Two of the most acclaimed and exciting performers in the blues scene are teaming up and taking their show on the road. The illustrious Tito Jackson and critically lauded Kenny Neal will share their guitar prowess when they join forces on their upcoming Straight From The Heart Tour, commencing August 27 in Winston-Salem, S.C.

The duo will appear make two appearances in Louisiana, including the Bogalusa Blues and Heritage Festival on September 23 in Bogalusa and the Crescent City Blues and Barbecue Festival in New Orleans.

Neal is a vital modern proponent of Baton Rouge swamp blues and a second-generation southern Louisiana bluesman mindful of the region’s venerable blues traditions. His dad, harpist Raful Neal, was a Baton Rouge blues mainstay whose pals included Buddy Guy and Slim Harpo (the latter gave three-year-old Kenny his first harmonica.) At age 13, Neal played in his father’s band, and at 17, he landed a job playing bass for Guy.

Neal’s sizzling guitar work, sturdy harp, and gravelly, aged-beyond-his-years vocals served him well, and he cut four albums for Alligator Records between 1989 and 1994. An acclaimed 1991 stint on Broadway in a production of Mule Bone found him performing acoustic versions of Langston Hughes’ poetry set to music by Taj Mahal. Kenny’s 2016 release, Bloodline, was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album and won two BMAs (Blues Music Awards); one for Best Contemporary Blues Album and the other for Best Contemporary Male Blues Artist.

Neal’s 17th album, Straight From the Heart (Ruf Records), is currently enjoying international critical acclaim.

Jackson, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, has spent his entire life enchanting music lovers, beginning as a member of Motown’s most significant discovery, The Jackson 5, and presently as a multifaceted solo artist. One of the performing highlights of Jackson’s remarkable career was the reunion performance of The Jacksons on one of history’s most-watched television specials, Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, in 1983.

Jackson’s unyielding passion for blues, R&B, pop, and other music forms is the secret to his boundless energy and rare achievements. He has worked with countless fine musicians, singers, and producers, such as the preeminent production team of Gamble & Huff, LA Reid & Baby Face,

Tito has released two solo records, Tito Time (Epic) in 2016 and Under Your Spell (Gulf Coast / Hillside Global) in 2021.

Additional dates and locations for the Straight From the Heart Tour include Biloxi, Mississippi at the Ground Zero Blues Club on September 16 and the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 28, 2023, and sailing through February 4.