Otis Redding Foundation to Honor Jermaine Dupri at Second Annual King of Soul Music Festival

Grammy-winning songwriter/producer Jermaine Dupri is being honored by the Otis Redding Foundation. Dupri will be presented with the Otis & Zelma Redding Award of Respect at the foundation’s upcoming King of Soul Music Festival (Sept. 8-9) in Macon, Georgia.

The second annual festival, a fundraiser for the Otis Redding Center for the Arts, will also double as a celebration of late icon Redding’s 82^nd birthday (Sept. 9).

“We are thrilled to honor Jermaine Dupri at this year’s King of Soul Music Festival,” said Karla Redding-Andrews, vp/executive director of the Otis Redding Foundation, in a statement  announcing the news.

“Jermaine and his father Michael Mauldin have been connected to the Redding family since he was a young man visiting the Big ‘O’ Ranch with his dad. And we are so proud of his remarkable contributions to the music industry as a songwriter, producer, DJ, and entrepreneur. He was very close to my brother Otis III, who passed away in April, and credits him with teaching him to make beats. Jermaine aligns with Otis Redding’s spirit and the foundation’s mission to inspire and empower young artists.”

Dupri — who also founded pioneering label So So Def Records — said, “The Reddings and Otis III became my musical family before the world knew of Jermaine Dupri. While I understand the family is honoring me, in my mind I am also honoring them for all they have allowed me to do, see and be a part of at a time when they didn’t have to.”

Atlanta’s esteemed Orchestra Noir will get the festivities underway Sept. 8 with “An Evening of Respect” concert at the historic Macon City Auditorium. Founded in 2016, Orchestra Noir is known for paying tribute to the cultural legacies of African American music pioneers through vibrant performances encompassing classical, jazz, blues, R&B and hip-hop. The next evening will feature The Big “O” Homecoming Show & Dance at the Capitol Theatre. During both nights, renowned artists and musicians will salute Redding’s enduring musical legacy.

Proposed to open in late 2024, the Otis Redding Center for the Arts will house the Otis Redding Foundation’s various music and arts programs for students. That slate includes the annual Otis Music Camp for students between the ages of 12-18, Camp DREAM for those aged 5-11, music education workshops, private and group lessons and the chance to perform on legendary stages such as Nashville’s Ryman Theatre. The foundation itself was established in 2007.

For more information about the festival, tickets, the Otis Redding Center for the Arts and the Otis Redding Foundation, visit otisreddingfoundation.org.

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