Claudette King: A Voice of Her Own, featuring Kemba Cofield - Lyric Theatre 11th Anniversary Concert

Claudette King returns to Lexington for the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center's 11th Anniversary with her genre-bending jazz and blues style. Featuring jazz vocalist Kemba Cofield, this concert nods to the Lyric's legendary legacy, while celebrating the bright future ahead.

Claudette King takes the stage Saturday, October 23rd at 7:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased at www.lexingtonlyric.tix.com

Claudette King, a National Recording Academy Member, is dubbed "The Bluz Queen" and is the youngest daughter of THEE Ultimate Blues Master, B. B. King. A talented and gifted vocalist whose power and enthusiasm can be seen in her own genre-blending music, Ms. King has a natural ease in shifting with the mood of each word.

In her twenties and thirties, Claudette graced several stages and venues with concert appearances. The most memorable shows were with her father, at the well-regarded Circle Star Theatre, on the peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, and with Etta James. She has a particular fondness for the 1991 San Francisco Blues Festival, where she sang happy birthday to 66-year-young B. B. while alongside Boz Scaggs, Robert Cray, Bobby McFerrin, and other luminaries.

Claudette King has been described as dynamic, amplified, and downright sassy. She exudes a confidence that perhaps was born of her struggle to prove who she is and at the same time carve out her own identity. Having performed on The Lyric Theatre stage with The BB King Blues Band in 2019, Claudette possesses as much flash as her father, BB King, and she is quick to cite him as her inspiration.

"My inspiration is my dad," says Claudette, who was also mindful of how her father was always on the international concert circuit as the tireless Ambassador of the Blues. Listening to the radio and her mother's collection of record albums, she soaked up the joyous singing of notables like Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Michael Jackson, and Mahalia Jackson."

Kemba Cofield, an internationally known jazz vocalist, recording artist, writer, composer, and no stranger to the stage herself, will open this evening of Black Woman magic. Kemba’s vocal skills have offered her the opportunity to share the stage with the Zapp Band, Midnight Star, Bernard Linnette, Don Braden, The Aaron Goldberg Trio, Takana Miyamoto, Rodney Jordan, Freddie Cole, Rene Marie, and other famed musicians and jazz greats.

Kemba has had an amazing career headlining the 2008 Atlanta Jazz Festival, the National Black Arts Festival and performing at Lincoln Center, the world’s leading jazz performing arts center.

Originally from Frankfort, KY, Kemba relies on her spiritual guidance to remain rooted on her musical path. She credits her stage flair, personality and precision to the legendary Queens of Jazz, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.