Musician, Songwriter, Producer: Louis York to perform at the 46th Annual Red River Revel
Louis York is the creation of multi-GRAMMY nominated songwriting and production duo Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony who left the City of Angels for Music City to open Weirdo Workshop, their company and label that produces music for other artists and musicians, including themselves, as well as all-female band The Shindellas.
With a discography that covers multiple genres, including Pop, R&B, Gospel, and Country, Kelly and Harmony have created music for icons like Michael & Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion; Chart toppers Rihanna, Bruno Mars and Miley Cyrus; R&B Divas Fantasia, Ledisi, Jazmine Sullivan and K. Michelle; along with Christina Aguilera, Ne-Yo, Mary J Blige, John Legend, Pit Bull, Jason Derulo and many more.
It doesn’t matter how long, how many transitions or how many genres they have experienced, Kelly and Harmony found themselves searching for one thing, and one thing alone – GREAT ART. As self-proclaimed “Weirdos” (an affectionate name they and their followers call themselves), Louis York has pushed the envelope with their music to include themes of love, acceptance and social awareness that culminated into an EP trilogy called Masterpiece Theater: Act I, Act II, Act III. Their first song “Clair Huxtable,” an ode to black women quickly became a fan favorite along with other releases “Things I Should Have Said,” “Slow Motion,” “Don’t Play,” and many others.
With the release of their debut album American Griots, Louis York challenges what two black men making music in today’s musical climate are capable of achieving. Their Weirdo Workshop umbrella, which is making waves in Nashville and diversifying Music City, is developing signees The Shindellas, all while bringing their vision as Louis York to the
masses.
Performing as Louis York, they have played across the U.S. in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Atlanta, D.C., just to name a few packing venues and leaving attendees hungry for more and in amazement over the group’s creativity, energy and stage presence. They are also highly sought after by local and national organizations as speakers and panelists for hosted events for GRAMMY-U, the National Museum of African American Music, Leadership Music and Leadership Nashville, and many others. Through their own Weirdo Workshop programs, Deep Fried Veggies, the two are intently focused on speaking to high school and college students about music, business and life; and Tiny Book Club develops and engages discussion that broadens perspectives, creates cultural awareness and provides human connections and interaction around impactful pieces of literature.
Created in 1976, the Red River Revel is a 9-day annual arts festival in downtown Shreveport, Louisiana at Festival Plaza. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Red River Revel’s primary function is a showcase of the arts and ongoing arts education. Each October, the event attracts a diverse national audience of over 75,000 attendees, 75+ original art booths, and over 30 local/regional/national live music performances. As a community partner, the Revel employs local non-profits at develop exciting food options that also serve as a fundraiser for the 12 non-profits who participate. During the week, thousands of 4th grade students attend the Revel to participate in an arts educational workshop, create their own art, and experience performances and seminars from the artists themselves. The 46th Annual Red River Revel is scheduled for October 1st – 9th, 2022. For more information, visit https://redriverrevel.com or follow the Revel on Facebook and Instagram at @RedRiverRevel.