​NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
October 8, 2020

Kam Franklin and Friends: Virtual Rally and Livestream Concert

Celebrating Southern Music, Poetry and The Right To Vote
HOUSTON, Texas - On Tuesday, October 27, exactly one week prior to the 2020 Presidential Election, the Kam Franklin and Friends virtual rally and concert will debut on YouTube at 7pm CST. The livestream experience curated by Kam Franklin of gulf coast soul band The Suffers, will highlight and celebrate southern music, poetry and the importance of casting your vote. 

"Years ago, I had a vision to create and curate a music festival that served as an opportunity to launch more independent artists and more southern artists of color making original music and playing captivating live shows. I would have no limitations to the genre, and I'd work with artists looking to grow and change the world together through the power of music," says award-winning singer/songwriter Kam Franklin, "I feel so incredibly lucky to have talent from all over the south representing just a taste of what's to come."

While originally planned as a live concert event, the festival will instead take place online as the entertainment community continues to navigate around the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"In a world where most of the stages are closed, where are young artists supposed to cut their teeth? Instead of waiting for it to show up, I created my own," says Franklin, "This event will also serve as an opportunity to encourage people to get out and vote. We will have ways for viewers to check their voting status and polling location in between sets, thanks to our friends at HeadCount.org."

HeadCount promotes voter registration and participation in democracy through the power of music, partnering with over 1000 concerts and festivals each year. The organization has registered almost one million voters since 2004, and over 400,000 for the 2020 election. 

Kam Franklin and Friends is presented by Musik Houston and Homegirl Island. Musik Houston is an online platform impacting music, art and community through creative digital content and events. Homegirl Island is a creative production platform founded by Franklin. Digital production and design for Kam Franklin and Friends is powered by Houston-based creative agency, Kollective Media.
     
"In the past, I frequently brought up the lack of opportunity for independent artists in marginalized communities to people who didn't see or understand where the gap was. This is me being the change I want to see. Even if this event is just a one-time thing, I feel good knowing that I did it because it might just encourage the next young artist who wants to see a bit more connection, camaraderie, and themselves in their music community," says Franklin. 

The livestream event is free to the public and will feature performances from artists, bands and poets representing cities across the southern region. A portion of proceeds will be donated to Raices Texas and Shape Community Center. 
MEDIA CONTACT
Ky Meyer 
ky@kollective.media

Link to official livestream information, RSVP and artist line-up for Kam Franklin and Friends:
https://www.musikhouston.com/

Link to official Kam Franklin and Friends Spotify playlist of featured artists:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2VoAwKvqKSQ3wBSxLpyJ4m?si=PDnmWbUCTHmGq1a99gop7A

FEATURED ARTISTS:

AJ Haynes (Shreveport, LA)
Big Sam's Funky Nation (New Orleans, LA)
D.E.M. (Galveston, TX)
Devon Gilfillian (Nashville, TN)
DJ Shante (Houston, TX)
Eph See (Northeastern University)
Elliot Franshaw (Houston, TX)
Fat Tony (Houston, TX)
Gio Chamba (Houston, TX)
Jackie Venson (Austin, TX)
Joshua Asante (Little Rock, AR)
Lisa E. Harris (Houston, TX)
Madeline Edwards (Houston, TX)
Mama Duke (Austin, TX)
Mobley (Austin, TX)
Nicole Atkins (Nashville, TN)
Peyton (Houston, TX)
Riders Against The Storm (Austin, TX)
Sanah Roy (Northeastern University)
SaxKixAve (New Orleans, LA)
Spice (Dallas, TX)
SugarJoiko (Houston, TX)
Susan Carol (Houston, TX)
The Suffers (Houston, TX)
Tiarra Girls (Austin, TX)
Uncle Tino (Houston, TX)

About Kam Franklin

Kam Franklin is a singer-songwriter, activist, writer, motivational speaker, and actress from Houston, TX. She is best known for her work with the gulf coast soul band, The Suffers, but Kam began performing in public at the age of five. A three-time recipient of the Houston Press Music Award for Best Female Vocalist, Kam has performed on five continents and has performed with The Suffers backed by The Houston Symphony in addition to being featured solo.

Both Forbes and Vice have featured Kam for her activism and business ventures that seek to create an inclusive environment in the arts for female artists working in all mediums and from all backgrounds. Kam’s unique style and fashion-sense has also been covered by Buzzfeed, Refinery 29, and Nylon. Fronting The Suffers, Kam has performed nationally on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and Jimmy Kimmel Live in addition to speaking about The Suffers with Ari Shapiro on NPR’s All Things Considered.
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At home, Kam remains a very active participant in the Houston music scene, producing events that have featured up-and-coming acts from around the Houston area while leveraging her and The Suffers’ international platform to represent the City of Houston and champion her entrepreneurial approach to finding success in the arts for women.

Kam Franklin Links:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bamitskam/

Link Tree:
https://linktr.ee/kamfranklin

The Suffers:
http://www.thesuffers.com/
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