What happens when a singer-songwriter from Mississippi meets a troubadour from England?
Cary Hudson and Dan Raza are coming together and answering that question this month on the Wayfarer Blues Tour, as they sing their life stories all across the state, with a stop planned for 7 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Columbus Arts Council’s Omnova Theatre.
“For me, I’m excited to meet a fellow troubadour from across the ocean and just exchange ideas and stories, and hopefully we’ll play some songs together,” Hudson told The Dispatch on Wednesday, in anticipation of Raza’s arrival in the country later in the week. “I’ve met a lot of my best friends through music, and I have a good feeling about this.”
Hudson is a lifelong Mississippi resident who grew up inspired by Gospel and country music, along with rock and roll from the 1970s. He is a former member of the alt-country/roots rock band Blue Mountain, best known for the song “Blue Canoe.”
Raza is a traveling musician who performs throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, whose latest album “Wayfarer” released in February. The album contains a mix of styles, including soul, folk, blues and country, according to his website.
While Hudson and Raza had never met before this week, Hudson said the pair have been pen pals and admirers of each others’ music for the past several years.
But when Greg Preston, a longtime music producer and friend of Hudson’s, met Raza at a music festival in Denmark last year, Preston “took it upon” himself to bring the two together at long last. He has planned stops for the tour across the state, including Oxford, Ocean Springs, Greenwood, Jackson, Clarksdale and beyond.
“It was an opportunity to get these two guys together,” Preston said. “They’re both incredible songwriters, and as I told both of them, ‘this may never happen again.’ You know, the opportunity for them to get to know each other and to write music together, possibly.”
The music of Hudson and Raza overlaps, Preston said, since they both write about some of the small moments in life, making their songs relatable and universal.
“They both really write about everyday lives from different perspectives,” Preston said. “… There’s just a level of respect coming from each side … that’ll really mean a lot.”
While Preston is producing the tour across the state, the show at the Columbus Arts Council’s Omnova Theater is being produced by Brian Gildea’s company, Gildea Enterprises.
Gildea started bringing blues artists to the city for a series that began in December 2022, though he said the series has evolved in its focus over time.
“This is a different side of the blues,” Gildea said. “When I started, I wanted (big) name blues artists, and I really went after (big) name blues artists. And then it sort of got to where, ‘hey, I just want Mississippi blues artists.’”
While part of the goal is to bring talented musicians to the area, Gildea said he also hopes the series brings attention to the work of the Columbus Arts Council, which both he and his family have supported for many years.
Columbus Arts Council Executive Director Quan Walker told The Dispatch in a text message that she loves getting to bring different styles of music, art and culture downtown for the community to enjoy through creative and unique events like the upcoming blues concert.
“We’re really excited to have Cary Hudson and Dan Raza performing,” Walker said. “It’s such a treat to host artists of their caliber right here in downtown Columbus. … It’s truly an honor to be part of their tour, and I hope the people of Columbus take full advantage of this special opportunity.”
Tickets for the concert are $25 and are available online at columbusartscouncil.com.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 29 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
