Last Updated on April 3, 2021
Watch the Virtual Competition Here: https://youtu.be/kFHCjRpVH7s
“the Queen of Soul the regal treatment she deserves”
The virtual competition will featured four HBCU bands that will go head to head and compete for a $5,000 prize by performing some of Aretha Franklin’s greatest hits. “All Hail The Queen” will be hosted by actor and producer Lance Gross, premiered on YouTube on Friday, March 19, 2021.
Participants are from four renowned HBCU bands, including the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University and Kentucky State University. Their performances will be judged on their musical and visual presentation, creativity, auxiliary and percussion. The winning HBCU band was announced via Nat Geo and Watch The Band/Watch The Yard social platforms on March 25.
This marketing activation also included a screening of GENIUS: ARETHA at 15 colleges across the country on March 18.
GENIUS: ARETHA, aired March 24, and featured Emmy® Award-winning actress Cynthia Erivo who transforms into Aretha Franklin for this 8-episode series, showcasing the lasting impact Aretha Franklin had on music, culture and history. Time hails the show as giving “the Queen of Soul the regal treatment she deserves,” CNN raves, “like the best musical biographies, it enhances an appreciation of Franklin's life and career, with an ease and grace that makes it look easy.” The Hollywood Reporter praises Erivo’s performance saying, “here is a vocalist who, when performing, appears as if she’s doing exactly what she was put on this earth to do.”
The previously announced cast also includes the Emmy-winning Courtney B. Vance (“The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”) as Aretha’s father, C.L. Franklin; Malcolm Barrett (“Timeless,” “Preacher”) as Ted White, Franklin’s first husband and business manager; David Cross (“Mr. Show,” “Arrested Development”) as legendary music producer Jerry Wexler, who guided Franklin as she developed into a confident singer and commercial success; Patrice Covington (“The Color Purple”, “Ain’t Misbehavin’”) and Rebecca Naomi Jones (“Oklahoma!,” “The Big Sick”) portray Erma and Carolyn Franklin, respectively, as Aretha’s sisters and frequent background singers, who supported and collaborated with their famous sibling; Steven Norfleet (“Watchmen,” “Dynasty”) as older brother Cecil Franklin, who stepped in as Aretha’s manager following her divorce from Ted White; veteran actress Pauletta Washington (“Beloved,” “She’s Gotta Have It”) as Aretha’s nurturing and loving paternal grandmother, Rachel; Omar J. Dorsey (“Queen Sugar”) as James Cleveland; Marque Richardson (“Dear White People”) as King Curtis, Kimberly Hébert Gregory (“Vice Principals”) as Ruth Bowen; and introducing Shaian Jordan as young Aretha Franklin, aka Little Re.
The series is produced by 20th Television and Imagine Entertainment. Imagine has partnered with Warner Music Entertainment for this third season, which will again be executive produced by Imagine’s Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. Pulitzer Prize recipient, MacArthur “Genius” grant receiver and Tony Award winner Suzan-Lori Parks (“Topdog/Underdog”) is showrunner, executive producer and lead writer. Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA TV Award winner Anthony Hemingway (“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”) will also executive produce and serve as director.
Legendary hit-record producer Clive Davis and Atlantic Records chairman and CEO Craig Kallman are executive producers. Imagine’s Anna Culp also serves as executive producer, and Peter Afterman is producer. Returning executive producers include Francie Calfo (GENIUS: EINSTEIN, GENIUS: PICASSO, “Empire”), Ken Biller (GENIUS: EINSTEIN, GENIUS: PICASSO), Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane (MWM Studios), and Sam Sokolow (EUE/Sokolow).
Watch The Bands is a community preserving and promoting the band and dance culture of historically Black colleges and universities. With viewers from all over the world, Watch The Band has established itself as one of the largest sites focusing on African American college culture. Watch The Yard is a media company revolutionizing the Black college experience, quickly becoming a leading destination for Black news, culture and conversation and empowering the next generation of leaders through celebration of their contributions. Watch The Yard’s international community attracts over one million people across the African diaspora each month.
Watch the Virtual Competition Here: https://youtu.be/kFHCjRpVH7s
About National Geographic Partners LLC
National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 133 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
Source: BUSINESS WIRE
