Deb Callahan has always been a huge fan of the music of Ray Charles and has performed many of his songs during live performances over the years. His unique blend of gospel, blues, R&B, soul and country is a sound she was drawn to early on in her music career and has influenced her tremendously. Deb began exploring the idea of doing a show featuring some of her Ray Charles favorites and A Celebration of the Music of Ray Charles began to take root. She invited her friend Reverend Chris, a Philadelphia keyboard player with blues, jazz and New Orleans influences to join the band for this show and is excited about how it came together."When I listen to Ray Charles, I am immediately drawn to the depth of emotion, passion and honesty in his voice as well as his incredible piano playing and songwriting...
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Deb Callahan has always been a huge fan of the music of Ray Charles and has performed many of his songs during live performances over the years. His unique blend of gospel, blues, R&B, soul and country is a sound she was drawn to early on in her music career and has influenced her tremendously. Deb began exploring the idea of doing a show featuring some of her Ray Charles favorites and A Celebration of the Music of Ray Charles began to take root. She invited her friend Reverend Chris, a Philadelphia keyboard player with blues, jazz and New Orleans influences to join the band for this show and is excited about how it came together."When I listen to Ray Charles, I am immediately drawn to the depth of emotion, passion and honesty in his voice as well as his incredible piano playing and songwriting. He was an innovator that created his own sound, breaking through musical genres and barriers of his time. His music conveys a sense of joy, love and passion as well as the pain, trauma and losses he experienced as a young black man growing up in a segregated south."Philadelphia’s own blues and soul powerhouse Deb Callahan has been captivating audiences since the late 90s. She’s lit up stages at top festivals including Monterey Bay Blues Fest (CA), Springing the Blues (FL), Bayfront Blues Fest (MN), Briggs Farm Blues Fest (PA), and WXPN’s XPonential Music Festival in Philly. Her sixth studio album Backbone dropped in March 2023 to rave reviews, international airplay, and a six-month run on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Blues Albums—peaking at #2. Often likened to Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi, and Etta James, Callahan’s sound is unmistakably her own. Backbone was produced by Philly’s Chris Arms and recorded live at Morningstar Studios. Her previous release, Sweet Soul, was helmed by Grammy-winning producer Tony Braunagel and featured top-tier L.A. session players alongside longtime guitarist Allen James.Artist WebsiteChristopher Marsceill (aka Rev Chris) was born in Boston, raised in Philly, and began his musical journey at Settlement Music School before studying with local legend Eric Speigel. At 17, he headed to New Orleans, learning from Mike Pellera, Ellis Marsalis, and Peter Martin, but found his true calling in boogie-woogie and Professor Longhair-style blues thanks to mentors Joe Krown and Jon Cleary. He toured with the Ted Hefko Quartet, New Orleans Juice, and Brides of Jesus (featuring Russell Batiste of The Meters), sharing stages with Widespread Panic, Ani DiFranco, Santana, and members of Dave Matthews Band and Squirrel Nut Zippers. Off the road, he played the French Quarter with the Bradford Truby Trio, Dukes of Dixieland, St. Louis Slim, and Preservation Hall Jazz, and appears on bootlegs from Meters bassist George Porter. From 1999–2002, he held down weekly gigs at the iconic Maple Leaf Bar with the Ellen Rogers Band. In 2003, he co-founded Restless Natives with Bill Iuso and Brian Besse—their debut album featured members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the Neville Brothers.Artist WebsiteThe cabaret and through row D are reserved for Theater Members until one month before the show. If you are a Theater Member, select your tickets using the price code that matches your Membership level and enter your Member ID into the Membership box on the checkout page. To inquire about Membership, call our Box Office at 215-257-5808 or click here.
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