Essence Festival

Jill Scott, Maxwell Return to Re-Branded Essence

The Associated Press — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 14:00:00 +0000

The Essence Music Festival is dropping the music — from its name, that is.

The festival held in New Orleans every July 4th weekend for the past 18 years has rebranded itself The Essence Festival. Organizers say the change is designed to showcase the event as more than a music festival.

2012 Essence Fest draws 413,000 to New Orleans

The Associated Press — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:24:44 +0000

The 2012 Essence Music Festival drew 413,000 people to New Orleans for the four-day event held over the Fourth of July weekend.

That's less than the 422,000 who gathered for the 2011 festival. Last year the festival ran for three days.

Essence In New Orleans: A Festival That Knows Its Audience

editor — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 21:03:00 +0000

For the last 18 years, the Essence Music Festival has been the go-to event for African-Americans, especially African-American women. For three days in New Orleans, hundreds of thousands show up for R&B and gospel concerts and panels on politics, financial planning and parenting.

If it's a party, as creator George Wein describes it, it's a party with a purpose.

"New Orleans is a party city and they party," Wein says. "People party here.

Alex Boyd brings 'blue-eyed' soul to Essence

CHEVEL JOHNSON | The Associated Press — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 18:49:55 +0000

He has danced with Debbie Allen, acted alongside Bruce Willis, blended his voice with Patti Labelle's and even dabbled with opera.

But Alex Boyd's true calling has always been classic, old-school soul — despite being one of only a handful of white performers in the genre.