A HUGE thank you to Andrea Williams, Mickey Guyton, and Zora Magazine for speaking with me about my past experiences in Country Music.

"... I just want people to know that we, as Black people, have a stake in country music. Black people have been here since the beginning; just do your research." - Rissi Palmer

You can read the article HERE.  

In all this crazy, the one thing that has kept me centered is music. I had the opportunity to collaborate with amazing musicians from all over the world for this fun arrangement of the classic "Islands in the Stream". A HUGE thanks to Caleb Martin for including me on this fun project.

CALEB MARTIN PRESENTS TAKE COVER: Worldwide song collabs from the safety of home

ISLANDS IN THE STREAM by Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, and Maurice Gibb

Produced and arranged by Caleb Martin Vocals by Rissi Palmer and Dave Bernal

Guitar and mix by Jason Berk

BG vocals by Hannah Abrahim and Jason Berk

Trumpets: Joe Lu Xiaolin (China Philharmonic Orchestra), Enrique Sanchez (Aloe Blacc, Jonas Brothers, Meghan Trainor)

Piano: Michael Sobie (Game of Thrones orchestral tour, Marriage Story, Wicked)

Bass: Morris Pleasure (Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Earth Wind & Fire)

Drums: Eric Kalver (Upright Citizens Brigade)

On Wednesday, March 25, I will be playing a 30 min set at 4pm eastern from my home on Stageit as part of the Shut in and Sing festival. Artists Megan McCormick, John Smith, and, Robert Randolph & the Family Band are also playing the same day. You have to reserve a ticket to see the show, live from your computer. There are a limited number of tickets so click HERE to reserve yours. This is a pay what you can show. See you next week!!!

DUE TO COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, THE MARCH 15TH EDITION OF COUNTRY SOUL IS NOW A LIVE-STREAM ONLY EVENT! You can find the livestream feed at: countrysoulsongbook.com (I will also have the show on Facebook live on my artist page HERE). 

Featuring the talents of Kamara Thomas, Kym Register of Loamlands, Phil Cook, Libby Rodenbough of Mipso, and myself, and our slamtastic band... WE PLAN TO ABSOLUTELY BRING IT!! The concert (as well as other fun stuff) will take place LIVE from 2 - 6PM eastern time on Sunday, March 15th. Go to countrysoulsongbook.com for more details...

"You Were Here (Sage's Song)", from my new album Revival, was written during the lowest of lows for a child I would never get to hold. The stats are that 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage and yet there is so much silent pain associated with them. I dedicate this to anyone who has experienced a loss of any kind, or this particuar type of loss... you are not alone. Thank you to Julienne Alexander aka YSSRS for the beautiful animation. 

ORANGE LIGHT, written by Howard L. Craft and directed by Joseph Megel, is inspired by the 1991 Imperial Foods Plant fire in Hamlet, NC. This play, with music by Rissi Palmer and movement, tells the story of one North Carolina factory town trying to heal after tragedy strikes. 
​ 
Featuring: Aurelia Belfield, Lakeisha Coffey, Elisabeth Lewis Corley, Marcia Edmundson, Carly P. Jones, Kri Schafer, Abbey Toot

Tickets can be purchased HERE. 

Howard, Carly, Lakeisha, and I appeared on The State of Things on NPR to discuss the show, check out our interview HERE.

Thank you so much to Heart & Soul Magazine and George Littlejohn​ for this interview/feature article!!! I'm discussing life, therapy, working on my fitness, and Revival....check it out HERE!!!

Country Soul Songbook is a high-energy community celebration that spotlights alternative voices in country-soul-Americana music-- a quarterly, seasonal, Durham-centric concert series (and Potluck!) featuring local musicians, AND an online episodic documentary series highlighting artists, Durham culture, and the places (venues, restaurants, etc.) where our community gathers. 

The larger intent of the project is to explore, discuss, and demonstrate how the country, soul, and Americana genres, and the Durham community itself, are rooted in the same history, and the same multi-race/multi-identity American soup. We want to build community bridges, and celebrate our unity-in-diversity through the irresistible power of music, food, and the good times that gather people together. 

Our first concert will take place at North Star Church of the Arts on Sunday, November 24th, 2019. Featured artists include Kamara Thomas, Rissi Palmer, Phil Cook, Kym Register, and Shana Tucker. 

Additional concerts will take place seasonally starting in March 2020. Each concert will feature a combination of artists' original tunes, and curated songs from the existing country-soul-Americana canon. 

The pilot episode of the web series will complete filming in 2019 and begin airing online in Spring 2020, with regular episodes to follow. Purchase tickets HERE. 

A HUGE thank you to Kyesha Jennings and Indy Week for this review of Revival: 

"At its core, Revival is eight tracks of pure inspiration for navigating love, racial tensions, self-acceptance, and, above all, perseverance."

You can read the full review HERE.

Thank you to Mike O'Cull and Martine Ehrenclou for this awesome review of Revival!!! 

"Rissi Palmer is as multifaceted as an artist can be and carries many different songs in her heart. Her brand of Southern Soul is unique, classic, and relevant to these modern times and is likely to turn every head that hears it. If you need some new music that explores roots music in a way you’ve not heard before, this is it."

Read the rest HERE.