Ringo Starr Kicks off New Season of Live from the Artists Den

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The acclaimed, innovative music series Live from the Artists Den launches its second season with a once-in-a-lifetime performance by the legendary Ringo Starr, backed by folk-funk star Ben Harper and his band, Relentless7, plus special guest Joan Osborne at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Premiering nationwide on public television beginning July 5, 2010 (check local listings)—the same week Ringo celebrates his 70^th birthday (7/7/40)—Live from the Artists Den season two features seven never-before-seen performances by extraordinary artists in extraordinary settings. The series is a co-production of Artists Den Entertainment and WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG – one of America’s most prolific and respected public media providers. Live from the Artists Den is distributed by American Public Television and funded in part by Grey Goose Entertainment.

“but when you're in a magical place like this, then things start aligning, and you could be falling in love. When you play a space where you’re aware of the artists who came before you, it’s incredibly moving to be a part of that lineage.”

Each week, Live from the Artists Den spotlights a remarkable contemporary musician performing at an intimate, invitation-only concert, along with artist interviews and insights about the unconventional venues chosen. An exquisite performance by Tori Amos, filmed in front of just 100 fans in the magnificent Veterans Room of New York’s Park Avenue Armory, premieres the week of July 12 (check local listings).

“When you play in a room that doesn’t have a lot of personality, it’s sort of like a bad date,” said Tori Amos of her Artists Den taping, “but when you're in a magical place like this, then things start aligning, and you could be falling in love. When you play a space where you’re aware of the artists who came before you, it’s incredibly moving to be a part of that lineage.”

Filmed in high-definition, Live from the Artists Den season two also features singer/songwriter David Gray, filmed in the Wall Street neighborhood at the Broad Street Ballroom; British R&B star Corinne Bailey Rae at lower Manhattan’s Japanese-themed Hiro Ballroom; southern rock legends The Black Crowes at The Lyric Theatre in Oxford, Mississippi; new-school country superstar Dierks Bentley surrounded by classic cars and neon signs at Chicago’s Ravenswood Billboard Factory; and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Booker T. and the Drive-By Truckers, with special guest Bettye LaVette, at the gloriously restored Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans. In the New York metro area, Live from the Artists Den will premiere Fridays at 9:30 p.m. beginning July 9 on THIRTEEN and Saturdays at 10 p.m. beginning July 10 on WLIW21. In the Greater Los Angeles area, the series will premiere Sundays at 10 p.m. beginning July 11 on KLCS-TV/DT.

“We are pleased to present the second season of Live from the Artists Den on public television,” said Neal Shapiro, president and CEO of WNET.ORG. “The lineup of talent this season is outstanding and fits right into our mission to bring the best arts programming to American television viewers. The series is also an important example of the natural synergies between public television, the arts and our treasured national cultural organizations.”

“For our second season, we broadened our musical palette and imagination,” noted Artists Den Creator and Executive Producer Mark Lieberman, “and presented the best of rock, country, soul, and blues in some of America’s most distinguished institutions – from world-renowned museums to restored architectural gems. Public television has made a long-term commitment to our series, and we are so proud to be included as part of its prestigious, unparalleled programming in the arts.”

Live from the Artists Den launched nationwide on public television in February 2009 to wide acclaim and received three New York Emmy Award nominations. Unlike other televised music series, Live from the Artists Den breaks away from the confines of the conventional studio set by unveiling a new, unexpected venue in every episode. Each stunning location is transformed into a concert setting for one unforgettable night. All top live acts, the musicians often play a role in picking the stage for these memorable events, which frequently inspire new renditions of songs and special set lists. Noted music critic Alan Light (former editor-in-chief of Vibe and Spin magazines) conducts artist interviews on-site at every concert.

“The Artists Den was one of the most pleasurable gigs in January,” Ringo Starr said, with his trademark wit, about his show at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. “I'd like to thank Ben Harper and The Met for holding it together.” Preview videos, set lists and venue histories for Live from the Artists Den are available at wnet.org/artistsden.

A Public Television Rocks! Presentation, Live from the Artists Den is a co-production of Artists Den Entertainment and WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG. Executives in Charge: Josh Nathan, Ranfi Rivera and Kent Steele. For the Artists Den: Executive Producer: Mark Lieberman. Live from the Artists Den is distributed nationally by American Public Television and funded in part by Grey Goose Entertainment.

About the Artists Den

The Artists Den presents extraordinary artists in extraordinary settings. Since its launch on U.S. public television in 2009, Live from the Artists Den has become a three-time NY Emmy-nominated series and has expanded with international distribution by Shine International to include A&E in Europe, Turner Broadcasting in Latin America and multiple online outlets. Artists who have played our stage include KT Tunstall, Crowded House, Regina Spektor, Alanis Morissette, and Raphael Saadiq. Past Artists Den venues include the first art museum in America, the Masonic Hall Grand Lodge of New York, a former Archdiocese cathedral, the nation’s oldest operating seminary, a 1930s silent movie theater, and the diamond floor of Tiffany’s. Artists Den concerts are invitation-only and free. Many are benefit concerts, in which we encourage attendees to contribute donations to a local charity or community organization. Artists Den Records offers live concert CDs and DVDs from our shows, such as our upcoming release, Tori Amos: Live from the Artists Den, recorded at New York’s Park Avenue Armory.

About WNET.ORG

New York public media company WNET.ORG is a pioneering provider of television and web content. The parent of Thirteen, WLIW21 and Creative News Group, WNET.ORG brings such acclaimed broadcast series and websites as Need To Know, Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Secrets of the Dead, Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, Visions, Consuelo Mack WealthTrack, Miffy and Friends, and Cyberchase to national and international audiences. Through its wide range of channels and platforms, WNET.ORG serves the entire New York City metro area with unique local productions, broadcasts and innovative educational and cultural projects. In all that it does, WNET.ORG pursues a single, overarching goal – to create media experiences of lasting significance for New York, America and the world. For more information, visit www.wnet.org.