ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES UPDATED LINE-UP

ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL

ANNOUNCES UPDATED LINE-UP:

BEYONCÉ TO BE JOINED BY
MAXWELL, ANITA BAKER, AL GREEN, JOHN LEGEND, ROBIN THICKE, SALT-N-PEPA, NE-YO, EN VOGUE, TEENA MARIE
AND MORE THAN 30 ACTS;

EMPOWERMENT SEMINARS INCLUDE
WOMEN’S DAY: GETTING THE LIFE YOU DESERVE (FRIDAY)
BLACK AMERICA’S STATE OF THE UNION (SATURDAY)
TRIBUTE TO TD JAKES (SUNDAY);

ANNUAL NEW ORLEANS CULTURAL EVENT
CELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY
JULY 3, 4 AND 5

Maxwell, Anita Baker, Al Green, John Legend, Robin Thicke, Salt-N- Pepa, Ne-Yo, En Vogue, Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, Teena Marie, and more than 30 acts will join Beyoncé as the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL celebrates its 15th Anniversary this July 3, 4 and 5 in New Orleans.  The critically acclaimed annual celebration of music and empowerment has also announced an updated list of seminars which will include appearances from Bill Cosby, Donna Brazile, Tom Joyner, Hill Harper and Sheryl Lee Ralph, among others.

The 2009 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL line-up (as of January 29) is as follows:  Beyoncé, Maxwell, Anita Baker, Al Green, John Legend, Solange, Robin Thicke, Salt-N-Pepa, Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, Ne-Yo, En Vogue, Teena Marie, Eric Benet, Jazmine Sullivan, Janelle Monae, Raphael Saadiq, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Zap Mama, The Knux, Irvin Mayfield, Lalah Hathaway, Blind Boys of Alabama, Ledisi, Marva Wright, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Brand New Heavies, Dan Dyer, DJ Soul Sister, Keri Hilson, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Rebirth Brass Band, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave. In addition, the entire weekend of musical performances will be MC’ed by Jonathan Slocumb. Stay tuned for more line-up additions and the day-by-day performance schedules in the months leading up to the festival. 

The annual weekend of entertainment and empowerment–hailed by USA TODAY (7-7-08) as having “achieved a balance of old-school homage and cutting-edge innovation at the Superdome”–will once again dazzle and uplift with an unprecedented three days of cultural celebrations over the festive Fourth of July holiday weekend.  As in past years, musical performances are slated for the New Orleans Superdome and Empowerment Seminars will take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

“To mark the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL’s 15-year anniversary, we wanted to really celebrate all the forms of music that have been central to the event’s history,” said Michelle Ebanks, president, Essence Communications Inc.  “Our audience is truly loyal, and we made every effort to come up with a special line-up that’s multi-generational and spans diverse genres; it brings together heritage artists, new chart-topping acts and local favorites in New Orleans.”

Beyond the aforementioned musical performances, the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL sets itself apart from other music events around the world by including three full days of empowerment seminars.  The empowerment seminars–which are free of charge–are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.  The updated seminars information is as follows:

Women’s Day: Getting the Life You Deserve with host Mikki Taylor.

HIV/AIDS with a special performance from Sheryl Lee Ralph and friends.  Panel Moderator: Celeste Watkins, Ph.D and panelists Marvelynn Brown, Keynote: Suzan Johnson Cooke (Getting the Love You Deserve)

Black Women in the Media: Image v. Reality TV Panel:  Panelists include:  Omarosa, Lisa Wu Hartwell, Ne Ne Leaks,
Sharon Quinn, Phat Chance, Malinda Williams.

Black Men Unplugged: The Game, The Lies, The Truth:  Panel moderator Malik Yoba will be joined by Hill Harper, Morris Chestnut

Closing Keynote: Juanita Bynum

SATURDAY

Black America’s State of the Union with host Roland Martin.  Featuring a Keynote from Ben Jealous of the NAACP.

Education:  Q&A with Bill Cosby and Wendy Wilson.

Politics:  “The Next Generation in the Age of Obama” with panel Moderator Roland Martin and panelists include Valerie Jarrett, Donna Brazile, Tom Joyner and Hill Harper.

Economy/Jobs with George Frasier, keynote and panelists  Steve Stoute and entrepreneur Monique Greenwood.

State of the Black Family with Panel Moderators Dawn Baskerville, Judge Penny Brown and Malaak Compton-Rock.

The Black Church-Roles and Responsibilities:  A conversation with Donnie McClurkin and Roland Martin.

SUNDAY

Tribute to TD Jakes with Tyrone Foster and Arc Singers, CeCe Winans, Marvin Sapp, The Mortons, Ledisi, Smokie Norful as among the initial artists confirmed as the house band. Readers/speakers for scripture readings include Roland Martin, Morris Chestnut.

“One of the things that sets the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL apart from similar events is the merging of entertainment, politics, community and  spirituality,” says Angela Burt-Murray, Editor-in-Chief, ESSENCE magazine.  “The weekend’s events–from the music to the seminars–bring the pages and spirit of Essence magazine to life.”

For additional information about ticket sales, accommodations and the latest news about the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL, visit www.essencemusicfestival.com. General admission daily tickets are available for $51, $67 or $79; floor seats are $92 and $121; Gold Circle tickets are $173; all plus applicable service charges.  To purchase tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com or call 800-277-1700.  In honor of the Festival’s 15th Anniversary, take advantage of a 15% discount on weekend ticket packages through February 15th.

The 2009 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL is executive produced by Essence Festivals LLC and produced by Rehage Entertainment. Essence Festivals LLC is a division of Essence Communications Inc. (ECI).  The 2009 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL sponsors include Presenting Sponsor Coca Cola; Major Sponsors U.S. Army, Covergirl Queen, Pantene, Ford, and Walmart; and Official Sponsors My Black is Beautiful and Southwest Airlines.

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About Essence Communications Inc.: Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the leading media and communications company dedicated to African-American women.  With a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events, and online, the Essence brand is "Where Black Women Come First".  The company's flagship publication, ESSENCE magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women; generating brand extensions such as the Essence Music Festival, Women Who Are Shaping the World Leadership Summit, Window on Our Women (WOW I, II & III) and Smart Beauty I, II & III consumer insights, the Essence Book Club, Essence.com, and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD). For 38 years, ESSENCE magazine, which has a readership of 8.1 million, has been the leading source of cutting-edge information relating to every area of African-American women's lives.

Additional information about ECI and ESSENCE is available at www.essence.com.

**FOR TV PRODUCERS WHO NEED FOOTAGE: To download previous ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL footage to include in your broadcast, please use the following FTP information: