Songbird of the South : GoToLouisville.com Official Travel Source
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Songbird of the South

Overview

Songbird of the South tells the story about the life of Rhythm and Blues singer Mary Ann Fisher. This one-woman performance experience chronicles Fisher's life from her tragic and traumatic childhood beginning in Henderson, Kentucky. But Fisher endures her early life challenges when her destiny begins to change in 1941 when she wins a talent contest singing at the Lyric Theatre on Walnut Street. Winning the contest earned her the name Song Bird of the South. She becomes a popular local talent around Louisville and ascends to be one of the first talented singers whose life and art became professionally and personally intertwined with the legendary Ray Charles. But Fisher's story continues after she leaves the Ray Charles Band. Her voice landed her gigs with legends like Marvin Gaye, B.B. King, James Brown, Hank Crawford, Jackie Wilson, Percy Mayfield, and Bobby Bland. She also performed with Dinah Washington at Carnegie Hall and Billie Holiday before her death in 1959. This performance tells the compelling story about Mary Ann Fisher's journey in becoming one of the first African American women to have a career as a Rhythm and Blues singer, thus paving the way for future generations.

Meeting Space

Meeting Spaces

Great Hall

Area: 4,500 sq. ft.

Great Hall Gallery

Area: 960 sq. ft.

Great Hall Rotunda

Area: 360 sq. ft.

Lecture Gallery

Area: 480 sq. ft.

Pavilion Lobby

Area: 1,920 sq. ft.

Russell Hall

Area: 2,400 sq. ft.

Mapped location of Songbird of the South