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Eleanorfest at Redford Theater

  • Redford Theatre 17360 Lahser Road Detroit, MI, 48219 United States (map)

Ten of the Michigan music industry’s most successful female artists are coming together to perform for one night at the inaugural Jill Jack’s Eleanorfest, a celebration of women in music at the historic Redford Theatre in Redford, Mich. This festival will benefit Trinity House, an intimate performance space that nurtures and celebrates singer songwriters, in Livonia, Mich.

WDET’s Ann Delisi will host the event where Carolyn Striho, Thornetta Davis, Annie Capps, Kimmie Horne, Jennifer Westwood, Audra Kubat, Ms. Carmen, The Accidentals, Olivia Dear (formerly Millerschin) and Jill Jack will each perform two songs, backed by the Jill Jack Band, and then join together for a grand finale.

These women have traveled the globe performing on major stages and at festivals. Combined, they have received hundreds of awards for their talent and commitment to the industry. Outside of their musical careers, each performer is an entrepreneur, a teacher and commits time and energy to their own philanthropic efforts. 

Jill Jack -- a multi-award-winning performer, producer and business owner -- one night had a dream, literally.

“Great messages have always come to me in my dreams. A dream about a beautiful event that celebrated women in music,” said Jack. “I’ve always admired Eleanor Roosevelt. In fact, I’ve read everything and anything I could get my hands on about her. I felt it was fitting to name this inaugural event after this historical powerhouse. After all, her courage, hard work, wisdom, intellect, writing and drive seemed like the perfect way to describe an event that would celebrate the strengths of female musicians who have and continue to strive so hard to maintain their successful careers.”

Jack owns and operates Dream Big Incorporated, a company that works with singer-songwriters as well as consults with companies about their brand development. In 2019, Trinity House hired Jack to create a fundraising event, and just like that, Eleanorfest came into existence.  

Trinity House was founded in 1981 as a venue for live theatre in Livonia. Over the course of seven years, the venue was incorporated as a non-profit organization. The theatre’s focus switched to live music in 1999. Since then, Trinity House has provided concert-goers with one of the state’s best listening rooms in the country.

“The intimacy of Trinity House provides a magical opportunity for performers and audience members to connect in ways that can’t be done in bars or a larger stage,” said Bill Keith, president of the T.H. Board of Directors. “That kind of connection fuels some very amazing performances.”

Brighton-based 2 Stones Events is leading the production of this event. Throughout their tenure in the industry, the company has worked on larger productions including Wynton Marsalis, George Winston, Marty Stuart, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and Ramsey Lewis. On a smaller scale, they’ve created Jazz @ The AMP in Brighton and Jazz @ The Point in Northville, and they regularly provide world class entertainment at Metro Detroit venues like the Baronette Renaissance hotel in Novi and the Southfield Town Center.

“This concert is a very unique and special event that we plan to do for years to come,” said Cal Stone, 2SE vice president. “Any one or two of these artists on the same stage would be a treat, but to have them all together for one night is remarkable. The audience is going to be blown away, and we fully expect fellow musicians to be equally impressed with the performances.”

The event will also honor the first recipient of the Eleanor of the Year Award and pay tribute to the late Allee Willis, a Michigan musician who wrote the theme song to the TV show Friends as well as Earth Wind & Fire’s “September”. Check out this CBS segment on Allee HERE.

Tickets are on sale now (https://redfordtheatre.com/events/eleanorfest-a-celebration-of-women-in-music/). There are multi-level ticket options including VIP, where fans will have the opportunity to meet and greet with the artists before the show. This show is open to all ages.

The Redford Theatre is located at 17360 Lahser Road, Detroit, Michigan, 48219.

Doors for Eleanorfest open at 7 p.m.

For more information, please visit www.eleanorfest.com. For sponsorship opportunities, contact 2SE at 810-599-0491 or cstone1959@yahoo.com. Thank you!