In Performance At The White House Red, White and Blues

By
President and Mrs. Obama host a PBS music special in the East Room of the White House. The evening is an all-star celebration of the blues, the musical form that sprang from the Mississippi Delta and the west side of Chicago. With deep roots in Africa and slavery, the music has influenced modern American music from soul to rock ‘n’ roll. Leading popular artists’ performances trace that migratory path and pay homage to the great figures of the blues genre, from John Lee Hooker to Muddy Waters, and the songs they made famous. Performers include B.B. King, Booker T. Jones, Buddy Guy, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Gary Clark Jr., Jeff Beck, Keb Mo, Mick Jagger, Shemekia Copeland, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, and Warren Haynes, with Taraji P. Henson as the program host.