Internationally Acclaimed Recording Artist Marc Broussard Brings Bayou Soul to Wilson Center

Brookfield, WI (October 8, 2018) With a style best described as “Bayou Soul,” old-school Southern soul singer Marc Broussard will channel the spirit of classic R&B, rock, and soul into contemporary terms for his premier appearance at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts (Wilson Center) on Friday, October 25, 2019, at 8:00 p.m.

Raised in Lafayette, Louisiana, as the son of Boogie Kings guitarist and Louisiana Hall of Fame member Ted Broussard, internationally acclaimed recording artist Marc Broussard credits the jump-start of his career to the 2004 release of his major-label debut Carencro, with his signature song “Home.” That album, and others that followed, revealed a rarified talent and an innate stylistic and emotional authenticity that have made him one of the most indelible artists of his generation.

Broussard has toured with Maroon 5, Dave Matthews Band, Willie Nelson, O.A.R., and Bonnie Raitt, among others. He has received ovations at South-By-Southwest, Bonnaroo, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, at countless theaters around the country, and on the court during halftime at the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. He’s also collaborated with such outstanding artists as LeAnn Rimes and Sara Bareilles, the latter of whom has opened several Broussard tours.

Earlier this year, Broussard released a new version of “Home” on his latest album Home (The Dockside Sessions). Recorded live at Dockside Studios near his Lafayette home, the album features audio tracks from videos he’s compiled over the course of his career; those live videos have garnered more than 30 million plays, and his acoustic version of the Solomon Burke classic “Cry to Me” has more than 17 million views alone on YouTube.

On November 15th, Broussard will release A Lullaby Collection SOS III (digital pre-order beginning October 11). This new studio album finds Broussard reimagining such classic lullabies as “Danny Boy,” “Sweet Baby James,” Moon River,” “What a Wonderful World,” and “Godspeed”—which are calming, soothing, and enticing all at the same time. The 11song album also includes two Broussard originals, “Bedtime” and “Gavin’s Song.” While the songs might be geared to younger ears, Broussard’s soulful signature sound, expressive vocals, and sweeping orchestration offer a universal appeal for listeners of all ages.

“I wanted these songs to be recognizable covers,” Broussard explains. “‘Danny Boy’ and ‘Moon River’ were songs I could never imagine recording, but when I did my research and heard the Andy Williams’ renditions, I was so taken. I was never a big Andy Williams fan, but suddenly, I found his voice so spectacular. There’s a grace attached to every one of his performances that I wanted to emulate throughout this entire record. No other artist had ever done that to me.”

Coinciding with the release of his new album, Broussard is making his debut as an author with I Love You for You, a children’s book about inclusion, affirmation, and appreciation for the special traits that make each one of us unique. A portion of proceeds from sales of both the album and the book will be donated to Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

This spirit of philanthropy is central to Broussard’s life and work. In 2015, he established the SOS Foundation with the goal of using music, both recorded and live, to raise money for various causes. “The initial intention of the SOS series was to share the music that had shaped my life with my younger fans, while being faithful to the spirit of the originals,” Broussard said. “I feel that it’s important to use whatever privilege society says I have to help reshape the world around me into something a little more equitable.” Over the course of the next decade, Broussard plans to release a number of charitable albums, each with specific goal and benefactor in mind.

In this same spirit, Broussard will be partnering with the Wilson Center’s ArtsReach program, and through the support of the Wilson Center’s 2019/2020 Residency Sponsor Herzfeld Foundation, a select number of Greater Milwaukee-area high school students will have the opportunity to attend a “Behind the Music” experience, including a brief discussion with Broussard about his music, inspiration, and songwriting followed by a sound check on October 25. Students will then attend a pre-show pizza party hosted by the Center, with opportunities to network with fellow student musicians and speak with a professional sound technician. All students who attend will also receive two complimentary tickets to the show.

Tickets for this one-night-only Wilson Center performance are $41-$82 (prices subject to increase based on demand) and may be purchased online at www.wilson-center.com, via phone at 262-781-9520, or in person at the Wilson Center Box Office at 3270 Mitchell Park Drive in Brookfield’s Mitchell Park. Parking at the Wilson Center is free.

