THE AMERICAN SONGSTER DOM FLEMONS TO HOST LEAD BELLY TRIBUTE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, FEATURING ROBERT PLANT AND ALISON KRAUSS

Dom Flemons – a founding member of the GRAMMY-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops – has been announced as the host of “Lead Belly at 125: A Tribute to an American Songster,” a one-night-only show taking place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on April 25 at 8:00pm.

The show, which is produced by the Kennedy Center and the GRAMMY Museum, features Flemons as master of ceremonies for a star-studded lineup of talented artists, including Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Buddy Miller, Lucinda Williams, and Valerie June.

Huddie Ledbetter, or Lead Belly as he was known, is a folk blues legend who has influenced countless artists from Nirvana to Led Zeppelin. He ranks among other pillars of American folk music such as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

 “Lead Belly showed me there was a strong secular black folk song repertoire, separate from the blues,” Flemons says. He continues, “Lead Belly’s legacy can show us something that is truly human in music. I’m honored to have the opportunity to pay tribute to someone who has had such a strong influence on me.”

Lead Belly has received newfound attention this year with the release of “Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection” box set and documentary film “Legend of Lead Belly,” which has aired on the Smithsonian Channel.

Flemons pulls from traditions of old-time folk music to create new sounds. Having played music professionally since 2005, he received acclaim, including a GRAMMY win and nomination, as part of the African American string band the Carolina Chocolate Drops. His most recent album, “Prospect Hill,” his first since leaving the group, has received praise from The Boston Globe, Paste Magazine, and Living Blues Magazine, and he has been featured on NPR’s “Fresh Air with Terry Gross.”

Event link here.

"ALT-ROCKERS [WHO MAKE] BARB-WIRE HOOKS WITH GREAT HARMONY WORK" (BAEBLE MUSIC) SONS OF FATHERS COMPLETE MASTERPIECE SECOND ALBUM 'BIG DIAMOND WALTZ,' MIXED BY VANCE POWELL (JACK WHITE), OUT AUGUST 15 ON BLANCO RIVER MUSIC

OPENING DATES PLANNED WITH ALISON KRAUSS AND DWIGHT YOAKAM

"ONE OF 12 TO WATCH IN 2012… TERRIFIC… BARN-BURNING" – EMUSIC

"HOT TRACKS… IMPRESSIVE" - RELIX

Following heavy touring and intensive songwriting sessions, "breakout" (Austin Chronicle) "alt-rockers" (Baeble Music) Sons of Fathers fulfills the promise of last year's self-titled debut with a profound, terse masterpiece of a second album 'Big Diamond Waltz' (August 15 / Blanco River Music). Vance Powell, who mixed Jack White's 'Blunderbuss' and albums by Dead Weather and The Raconteurs, approached the band at an in-store at Grimey's in Nashville, TN and offered to mix 'Big Diamond Waltz.' Baeble Music raved about the "barb wire hooks" of the new material, which was self-produced by band principles David Beck and Paul Cauthen, continuing, "Sons of Fathers make their case for why they should be included in your current crush on southern rock leaning bands."

Powell said, "The Sons are blazing a trail out of Austin with great songs and a cool sound unique unto themselves. I loved working on the album."

Embeddable MP3 of"Burning Days."

Downloadable, postable MP3 of"Burning Days"

Behind-the-scenes footage of Sonsof Fathers producing and recording 'Big Diamond Waltz'

Sons of Fathers were named one of "12 to watch in 2012" by eMusic, which called the self-titled debut album "terrific" and "barn-burning," continuing, "nothing can take away the songwriting duo's brotherly harmonies [and] their band's ruckus-raising live shows." Relix Magazine called the self-titled debut album "hot tracks," continuing, "Sons of Fathers puts on an impressive live show but the album is even better." Dates are planned opening for Alison Krauss and Dwight Yoakam.

While 'Sons of Fathers' earned comparisons to The Avett Brothers (by CMT.com and AOL Music), Dawes (Baeble Music), and Ray LaMontagne, the new album adds new elements to their sound on 'Big Diamond Waltz' and in their ferocious live shows: circus-inspired waltzes and reprises with swirling horns and slide guitar, dark blues, and spine-tingling folk, all with Sons of Fathers' harmonies which are "nothing short of moving" (WXPN). Much like the Byrds redefined the boundaries of Country and The Band did so with rock, Sons of Fathers merge the two seamlessly and bridge the generations with a new original sound like no other.

Highlights include "Big Diamond Waltz," a searching song with an unmatched intensity; the unrequited lovelorn "To Whom Do You Belong?," the ballad "Lay Me Down"; the scorching "Burning Days"; and the dark character study of "You're Gonna Hurt Someone."

The vocal and songwriting chemistry between Cauthen, grandson of a Texas preacher who taught him to sing and play, and Beck, son of a prominent Texas upright bassist, has deepened. They are rooted in Texas music but steeped in the indie-folk scene.

The band has also completed a Daytrotter session.

Sons of Fathers are Beck (bass and vocals), Cauthen (acoustic guitar and vocals), Dees Stribling (drums), Regan Schmidt (guitar, slide guitar), Bryan Mammel (keyboards), and Tony Browne (guitar).