A summer of American song is taking shape under open skies. Pulitzer and Grammy winner Rhiannon Giddens has announced “American Tunes: Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” a five-night concert series that brings her together with Mavis Staples, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Hurray for the Riff Raff for a joyful celebration of songs that connect generations. The shows run between June 26 and August 2 at outdoor performing arts centers and amphitheatres.
Giddens conceived the series as an extension of her 2025 Juneteenth concert at the Hollywood Bowl, a gathering of banjo players called American Tunes that featured Steve Martin, Ed Helms, and Our Native Daughters, her supergroup with Amythyst Kiah, Allison Russell, and Leyla McCalla. The summer run explores female and Black perspectives on folk music while reflecting on America turning 250 years old.
Each artist performs their own set, with one-time-only collaborations in store across the dates. Mavis Staples joins every show except the June 26 opener. It’s the kind of bill that doesn’t come around often, four distinct voices in conversation on the same stage.
Giddens has stayed in perpetual creative motion throughout 2026. Her headlining run with her band has already taken in Carnegie Hall, an evening in her hometown of Durham, NC at DPAC, and a March program with the Silkroad Ensemble, where she serves as Artistic Director, titled Sanctuary: The Power of Resonance and Ritual. She’s also confirmed for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and Biscuits & Banjos Presents: Rhiannon Giddens’ Beloved Community marked the first anniversary of the Biscuits & Banjos festival in Durham, featuring Mavis Staples, Blind Boys of Alabama, Rissi Palmer, and Toshi Reagon.
There’s a screen project on the horizon too. Giddens was recently announced as the lead in the forthcoming feature film ‘An Ode To Mary Joe,’ starring alongside Ed Helms with a cast that includes Jason Isbell, Steve Earle, Regina Taylor, and John Sayles, directed by Justin Liberman. Tickets for the summer series are on sale now.
American Tunes: Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing:
June 26 – Seattle, WA @ Venue TBA, with Mary Chapin Carpenter and Hurray for the Riff Raff
June 27 – Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater, with Mavis Staples, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Hurray for the Riff Raff
July 30 – Bentonville, AR @ The Momentary, with Mavis Staples, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Hurray for the Riff Raff
Aug 1 – Asheville, NC @ Hellbender by The Orange Peel, with Mavis Staples, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Hurray for the Riff Raff
Aug 2 – Pelham, TN @ The Caverns Outdoor Amphitheater, with Mavis Staples, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Hurray for the Riff Raff