Marc Broussard is presented as part of the Wilson Center’s 2019/2020 Performing Arts Series, and his performance is sponsored by First Bank Financial Centre, with additional support from Show Media Partner 90.7 The Ideas Network.

(Pictured: Marc Broussard, photo by Debbie Wilson)

ABOUT THE SHARON LYNNE WILSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS As a multidisciplinary nonprofit cultural arts facility that is recognized as a cultural anchor in the Greater Milwaukee community, it is the mission of the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts to serve as the catalyst for lifelong discovery and exploration of the arts. This mission is realized when we provide audiences of all ages with opportunities to play through engagement, connect with the artist and each other, explore new art forms, dream through artistic expression, and have experiences that inspire and transform.

Situated in a beautiful 400-acre park in Brookfield, Wisconsin, the Wilson Center focuses on three main disciplines: Performing Arts, Arts Education, and Visual Arts, while celebrating our five core values of excellence, innovation, passion, stewardship, and collaboration. Since opening in 2002, the Wilson Center has grown to annually welcome more than 45,000 people, including more than 10,000 students—many of whom are being introduced to the arts for the first time.

Through arts education programs such as Beyond the Classroom, ArtsReach, Arts Camp: The Art of Nature, and yearround visual art classes and art exhibitions, as well as an annual international multi-genre guitar competition and festival, the Wilson Center promotes lifelong learning for students of all ages and levels of artistic abilities.
Through the vibrant outdoor artistic landscape of our Lynn Chappy ArtsPark, the Wilson Center joins nature and art in ways that are designed to educate and inspire our shared community.

And through intimate, vibrant, and eclectic performances featuring such renowned artists as Branford Marsalis, Audra McDonald, Pilobolus, Hilary Hahn, Suzanne Vega, Leo Kottke, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Venice Baroque Orchestra, Yamato, Al DiMeola, Kronos Quartet, Roseanne Cash, and many others, the Wilson Center shares with audiences of all ages the endless possibilities of imagination and artistic invention. For more information, visit www.wilson-center.com.

ABOUT MARC BROUSSARD Marc Broussard is an internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, performer, and humanitarian. Broussard has been hailed as an artist with a unique gift of channeling the spirits of classic R&B, rock, and soul into contemporary terms. In 2004, he released his major-label debut, Carencro, with the album’s thematic centerpiece “Home”—that hickorysmoked slab of Bayou soul that’s aged and evolved along with its singer himself. That album, and the others that followed, revealed Broussard as an old-school Southern soul singer blessed with both a rarefied talent and an innate stylistic and emotional authenticity, an artist whose old school blend of rock, R&B, soul, and sensitivity have made him one of the most indelible artists of his generation.

Son of Louisiana Hall of Fame guitarist Ted Broussard, Marc’s latest album Home (The Dockside Sessions) provides audio tracks from videos he’s compiled over the course of his career recorded live at Dockside Studios near his Lafayette, Louisiana, home. It features a new version of “Home.” The live videos have garnered more than 30 million plays, and his acoustic version of the Solomon Burke classic “Cry to Me” has gained more than 17 million views alone on YouTube.

In November, Broussard will release his new album, A Lullaby Collection SOS III. The material from the new album is culled from iconic songs Broussard always felt an attachment to. He also unveils his first children’s book I Love You for You. Proceeds will benefit Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge. As a Louisiana native, this hospital holds a special place in Broussard’s heart. It has changed the lives of children and families from all 64 Louisiana parishes and serves as a beacon of hope and healing for all of Louisiana’s children.

A Lullaby Collection SOS III is Broussard’s third album in his independently released SOS (“Save Our Soul”) series. His first, SOS: Save our Soul, was a collection of R&B classics. The second, SOS II: Soul on a Mission, delved further into the vaults of R&B, soul, and rock (released in 2016). Broussard donated 50% of the profits from these albums to City of Refuge, an organization that seeks to lead individuals and families on a journey to self-sufficiency.

Marc Broussard has performed on numerous television shows, including CBS This Morning Saturday, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show, Conan, Larry King Live, and the Miss USA Pageant (NBC). He has been praised by media including Los Angeles Times, People Magazine, Vanity Fair, NPR, and American Songwriter.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.