Essence Music Festival 2009 In New Orleans

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New Orleans, LA -
The Essence Music Festival is celebrating its fifteenth year in New Orleans... and it just keeps getting better! Yes, let's hear it for Essence Magazine and this year's star-studded line-up of "kick ass" performers! The "Essence Music Festival" must also be given a nod for their very popular educational empowerment seminars and marketplace. Events take place July 3rd, 4th, & 5th, at the Louisiana Superdome and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, but there's much more to this exciting event and lots of fun ways to be a part of it. What would any event in New Orleans be without a party... wait, what am I saying... PARTIES, and there are more than a handful of parties and events all over the City in support of the Essence Festival.

Personally, I'm most excited about Al Green and Lionel Richie on Sunday, July 5. Wow what a show that will be!

But it is the music that brings people from all over the world to the Essence Music Festival, and after 15 great years, only marquee names like Beyonce, Salt N Pepa, Maxwell, Anita Baker, Soul Sister and En Vogue will do... just to name a few, y'all! Personally, I'm most excited about Al Green and Lionel Richie on Sunday, July 5. Wow what a show that will be! I'm already excited about hearing the two of them perform and it's only June. OK, so I'm counting the days... so what (I've done worse). Many of New Orleans' best artists will also be highlighted at the festival and in the always popular "Superlounge." Look and listen for Marva Wright, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Little Freddie King, Zap Mama, Irvin Mayfield, Blind Boys of Alabama, and a great line up of nationally known DJ's, too. Needless to say, the Superlounge will be one HOT place if you want to get down or get up and dance! Other New Orleans' "big-time" favorites include Rebirth and Trombone Shorty on Sunday! The closing line-up on Sunday will introduce the world to what I've always known since I was knee-high to a grasshopper... alright, I'm still knee-high to a grass hopper but our home-grown musicians are big stars in every way... we're just lucky they decided to live and play here! Perhaps you've heard that New Orleans has great music and great musicians all the time, festival or not? The Essence Festival just brings in the rest of the best and puts a great big exclamation point on ALL of it!!

If you can pull yourself away from the music for a minute or two, the Essence weekend also includes three days of "Empowering Seminars," open-to-the-public at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center... and they're all FREE! A few of the top speakers include Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dr. Junaita Bynum, Tom Joyner and Roland Martin. This unique part of the festival also showcases the Essence Marketplace and Art Expo, that features everything from fine paintings and jewelry to quilts and wearable art. Other areas of interest are the non-profit community organization exhibits, and it all... and I mean ALL takes place at the convention center!

For more information about the Essence Music Festival and a complete schedule of artists, including day and times, visit essence.com. And take it from me-buy your tickets NOW, the front and rear floor seats are already SOLD OUT! Fifteen years and counting... this is one year NOT to miss!