Montgomery, AL, June 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is proud to announce Alabama born artists, Mac McAnally with special guest John Paul White, will perform at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival on Tuesday, August 27th, 2019 as part of a Tribe sponsored, Alabama Natives Concert Series celebrating Alabama’s and Montgomery’s Bicentennial. Doors open at 6pm/Show starts at 6:30pm. Pricing starts at $25 and tickets are available here: www.asf.net/Mac200 or by calling the box office at 334-271-5353. Box office hours are Monday—Friday, from noon until 5pm CST. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is donating the proceeds from this concert to benefit the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and its programs.

Mac McAnally, hailing from Red Bay, Alabama, is beyond dispute one of the most respected musicians of our time. His peers have made that clear by honoring him as CMA Musician of the Year for an unprecedented ten years and electing him to the Nashville Songwriters Halls of Fame, Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame, and Alabama Music Hall of Fame. He has written hits for Alabama, Jimmy Buffet, Kenny Chesney, and Sawyer Brown, and has studio credits that include albums by Toby Keith, Linda Ronstadt, George Strait, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, and Amy Grant, among many others.

Like many accomplished Alabama artists, McAnally honed his craft as a session musician in Muscle Shoals. Many know Mac for his part in fellow Alabamian Jimmy Buffet’s Coral Reefer Band, and the hits he has written for that act.

McAnally’s solo career began with a debut hit single “It’s A Crazy World” (1977) and continues most recently with his 14th album release Southbound (2017), an ambitious orchestral adaptation of many of his best known songs and performed in conjunction with the FestivalSouth Orchestra and his rhythm section from the Coral Reefer Band.

Opening for Mac is Florence, Alabama native, John Paul White, who has cultivated a music career in Nashville for two decades, first as a songwriter for a major publisher, then half of The Civil Wars – a groundbreaking duo that won four Grammy Awards. White co-founded Single Lock Records with Ben Tanner of the Alabama Shakes. He has signed multiple artists from the Muscle Shoals area, where he was born.

White’s latest album, The Hurting Kind, was just released on his own label. Featuring vocal contributions from Lee Ann Womack, Erin Rae, and the Secret Sisters. White’s forthcoming album was co-produced alongside the Alabama Shakes’ Ben Tanner and recorded in a variety of studios in White’s native Muscle Shoals region. The Hurting Kind also finds White co-writing with legendary Nashville songwriters like Bobby Braddock and Whisperin’ Bill Anderson.

The Alabama Natives Concert Series will feature Alabama musicians in select Montgomery venues during the Fall in commemoration of the Alabama 200 and Montgomery 200 Celebrations. Other artists and dates will be announced as plans are finalized. Proceeds of all concerts will be donated to Alabama community organizations.

The mission of ALABAMA 200 is to support, create, and execute events and activities that commemorate the stories of our people, place, and path to statehood. ALABAMA 200.org is actively engaging residents and visitors in educational programs, community activities, and statewide initiatives that teach, inspire, and entertain. This is one of the signature events of this series. Find out more at www.Alabama200.org

Known for its Southern hospitality and revitalized downtown, the riverfront capital city of Montgomery is also recognizing its own 200th Anniversary this year and marking this meaningful occasion with a variety of celebratory experiences for all ages between now and the end of the year. Find out more at www.MGM200.org

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians are descendants of a segment of the original Creek Nation which once covered almost all of Alabama and Georgia. Unlike many eastern Indian tribes, the Poarch Creeks were not removed from their tribal lands and have lived together for almost 200 years in and around the reservation in Poarch, Alabama. The reservation is located eight miles northwest of Atmore, Alabama in rural Escambia County, and 57 miles east of Mobile. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized Indian Tribe in the state of Alabama, operating as a sovereign nation with its own system of government.

The Tribe operates a variety of economic enterprises including Wind Creek Hospitality, an authority of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Wind Creek Hospitality manages the Tribes gaming facilities including: Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Wetumpka, Wind Creek Montgomery, Wind Creek Bethlehem, Wa She Shu Casino in Nevada, Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino, Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino as well as racetracks in Alabama and Florida.

The Tribe also operates Creek Indian Enterprises Development Authority (CIEDA), the economic development arm of the Tribe.  CIEDA manages on their behalf: Muskogee Technology, Media Fusion, Creek Convenience Store Atmore, Creek Convenience Store Wetumpka, Creek Travel Plaza, OWA, and other non-gaming economic endeavors.

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is an active partner in the state of Alabama, contributing to economic, educational, social and cultural projects benefiting both Tribal Members and residents of these local communities and neighboring towns. The Tribe’s Planned Giving Campaign includes significant donations to local schools, education scholarships, senior centers, youth athletics, and charitable organizations.  Learn more about the Tribe at www.pci-nsn.gov

Alabama Shakespeare Festival is a not-for-profit organization under the direction of Artistic Director Rick Dildine and Executive Director Todd Schmidt. As a beloved Alabama arts institution, ASF broadens the cultural identity of the South by producing Shakespeare, contemporary plays, musicals, and exciting new works that focus on the Southern experience. A leader in education and outreach, ASF serves more than 40,000 students annually with artistic programming. ASF is supported by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

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Sharon Delmar
Poarch Band of Creek Indians
251-253-5927
sdelmar@pci-nsn.gov