Kyshona – Legacy
Nashville-based artist/music therapist/activist Kyshona has released her highly-anticipated LP, Legacy, via Soundly Music.
Co-produced with GRAMMY-nominated producer/engineer/mixer Rachael Moore, Legacy houses 13 songs and features guest contributions from Keb Mo’, Ruthie Foster, Odessa Settles, and more, along with songs co-written with Aaron Lee Tasjan, Brittney Spencer, Caroline Spence, and others, including her late grandfather, Hawthorne “H.T.” Armstrong.
Realizing how fragile and fragmented our society is, and as our access to the people and places who shaped us can grow weaker and more distant the older we get, Kyshona crafted this album about legacy to capture the history, character, essence, and honest stories of her ancestors and family so generations that come after will have something to hold onto. “Maybe tracking my family’s stories into song will be a healing for not only me, but others who feel untethered or isolated, removed from their origins,” she says.” My hope is we can rediscover the past together, and in doing so understand more about ourselves in the future.”
From the African rhythms of opener “Elephants” to the reverent tones of closer “Covered,” Kyshona takes the listener on a journey across her family’s history. Through the lens of soul, folk, gospel, and the blues, she channels the spirit of her ancestors to tell a story of Black excellence, resilience, and hope.
Legacy, however, is not only an album — it is a multi-faceted project. In preparation, Kyshona worked with a genealogist at the Robert Frederick Smith Explore Your Family History Center at The Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of African American History & Culture. She and her family have traced five generations, the oldest record dating back to the 1860 US Census Slave Schedules. Developing relationships with organizations that support communities seeking to do this type of research has also been a part of the process. Kyshona hopes to connect followers and fans with resources and experienced professionals dedicated to helping black Americans trace their ancestry and collect their stories, too.
TOUR DATES:
4/26 – Wilkesboro, NC – Merlefest
4/27 – Charlottesville, VA – Front Porch
5/9 – Sarasota, FL – Fogartyville Cafe
5/10 – Ocala, FL – Levitt Amp Ocala Music Series
5/12 – Greenville, SC – Artisphere
5/14 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
5/26 – Nashville, TN – 3rd & Lindsley [ALBUM RELEASE SHOW]
5/29 – Evanston, IL – Evanston Space
5/30 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
5/31 – Three Oaks, MI – Acorn Theatre
6/1 – Grand Rapids, MI – Midtown Live
6/5 – Columbus, OH – Natalie’s Grandview Charlie’s Stage
6/6 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe
6/7 – North Bethesda, MD – Amp by Strathmore
6/9 – Kennett Square, PA – Longwood Gardens (opening for Angélique Kidjo)
6/11 – New York, NY – Joe’s Pub
6/12 – Woodbridge, NJ – Woodbridge Wednesdays
6/13 Saratoga Springs, NY – Caffe Lena
6/14 – Portland, ME – One Longfellow Square
6/15 Cambridge, MA – Club Passim
6/19 – Durham, NC – Duke Gardens
6/21 – Athens, GA – AthFest Music and Arts Festival
6/22 – St. Augustine, FL – Live from the Waterworks: A Gamble Rogers Concert Series
6/27 Springfield, IL – Levitt AMP Springfield
7/17 Wilmington, DE – Levitt AMP Wilmington
7/25 – Whitesburg, KY – Levitt Amp Whitesburg
7/26 – Asheville, NC – The Grey Eagle
8/2 – Williamsburg, VA- Merchant’s Square Concert Series
8/11 – Oconomowoc, WI – Twilight Concerts at Fowler Park
9/23-9/29 – Sisters, OR – Sisters Folk Festival and Song Academy
#kyshonamusic