Community Music Center of Houston (CMCH) announces the return of its annual Legacy Project, a Black Music Month celebration featuring the Houston debut of the Firey String Sisters of New York City.
Additionally, musicians, music educators, and artists whose work has shaped Houston’s Black cultural landscape will be honored. The celebration will kick off at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 7, at the historic Eldorado Ballroom in the heart of Third Ward’s Cultural District with an art exhibit opening, followed by the Legacy Project concert at 4 p.m.
Black Music Month (BMM) was established in 1978 by legendary producer Kenny Gamble, creator of the powerhouse Philadelphia International Records label, along with Leon Huff. Dyana Williams (known as the mother of BMM) and radio broadcaster Ed Wright were also co-founders of BMM. Gamble & Huff created the era of Philly Soul, composing over 3,500 songs, including many hits that defined socially conscious music. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter designated June as “Black Music Month,” and the first BMM concert was held on the White House lawn.
CMCH’s Legacy Project brings together visual art, live music, public memory, and community celebration. The 2026 BMM program expands that vision across multiple venues and partners, beginning with an opening celebration honoring music pioneers Dr. Anne Lundy, Dr. Ruth Stewart, Ina Zellers, and Dr. Gloria Quinlan—four women whose lives and work remind us that music is not only performed. It is taught, carried, remembered, and passed on.
In collaboration with Community Artists’ Collective, the Legacy Project art exhibition opening “Music is My Sanctuary,” will be presented in Eldorado Ballroom’s Dupree Room, followed by a celebration and recognition of CMCH 2026 Legacy honorees and a musical performance by the Firey String Sistas.
Be the first to experience the debut of Firey String Sistas of New York City in the Eldorado Ballroom, a renowned cultural venue where all the greats have performed, including the late Jewel Brown, B. B. King, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and more. At the core of Firey String Sistas are three powerhouse women: Nioka Workman (founder, cello), Marlene Rice (violin), and Mala Waldron (piano, vocals).
The group infuses jazz with world music, global funk, and soul to create a unique sound of violin, cello, bass, piano, vocals, and percussion. They have played with Aretha Franklin, Beyoncé, Lauryn Hill, India.Arie, and countless others.
“The Firey String Sistas are musical messengers, resonating the vibes of yesterday’s rhythms and future voices,” said Houston-area radio host and activist Akua Holt.
“CMCH’s Legacy Project is not just about looking back. It is about recognizing the people who built the cultural ground we stand on, and making sure their work continues to live in the present.”
Tweed Smith, singer, CMCH vocal instructor, and former band member of the funk group WAR and Hollywood Walk of Famer
This year, the Legacy Project deepens its reach through a formal partnership with the Rutherford B. H. Yates Museum in Freedmen’s Town, extending programming throughout June. These activations are part of Harmonies of Heritage: A Juneteenth 2026 Celebration of African American Music and will take place at the J. Vance and Pauline Gray Lewis Museum Home of Legal and Education Professions.
“CMCH’s Legacy Project is not just about looking back,” said Tweed Smith, singer, CMCH vocal instructor, and former band member of the funk group WAR and Hollywood Walk of Famer. “It is about recognizing the people who built the cultural ground we stand on, and making sure their work continues to live in the present.”
Through exhibitions, public programs, and live performance, the Legacy Project invites audiences into a shared space of remembrance and celebration. Whether through formal study, church performance traditions, or community music-making, the project reflects the many ways Black music is carried across generations in Houston.
The opening celebration and concert on June 7 will require a donation, reinforcing CMCH’s commitment to access and community participation.
RSVP on Eventbrite or log on to cmch1@live.org. Call 713 521-9710 for more information. Follow CMCH on IG and Facebook.