SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Maggie Brown, a singer who defies musical boundaries, brings her stunning voice to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum next month for the final performance offered with the museum’s historic exhibit on Illinois music.
Brown mingles jazz, R&B, soul and even the spoken word. She has performed with artists as diverse as Stevie Wonder, jazz great Ramsey Lewis and her father, singer-activist Oscar Brown Jr.
She will perform a show she calls “Legacy: Our Wealth of Music,” which reflects on the history and evolution of African American music. “It is the vehicle through which I can sing, narrate and demonstrate my love for a wide range of music styles,” Brown says.
Brown will appear in the ALPLM’s Union Theater at 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 13 Reserve your free seats here. Doors open at 6 p.m. and guests will be able to view the “State of Sound: A World of Music from Illinois” exhibit until the show begins.
“State of Sound” is a unique celebration of Illinois’ contribution to music history. It combines mini-documentaries with rare documents and artifacts to explore more than a dozen musical genres. It includes such greats as Miles Davis, John Prine, Howlin’ Wolf, Chicago, Common, Alison Krauss and Smashing Pumpkins.
The last day to see the exhibit is Jan. 23.
The Chicago Tribune called Brown “one of the most fiercely committed artists in Chicago.” Her journey has included theater, arts education, writing and, of course, music. It began at the feet of her father, who was a writer, actor and educator himself, as well as a respected jazz singer.
“It’s hard to separate me from my father. And why would anyone want to?” Brown asks.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum uses a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship to immerse visitors in Lincoln’s life and times. The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books, documents, photographs, artifacts and art, as well as some 12 million items pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history.
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