, the 1960s powerhouse vocalist who is still one of the top-selling vocalists in the United States even more than 50 years after her untimely 1970 death. A Piece of My Heart also salutes the influences and colleagues that performed alongside Joplin and provided inspiration and support during her volatile career. Providing the raw, energetic, and soulful voice that honors Joplin’s unique style is the formidable Katherine Byrnes. She effortlessly shifts between the hard-rocking sound of Tell Mama to the funky threads of Try to the emotionally wrought Summertime. Joining Byrnes in this journey will be a collection of Tucson’s finest performers: Rylande Dodge (drums/vocals), Paul Jenkiins (keyboards/vocals), Ben Nisbet (guitar/vocals), Derek Norman (bass/vocals), and Janée Page (auxiliary percussion/vocals).
“Singing the music of Janis is both a complete honor and an extreme challenge,” says Byrnes. “Her use of blues, rock, and soul influences combined with her incredibly raw instrument created a psychedelic magic that is unparalleled. I adore singing this show because the pure, driving, emotional nature of the music sweeps me up and it truly propels me in a way that no other show does."
Janis Joplin’s love of music began early in life, and she began singing folk and blues music with friends while attending Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur, Texas. She gained national attention after her 1967 performance at the Monterey International Pop Festival in Monterey, California as a member of the band Big Brother and the Holding Company. Soon after, Joplin left the band to pursue a solo career. In the next three years, she recorded and released several albums, performed at Woodstock, and cemented her legacy as one of the greatest female rockers of all time. Five of her singles reached the Billboard Hot 100, including Me and Bobby McGee, the Kris Kristofferson cover that reached #1 posthumously in 1971. Joplin’s legacy extends beyond her solo career; she influenced and collaborated with several artists, and A Piece of My Heart devotes time to those artists as well. Byrnes says, “Jefferson Airplane, Bessie Smith, Jimi Hendrix, The Band, Janis Joplin ~ they each defined a generation of music. Some were friends in life, many were contemporaries in song, and most were influences in one another's' art. Janis truly found her place in music, and she had such a wide respect for so many different artists. I truly feel that a show honoring her should also pay tribute to the musicians she loved.”
For more information about the show, visit LaRosaTucson.org. Seating is available in the Rose Circle, Gold Circle, and Seated General Admission. The venue is located at 800 N. Country Club Road.
A Piece of My Heart: The Music of Janis Joplin and Friends was created by Katherine Byrnes and is presented by Khris Dodge Entertainment.
About Khris Dodge Entertainment
Khris Dodge Entertainment is a Tucson based full-service concert and custom show production company. Committed to its mantra of "doing good things with good people", KDE works with top-tier talent from around the globe, luckily finding the majority of it in its own backyard. KDE creates shows that range from tributes to Carole King, Chicago, Phil Collins, and Donna Summer to the holiday favorite "In the Christmas Mood" to original shows such as "Classics Rock" and "Southwest Tenors". The company is operated by Khris and Courtney Dodge. For additional information visit khrisdodgeentertainment.com
Katherine Byrnes as Janis - Photo Credit: John Sepp
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