Stephen & Kristen Stills Bring Light Up the Blues Back to the Greek Theatre
Chatting with Nic Harcourt about the 7th Light Up the Blues concert at the Greek Theatre on April 26th.
On April 26th, Light Up the Blues will again bring the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles alive with powerful music and purpose as it returns for its seventh benefit concert in support of Autism Speaks. This event is curated by Stephen Stills, alongside his wife Kristen Stills, and the event has grown into a deeply personal and widely impactful celebration of music, advocacy, and inclusion.
Nic Harcourt chatted with Stephen & Kristen stills ahead of this years event, which is bi-annual, only happening every other year.
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What began in 2013 as a family-driven initiative has become a biennial gathering of world-class artists and meaningful performances. Inspired by their own journey parenting a child on the autism spectrum, Stephen and Kristen saw an opportunity to raise awareness and funds through the universal language of music.
“This concert has always been about awareness first,” Stephen shared in a recent interview with Nic Harcourt of The SoCal Sound. “Most everyone around here is on the spectrum. All the best people are. We need to help our brothers and sisters.”
The 2024 lineup will feature performances by Neil Young, Billy Idol, Rufus Wainwright, Linda Perry, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Cat Power—along with artists on the spectrum, including members of The Spectrum Bluegrass Band and tv show Love on the Spectrum’s Abby Romeo. Actors Christina Applegate and Kate Hudson will also make special appearances!
Kristen emphasized that representation is a core element of the show: “we always have performers who are on the autism spectrum, and 2 to 3 performances… what we're doing with this concert. It's, you know, and what Autism Speaks has been doing since their inception is to speak to people about breaking stereotypes. And that there is if you've met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism.”
Stephen, reflecting on his legacy and his iconic song “For What It’s Worth,” noted how relevant its message still is: “It’s basically ‘wake up.’ Pay attention. That’s the first step.”
Light Up the Blues will be on April 26th at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, Tickets available Here
Visit this link to learn more about Autism Speaks: autismspeaks.org
