No Caption

Join us for a discussion with The Bar-Kays’ Larry Dodson and Winston Stewart. Free and open to the public. Moderated by Memphis radio personality (and Crosstown Arts community outreach coordinator) Porsche Stevens, this freewheeling conversation will include stories from the band’s rich past and much more.

Following the tragic 1967 plane crash that resulted in the tragic death of four of its members and their mentor, Otis Redding, The Bar-Kays reformed with new members and began a nearly five-decade run of chart success and high-energy live performances.

Two key members of the second Bar-Kays era were lead vocalist Larry Dodson, who recently retired after nearly fifty years in the band, and keyboard player Winston Stewart. Both members played at the 1972 Wattstax Festival, stuck with Stax Records until its closure in 1975, and helped the band redefine their sound during the disco era.

In conjunction with Give a Damn: Music & Activism at Stax Records, on view at Crosstown Arts through Dec. 2.