FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PBS NORTH CAROLINA TO DEBUT NEW CONCERT SERIES ON MARCH 16

In honor of Women’s History Month, ‘Southern Songbirds’ celebrates country music as heard through the voices of five North Carolina women singer-songwriters.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, 3/13/2023 — PBS North Carolina announces the premiere of Southern Songbirds, a three-part concert series that spotlights five women singer-songwriters based in North Carolina. Inspired by the exhibition The Power of Women in Country Music at the North Carolina Museum of History, the series features live performances by Charly Lowry, Caitlin Cary, H.C. McEntire, Tift Merritt and Rissi Palmer. Southern Songbirds premieres Thursday, March 16, at 9:30 PM on PBS NC and the PBS App, with subsequent episodes premiering Thursdays, March 23 and 30.

Award-winning musician and North Carolina native Jim Lauderdale hosts the series, a program of the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh. In each episode, the artists share their diverse interpretations of country-inspired music and personal stories in front of a live audience.

Southern Songbirds was created in collaboration with the North Carolina Museum of History and the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The live concert series was designed to celebrate, support and help sustain North Carolinians’ groundbreaking contributions to American music. It was produced by Kara Leinfelder, the museum’s Creative Director.

The concerts were filmed by PBS North Carolina and developed into a three-part broadcast series in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the museum. They were funded by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with additional support from the North Carolina Museum of History Foundation.

Broadcast Schedule

Episode 1: Charly Lowry, Caitlin Cary & H.C. McEntire
Premieres Thursday, March 16, 9:30–11:05 PM, on PBS NC
Charly Lowry is a singer-songwriter from Pembroke who fuses world, soul, country, folk, blues, rock and roots music to create a unique sound all her own. While you may know her from American Idol, she has also stayed close to her Native American roots as the lead singer of the award-winning band Dark Water Rising. For Southern Songbirds, Lowry is accompanied by guitarist Jonathan Locklear for a setlist that includes original songs and country classics “Jolene” and “Crazy.”

Caitlin Cary is a singer, songwriter, violinist, artist and gallery owner based in Raleigh. In 1993 she became a founding member of the influential alt-country band Whiskeytown. Since then, she has released three solo albums, an album of duets with singer-songwriter Thad Cockrell, two albums with the country trio Tres Chicas, an EP with Matt Douglas as The Small Ponds and an album of original protest music with the NC Music Love Army. For Southern Songbirds, Cary performs with Matt Douglas (keys, guitar and vocals), Brett Harris (guitar and vocals), Jesse Huebner (bass) and Joe Westerlund (drums).

H.C. McEntire is a musician, songwriter, composer, producer, performer and writer living in Durham. The front woman of the band Mount Moriah, she struck out on her own in 2018 with her debut solo album, Lionheart. After traveling the world for two years as a backup singer in Angel Olsen’s band, McEntire returned to Durham to a hundred-year-old farmhouse, where she was able to refocus. Her newest album, Every Acre, is her third for Merge Records. For Southern Songbirds, McEntire performs with Luke Norton (guitar), Casey Toll (bass) and Daniel Faust (drums).

Episode 2: Tift Merritt
Premieres Thursday, March 23, 9:30–11 PM, on PBS NC
Raleigh-based singer-songwriter Tift Merritt has been called “one of the standard-bearers of country-soul” by The New Yorker and a “diamond in a coal mine” by the legendary Emmylou Harris. In her 20-year career, she has toured the world and received accolades for her “sonic short stories,” beautiful vocals and impassioned performances. For more than ten years, Merritt has collected artist interviews for her series The Spark and is currently a regular contributor to the Oxford American. For Southern Songbirds, Merritt performs songs by iconic women of country with Eric Heywood (pedal steel and guitar), Jay Brown (bass), Matt McCaughan (drums) and singers Chessa Rich, Skylar Gudasz and Kate Rhudy.

Episode 3: Rissi Palmer
Premieres Thursday, March 30, 9:30–11 PM, on PBS NC
Powerhouse Rissi Palmer made her mark in country music, but she is equally at home in R&B. In 2007 she released her debut album and became the first African American woman to chart a country song with her single “Country Girl.” Since then, Rissi has released a Christmas single, a children’s album and an EP titled The Back Porch Sessions. Her most recent album, Revival, has been critically hailed. A passionate voice for country artists of color, Palmer hosts a radio show entitled Color Me Country. For Southern Songbirds, Palmer performs with Branden Williams (keys, music director), Michael Johnson (drums), Charles Newkirk (acoustic and electric guitar) and Darion Alexander (bass).

About the Host

Jim Lauderdale is legendary across multiple genres including Americana, country and bluegrass. A two-time Grammy Award winner, he has released 35 full-length albums and taken home the Americana Music Association’s coveted Wagonmaster Award. He released his debut album in 1991 and soon began penning songs for a long roster of country music greats. Lauderdale has worked with Ralph Stanley, Robert Hunter, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams and John Oates, among many others. His latest album is called Game Changer.

Watch Southern Songbirds on PBS NC or stream anytime on the PBS App beginning March 16. Visit pbsnc.org/schedule for the latest scheduling information.

About the Exhibition & Concert Series

Curated by the GRAMMY Museum® in Los Angeles, the exhibition The Power of Women in Country Music highlights country music’s greatest female trailblazers, from international superstars like Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Rosanne Cash, Shania Twain and Taylor Swift, to contemporary North Carolina artists such as Rhiannon Giddens, Rissi Palmer and Kasey Tyndall. The exhibition features a selection of instruments, costumes and other artifacts as well as gallery interactives. The finale concert of the series will be held at the North Carolina Museum of History on Saturday, April 1, and will feature traditional music legends Alice Gerrard, Kay Justice and Ginny Hawker with a special performance by up-and-coming traditional artist Eliza Meyer. The concert will be emceed by Jim Lauderdale. The exhibition is on view at the North Carolina Museum of History through Sunday, April 2.

About the North Carolina Museum of History

The North Carolina Museum of History, a Smithsonian Affiliate, fosters a passion for North Carolina history. This museum collects and preserves artifacts of state history and educates the public on the history of the state and the nation through exhibits and educational programs. In 2022 more than 274,000 people visited the museum to see some of the 150,000 artifacts in the museum collection. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Learn more at ncmuseumofhistory.org.

About the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR’s mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state’s history, conserving the state’s natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism and promoting economic development. Learn more at ncdcr.gov.

About PBS North Carolina

As North Carolina’s statewide PBS network serving the country’s third largest public media market, PBS North Carolina educates, informs, entertains and inspires its audience on air, online and in person. Through its unique partnership of public investment and private support, the network includes in-person engagement, digital-first social and online content delivery and four over-the-air channels: PBS NC, the North Carolina Channel, Rootle 24/7 PBS Kids and the Explorer Channel. Its transformational events and content spark curiosity and wonder for all North Carolinians. Additionally, PBS North Carolina serves as the backbone for North Carolina’s state emergency services. Learn more at pbsnc.org, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

-PBS NC-

Media Contact
Laura Kieler, PBS North Carolina
press@pbsnc.org