The Dew Drop Inn, the recently-reopened historic music venue in New Orleans, announces the debut of “Legends of the Dew Drop: Road to Rock & Roll,” a weekly musical residency starting Saturday, January 18, 2025, during MLK Weekend. This unique program will feature a brunch buffet, a guided tour of the venue’s historic museum exhibits, and an unforgettable live performance by a band of New Orleans all-stars, including bassist Amina Scott and saxophonist Gladney, led by acclaimed pianist Jesse McBride.
Jesse McBride, student of the legendary Harold Battiste, is Senior Professor of Practice in the Newcomb Department of Music at Tulane University, where he teaches jazz piano nurturing the next generation of jazz musicians. As bandleader and pianist for the Legends of the Dew Drop show, McBride’s will guide guests through the evolution of rhythm & blues and rock & roll, showcasing New Orleans’ role in shaping the sounds of American music. The incredible storytelling and music of the show is set to make it a staple on the New Orleans event calendar for both locals and visiting audiences.
“When people talk about the birthplace of rock & roll, New Orleans and the Dew Drop Inn need to be in the conversation,” says Curtis Doucette, Jr., Owner and Developer of the Dew Drop Inn. “This venue was a musical home for the artists who pioneered the genres of rock & roll as well as rhythm & blues, and this show helps cement their contributions to American music in the national conversation.”
The Dew Drop Inn, once hailed as “New Orleans’ swankiest nightclub,” played host to musical giants like Little Richard, Ray Charles, Dave Bartholomew, and Irma Thomas. Dave Bartholomew, a central figure in the creation of the New Orleans sound, was also integral to the venue’s heyday, leading its house bands and defining the “big beat” rhythm that influenced early rhythm & blues and rock & roll. The “Legends of the Dew Drop” experience honors these groundbreaking artists
Guests will start their afternoon with a guided tour of the Dew Drop Inn’s historic exhibits, learning about its history as a beacon for Black artists during segregation and its place on the Chitlin’ Circuit and in the Green Book. The live show will then take center stage, featuring a setlist packed with hits by Dew Drop greats like Dave Bartholomew, Huey “Piano” Smith, and Earl King, brought to life by McBride and New Orleans’ finest musicians.
Tickets for “Legends of the Dew Drop: Road to Rock & Roll” are $50 per person, which includes the live show, museum tour, and brunch buffet. The program will run every Saturday afternoon starting January 18, 2025, at the Dew Drop Inn, located at 2836 LaSalle Street, New Orleans, LA. Tickets are on sale now at dewdropinnnola.com.
