‘Chicago Bound: The Great Migration of the Blues’ brings the blues to Chicago parks this summer as part of Night Out in the Parks, with three FREE performances

‘Chicago Bound: The Great Migration of the Blues’ brings the blues to Chicago parks this summer as part of Night Out in the Parks, with three FREE performances: 

Saturday, July 6 at 6 p.m. at Ellis Park in Bronzeville

Saturday, August 3 at 3:45 p.m. at Ada Park during the Morgan Park Roots Festival

Friday, September 6 at 6 p.m. at Warren Park in West Ridge (West Rogers Park)

Led by Chicago singer & bandleader Lucy Smith, the concert celebrates the birth of the Chicago Blues with songs and stories about the legendary musicians who traveled to Chicago during the Great Migration: Muddy Waters, Memphis Minnie, Willie Dixon, Otis Rush, Koko Taylor, Lillian Green & more

CHICAGO — The songs and stories behind the Chicago Blues will come to parks across the city this summer as Chicago singer, composer and bandleader Lucy Smith and writer and narrator Cheryl Corley present “Chicago Bound: The Great Migration of the Blues.” The concert is a celebration of the lives and artistry of legends Muddy Waters, Memphis Minnie, Willie Dixon, Otis Rush, Koko Taylor, Lillian Green and more. Three public performances are scheduled as part of the Chicago Park District's Night Out in the Parks: Saturday, July 6 at 6 p.m. at Ellis Park in Bronzeville’s Douglas neighborhood; Saturday, August 3 at 3:45 p.m. at Ada Park during the Morgan Park neighborhood’s Roots Festival; and Friday, September 6 at 6 p.m. at Warren Park in the West Ridge (West Rogers Park) neighborhood.

All performances of Chicago Bound are free to attend and appropriate for all ages. For more information, visit lucysmithjazz.com/chicago-bound-the-great-migration-of-the-blues.

Chicago Bound: The Great Migration of the Blues showcases the works of musicians who laid the foundations of the Chicago blues sound as they traveled from the Mississippi Delta to neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Chicago. They often performed at Chicago’s historic Maxwell Street market, where they created the electrified urban blues sound that came to be known as the Chicago Blues. Many of those talented artists signed on with the city’s acclaimed Chess Records label, leaving legacies that live on today. Chicago Bound chronicles that history with music and stories about legends Muddy Waters, Memphis Minnie, Willie Dixon, Otis Rush, Koko Taylor, Lillian Green and more. Lucy Smith and the Lucy Smith Quintet perform the music. Journalist and Chicago media personality Cheryl Corley wrote and narrates the stories.

Chicago Bound: The Great Migration of the Blues is part of the Chicago Park District's 2024 Night Out in the Parks programming.

Performance details and locations:

Chicago Bound: The Great Migration of the Blues

Saturday, July 6 from 6–7:30 p.m.

Ellis (Samuel) Park, 3520 S. Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago

Free admission

Artists: Cheryl Corley, writer and narrator; Lucy Smith Quintet: Lucy Smith, vocals; Ernie Adams, drums; William Kurk, keys; Michael Ross, guitar; and Ivan Taylor, bass.

Saturday, August 3 from 3:45–5:15 p.m.

Morgan Park Roots Festival at Ada (Sawyer Garrett) Park, 11250 S. Ada Street, Chicago

Free admission

Artists: Cheryl Corley, writer and narrator; Lucy Smith Quintet: Lucy Smith, vocals; Ernie Adams, drums; Chris Mahieu, keys; Michael Ross, guitar; and Ivan Taylor, bass.

Friday, September 6 from 6–7:30 p.m.

Warren (Laurence) Park, 6601 N. Western Avenue, Chicago

Free admission

Artists: Cheryl Corley, writer and narrator; Lucy Smith Quintet: Lucy Smith, vocals; Ernie Adams, drums; Chris Mahieu, keys; Junius Paul, bass; and Michael Ross, guitar.

Since its inception in 2013, the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks (NOITP) has provided thousands of hours of safe, diverse, and unique arts programming where artists and audiences can connect and celebrate Chicago’s rich cultural tapestry in neighborhood parks. With generous support from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events as well as support from additional local funders, NOITP produces free cultural events annually in all 77 community areas of Chicago, ensuring equity in access to the arts for all Chicagoans. Through multiple disciplines—theater, music, movies, dance, site-specific work, nature programs, and community festivals—the Chicago Park District brings high-caliber performances and world-class cultural events into the city’s parks. For more information, visit chicagoparkdistrict.com/events/about-night-out-parks.


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