Linda Tillery to Celebrate 76th Birthday at the Freight & Salvage on September 1

Linda Tillery, a trailblazer in the Northern California music scene, will celebrate her 76th birthday on September 1 at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley. Her illustrious career spans over five decades, during which she has captivated audiences with her soulful voice, masterful percussion, and profound contributions to vocal styling, arranging, music production, and ethnomusicology.

Tillery first made her mark as the lead singer of the psychedelic soul group The Loading Zone in the late 1960s. Throughout the 1970s, she worked as a session musician and vocalist for icons like Santana, Boz Scaggs, Huey Lewis and the News, and the Turtle Island String Quartet. Her pioneering work as an artist and producer at Olivia Records significantly contributed to the women’s music genre, leading to collaborations with renowned artists such as June Millington, Deirdre McCalla, Barbara Higbie, Holly Near, Margie Adam, Kenny Loggins, and Bobby McFerrin.

In addition to her performance and production work, Tillery founded the Grammy-nominated Cultural Heritage Choir, a group dedicated to preserving African-American roots music. Her journey has also seen her produce music for documentary films and dance performances, challenge societal norms through powerful songs, and build bridges between diverse cultures.

The special concert on September 1 at 7 pm will feature the East Bay Allstars, a talented ensemble that will accompany Linda in delivering an unforgettable performance. Expect a vibrant blend of jazz, blues, soul, and roots music that promises to be as inspiring and dynamic as Tillery herself!
The special guests will include:

Ray Obiedo – guitar;
Tammy Hall – piano;
Jeff Goldberg – bass guitar;
Kofy Brown – bass guitar;
Leon Joyce – drums;
John Santos – percussion;
Jackie Rago – percussion;
Vicki Randle – vocals + percussion;
Zoe Ellis – vocals;
Tammi Brown – vocals;
George Brooks – saxophone;
Kristin Strom – saxophone;
Marina Garza – trumpet;
Jeff Cressman – trombone.

For tickets: https://bit.ly/4cvJwYF