NEWSLETTER
“The First Family of Gospel” to perform on June 14
Performance is part of Queens Rising, a month-long celebration of the borough’s cultural institutions and creative diversity
Flushing, NY —On Friday, June 14, Flushing Town Hall will present The Legendary Ingramettes in an early Juneteenth celebration that offers glorious harmonies and roof-raising gospel vocals, backed by a house-shaking rhythm section.
Founded by the late Maggie Ingram, who passed away in 2015, The Legendary Ingramettes first drew inspiration from the all-male gospel quartets of the 1940s and 1950s. They went on to establish themselves as an all-female musical force in their own right. The Legendary Ingramettes have been deemed “the First Family of Gospel Music” in their home city of Richmond, VA, itself a celebrated gospel town, and as National Heritage Fellows by the National Endowment for the Arts, the nation’s highest honor bestowed upon American folk and traditional artists.
The group has been performing for more than six decades. It was first helmed by its founder Maggie Ingram, or “Mama” as she was better known, leading her daughters, the Ingramettes.
Born on July 4 in 1930, Maggie Lee Dixon was raised working the cotton and tobacco fields with her parents in Coffee County, Georgia and discovered her love for music in church. She married Thomas Ingram, who later left Maggie alone to raise their children, and she moved with them to Richmond where the family ensemble eventually took shape.
When Mama developed Alzheimer’s, Almeta Ingram-Miller took up her mother’s legacy as the group’s head, recording their album Take a Look in the Book with songs drawn from new Appalachian sources, like Ola Belle Reed and Bill Withers, as well as reworked family favorites dating back to old spirituals. She is joined in the group by her niece Cheryl Maroney-Yancey, sister-in-law Carrie Jackson, and a rock-solid rhythm section.
Together, The Legendary Ingramettes continue to bring the spirit of Sunday morning service to the stage, enthralling all manner of audiences. They have performed at such prestigious venues as the Kennedy Center and National Folk Festival here at home and most recently toured Serbia and Bulgaria with the U.S State Department.
Audiences attending the group’s performance at Flushing Town Hall can look forward to an electrifying experience that will whip them into a joyful gospel fervor.
“We are honored to present The Legendary Ingramettes on our stage and can think of no better way to celebrate Juneteenth than with these powerful matriarchs of gospel. Do not miss this extraordinary show,” says Ellen Kodadek, Executive & Artistic Director of Flushing Town Hall.”
The group’s June 14 concert at Flushing Town Hall kicks off a series of Juneteenth celebrations around the borough, all presented through Queens Rising, the month-long celebration of culture in Queens. Additional events include a Juneteenth Concert with Wycliffe Gordon at the Louis Armstrong House Garden on June 15, the Juneteenth Reopening Celebration at The Lewis Latimer House Museum, also on June 15; and Juneteenth: In Our Words at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning on June 19. For more details on these and other events, visit: https://queensrising.nyc/calendar/
The engagement of the Legendary Ingramettes at Flushing Town Hall is sponsored in part by Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation's Mid-Atlantic Tours program.
Ticket Info:
The Legendary Ingramettes will perform at Flushing Town Hall on Friday, June 14 at 7 PM ET. In-Person Tickets ($20 general admission, $15 for members, seniors, and students with ID) can be purchased at the link or by calling the Box Office at (718) 463-7700 x 222.
For those unable to attend events in person, Flushing Town Hall has launched Culture Stream. Subscriptions start at $5 per month.
For more upcoming events at Flushing Town, visit:
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/fth-presents
COVID Policy:
Flushing Town Hall no longer requires visitors or performers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19; wearing a mask is optional but recommended. For more details, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety.
Support Global Arts with a Gift Today!
All gifts of $50 or more give you exclusive Flushing Town Hall Circle of Friends membership with benefits including a Smithsonian membership, ticket discounts, and more! Donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.
https://www.flushingtownhall.org/circle-of-friends
Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization and receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Mayor Eric Adams; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Laurie Cumbo; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Adrienne E. Adams and New York City Council Members Sandra Ung, Tiffany Caban, Shekar Krishnan, Linda Lee, Vickie Paladino, Lynn Schulman, and Julie Won; Howard Gilman Foundation, Guru Krupa Foundation, Seth Sprague Educational and Charitable Foundation; Lily Auchincloss Foundation; Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.
To view current donor lists, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/donor-listings
About Flushing Town Hall
Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.
Flushing Town Hall is a proud member of the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), a collective of 34 nonprofit museums, performing arts centers, historical societies, zoos, and botanical gardens across all five boroughs with a distinct private-public partnership with the City of New York and a commitment to serving all New Yorkers.
Land Acknowledgement:
Flushing Town Hall acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Matinecock People, one of the original tribes of New York, and the first people of Flushing, Queens. The Matinecock continue to live and work on this land to this day. Flushing Town Hall honors their elders who have stewarded this land throughout generations.
For more information:
(718) 463-7700 x222
137-35 Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY 11354
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Photo: The Legendary Ingramettes (credit - Edwin Remsberg)