Congratulations to Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi. Their album They’re Calling Me Home (Nonesuch) was nominated for two GRAMMY Awards today: Best Folk Album and Best American Roots Song for “Avalon” (Giddens’ first nomination in this category). Giddens is now an 8-time nominee and won a GRAMMY Award in 2010 for Best Traditional Folk Album for Genuine Negro Jig. Her 2019 album with Francesco Turrisi, there is no Other, earned a nomination as well, for Best American Roots Performance.
They’re Calling Me Home (Nonesuch) has been widely celebrated by the NY Times, NPR Music, NPR, Rolling Stone, People, Associated Press and far beyond, including features with the Washington Post, Object of Sound with Hanif Aburraqib and more. Giddens has also been featured in several pieces in the New York Times over the past 6 months that spotlight not only the new album but also the Aria Code podcast she hosts in partnership with WNYC and the Metropolitan Opera. Other recent live performance highlights include her debut at the Ojai Festival in California this past September. She also performed at the Kennedy Center Honors (in tribute to Joan Baez), and appeared at the CMT Awards to pay tribute to the pioneering country artist Linda Martell. In July Giddens shared an audio documentary that explores her remarkable life and the music that shaped her in this Audible Original Balance To Bridges episode.
Recorded over six days in the early phase of the pandemic in a small studio outside of Dublin, Ireland - where both Giddens and Turrisi live - They’re Calling Me Home manages to effortlessly blend the music of their native and adoptive countries: America, Italy, and Ireland. The album speaks of the longing for the comfort of home as well as the metaphorical “call home” of death.
Giddens also recently detailed a tremendous 2022, including the long-awaited world premiere of her opera, Omar, and the very first tour of the Lucy Negro Redux ballet that she composed the score for and performs music in. She will also make her publishing debut next fall, in a previously announced 4-book deal with Candlewick Press and other key appearances include Stagecoach next May. See below for her upcoming itinerary.
Omar performances:
May 27 to June 12, 2022 - Charleston, SC - Spoleto Festival USA
Fall 2022 - Los Angeles, CA - LA Opera
To be announced: Carolina Performing Arts Presents Omar
To be announced: Boston Lyric Opera
To be announced: Lyric Opera Chicago
To be announced: San Francisco Opera
Lucy Negro Redux dates:
March 18 – Nashville, TN – Tennessee Performing Arts Center
March 19 – Nashville, TN – Tennessee Performing Arts Center
March 20 – Nashville, TN – Tennessee Performing Arts Center
March 25 – Nashville, TN – Tennessee Performing Arts Center
March 26 – Nashville, TN – Tennessee Performing Arts Center
March 29 – Denver, CO – June Swaner Gates Concert Hall
March 30 – Denver, CO – June Swaner Gates Concert Hall
April 3 – Santa Fe, NM – Lensic Performing Arts Center
April 8 – Kansas City, MO – Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
April 22 – Norfolk, VA – Chrysler Hall
April 23 – Norfolk, VA – Chrysler Hall
2022 Tour Dates:
January 21 - Greensboro, NC - Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts / Greensboro Opera Presents Porgy and Bess
January 23 - Greensboro, NC - Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts / Greensboro Opera Presents Porgy and Bess
April 28 - Greencastle, IN - Kresge Auditorium
May 1 - Indio, CA - Stagecoach
May 21 - Richmond, VA - The Richmond Forum
