Ranky Tanky with very special guest Ms. Lisa Fischer

Wednesday, November 8, 7:30 p.m.

This is a magical night in the making. You absolutely must be with us as we once again examine themes of empowerment, cultural preservation in the face of overwhelming hardship, and the defiant joy of music and movement.

Grammy-winning band Ranky Tanky from Charleston, South Carolina — whose name is taken from a Gullah phrase for “get funky” — have established themselves as passionate global ambassadors for their local culture and community. The five lifelong friends are committed to preserving musical traditions that originated with enslaved Africans and their African American descendants in the coastal South. Ranky Tanky has been featured on NPR's Fresh Air, The Today Show, PBS Newshour and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. And in 2021 they had the honor of performing as featured artists at President Biden’s inauguration event, We The People.

Ms. Lisa Fischer spent four decades as a featured background singer, working with such icons as Luther Vandross, The Rolling Stones, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, and Nine Inch Nails, before taking center stage for herself. The 2013 Best Documentary Oscar winning film Twenty Feet from Stardom put the spotlight on Fischer’s musical journey, telling her story with clips of her legendary duets with Sting and Mick Jagger, leaving audiences eager to see and hear more.

And when the two come together, they turn in performances that defy and exceed all expectations.

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