Singer-songwriter Martha Redbone, who combines elements of soul, rhythm and blues, and Native American music, will return to the Alhambra stage later this year for a show dedicated to Hopkinsville native bell hooks’ literary legacy.
Set for Oct. 16, Redbone’s performance of “Guardian Spirit: The Words of bell hooks,” is one among six performances that comprise the Pennyroyal Arts Council’s 2026-27 LIVE at the Alhambra series. The line-up for the Alhambra series, now in its 50th year, also includes a country-rock and folk music show, a Celtic Christmas concert, a Motown show and concerts by Grammy-winners Linda Davis and the Steep Canyon Rangers. Details were announced Wednesday in a press release from PACI.
“Guardian Spirit” is described as a “powerful audio and visual musical soundscape honoring Hopkinsville’s own bell hooks, a project PACI proudly supported in its early development.”
Redbone last performed in Hopkinsville for the September 2022 Big Read kick-off. That highly regarded show, titled “Bone Hill: The Concert,” featured music and stories about her family’s Native, African American and Appalachian heritages and how they all related to Kentucky.
Her new performance also centers on Kentucky — this time through the life of bell hooks, a prolific writer, cultural critic and feminist icon. Born in Hopkinsville as Gloria Jean Watkins, she died in December 2021 at her home in Berea at age 69.
Redbone’s “Guardian Spirit” show will mark the third event related to bell hooks performed on the Alhambra stage. Her memorial service was also at the downtown theater. And a May 2023 immersive dance performance at the Alhambra, titled “Hoptown,” included themes inspired by bell hooks.
The LIVE series schedule is as follows:
- Sept. 26 — “Buffalo Roam: The Music of Laurel Canyon”, a nostalgic journey through the 1960s and 70s West Coast country-rock and folk era.
- Oct. 16 — Martha Redbone, “Guardian Spirit: The Words of bell hooks.”
- Nov. 28 — “Candlelight Celtic Christmas,” A magical holiday experience performing traditional Irish tunes amidst the breathtaking glow of over 1,000 candles.
- Jan. 15 — Linda Davis: “Evening in the Round,” an intimate, acoustic night of storytelling and hits with the three-time Grammy Award winner.
- Feb. 26 — “Uptown: Motown Remixed,” A high-energy, contemporary celebration of Motown and Soul classics with world-class choreography.
- April 30 — Steep Canyon Rangers: The return of the perennial Billboard chart-topping, Grammy-winning bluegrass powerhouse to close out the season and celebrate the Alhambra Theatre’s 99th birthday.
Season tickets are $300. The arts council noted it has not increased the cost of season tickets for 10 years. “In a world of rising costs, the arts council continues to champion incredible, world-class value for entertainment right here in Hopkinsville,” the release states.
Current season ticket-holders who want to renew for 2026-27, and anyone interested in new purchases, should call the Alhambra at 270-887-4295, or email crystal.ferreira@pennyroyalarts.org.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
