A Schaefer Spotlight Series Event
Series Sponsorship provided by Bonnie and Jamie Schaefer. Supporting Sponsorship provided by App State Campus Store, Broyhill Family Foundation, Appalachian Home Care LLC, The Art Cellar, Explore Boone, Goodnight Brothers, Mast General Store, and SkyBest Communications, Inc.
Ranky Tanky (a Gullah phrase for “get funky”), whose jazz-influenced arrangements of traditional Gullah music NPR calls “lively, soulful honey to the ears” joins forces with Grammy winner Lisa Fischer, who the Minneapolis Star Tribune says brings “soul, jazz, rock, gospel, folk, pop, and classical … [and] cuts loose with funk and fierceness and rocks with abandon.”
Tickets
Contact theschaefercenter@appstate.edu, call 800-841-2787 or 828-262-4046, visit the box office at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, or purchase online.
$45 Tier 1
$35 Tier 2
$25 Tier 3
$15 Student/Child
App State Faculty/Staff:
10% off Tiers 1, 2 & 3. Contact Box Office for discount code.
Local Residents (Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Watauga, and Wilkes counties):
10% off Tiers 1, 2 & 3. Zip code required at check out.
Parking
Parking can be challenging, particularly for sold-out events. Please allow extra time to park and arrive at the theatre before showtime. See map for parking recommendations.
Accommodations
App State is committed to providing an inclusive experience for individuals with disabilities. If accommodations are needed in order to fully participate on the basis of a disability, contact the Office of Disability Resources (828-262-3056). It is recommended that accommodation requests be made two weeks prior to the event.
About Ranky Tanky
Ranky Tanky (a Gullah phrase for “get funky”) are five lifelong friends from Charleston, South Carolina, who have established themselves as passionate global ambassadors for their local culture and community, helping to faithfully preserve the traditions originated by African Americans in the coastal South during slavery that are kept alive through the present day.
In 2023, Ranky Tanky took home the GRAMMY Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album, celebrating their second GRAMMY win in a four-year span. Celebrating the music of their West African-rooted Gullah community, Ranky Tanky were honored in 2023 for their first-ever live album — Live at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — which was captured during their debut at the iconic festival. Ranky Tanky previously took home Best Regional Roots Music Album in 2020 for their studio album Good Time, marking the first-ever GRAMMY Award win for an album of Gullah music. The five-piece have now won Best Regional Roots Album for two consecutive releases and become the most awarded group in the history of the category.
The 2023 GRAMMY win is just the latest accolade in a long line of “firsts” that Ranky Tanky has achieved for the music of the Gullah community. The five-piece also reached #1 on each of the Billboard, Amazon and iTunes jazz charts, brought their songs and stories to national television on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the TODAY Show and PBS Newshour — and even performed during President Joe Biden’s 2020 inauguration festivities.
Photo by Jay Gilbert
About Lisa Fischer
“There are some artists that bring a certain magic to their live performances that engage you in a way that is far beyond just listening to a record. Lisa Fischer is definitely one of these artists. Her voice alone demands your full and undivided attention. You can see it in the faces of the packed-out audiences, as every eye in the venue is transfixed by her incredible, yet effortless-looking performance. The range of her voice is quite frankly unbelievable. Add to that the control, the power, the delicateness, and the crystalline clarity, and you truly have a one-in-a-million performer on your hands. Whilst you might come across a singer with some of these attributes, to find one who has all of them in abundance is something unique and special.” – Kirstine Walton / Loud Hailer Magazine
