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Ode to Otha: Bill Ramsey Honors Friend & Legendary Musician Otha Turner with Annual Charity Event
May 08 2026
Contributors
For more than 30 years, musicians, music lovers (and folks who want to have fun and support a great charity), have gathered in Nashville to honor the memory of blues legend Otha Turner. The annual event also serves as a fundraiser for Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.
Womble Bond Dickinson’s Bill Ramsey started Ode to Otha more than three decades ago, not only as a good time for a good cause, but also to honor his long-time friend.
“Otha believed in helping others and that music and food can bring communities together to do just that—and so do I,” Ramsey said.
The 32nd Annual Ode to Otha takes place on Saturday, May 30th from 2:00 – 9:00 pm at 1711 Sweetbriar Avenue in Nashville. Womble Bond Dickinson is a sponsor of this year’s event. Other sponsors include the Nashville Bar Association, O’Neil Hagaman LLC, Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint, The Ridge, Brantley, Lightning 100, and Yazoo.
This year’s lineup includes performances by:
- Stacy Mitchhart,
- The Otha Turner Boys Fife and Drum Band,
- Luther Dickinson and JD Simo,
- Juke Skywalker,
- Chip Greene, and
- Blue Mother Tupelo.
Turner won the 1992 National Heritage Fellowship and in 2009, was honored with a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail.
Tickets for Ode to Otha are $40 or two for $75. Children 12 and under are free. The price includes event admission, live music, a kid’s zone, barbecue, and beverages.
