BETHLEHEM — Mark your calendars for a night of phenomenal live music as the multi-GRAMMY nominated duo The War and Treaty, selected as this year’s headliner of the 2024 Levitt National Tour, will perform at the Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks on Friday, July 26.
The Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a social impact funder supporting nonprofits nationwide at the intersection of music, public space and community building, announces the return of its annual Levitt National Tour this summer.
The Nashville duo, The War and Treaty will headline the tour scheduled to visit five Levitt venues, free admission for audiences. The magnetic, multi-GRAMMY-nominated duo — whose new single, “Stealing A Kiss,” is out now — brings their exhilarating blend of blues, gospel, soul, bluegrass, country and more to the stage.
The tour kicks off in Arlington, Texas, on Friday, June 21, and continues to Bethlehem on Friday, July 26. Then they’ll hit Sioux Falls, Dayton, and conclude in Denver on September 13.
Continuing the Foundation’s mission of building community through music, The War and Treaty will headline the eighth iteration of the Levitt National Tour, which began in 2014 with the world-music fusion of Playing For Change.
A highlight of the free concert seasons at Levitt venues across the country, other Levitt National Tour artists have included La Santa Cecilia (2023), celebrated for their electric fusion of cumbia, rock, bolero and jazz; the danceable rock, pop and soul of trio The New Respects (2022); Flor De Toloache (2019), with their blend of traditional mariachi with jazz, salsa and pop music; Southern rocker Paul Thorn and gospel legends Blind Boys of Alabama (2018); Gulf Coast soul sensation The Suffers (2017); and genre-busting violin duo Black Violin (2015).
Since forming in 2014, The War and Treaty have amassed a following as varied as their sound, a bluesy yet joyful fusion of Southern soul, gospel, country and rock and roll. Known for a live show nearly revival-like in intensity, the husband and wife duo of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount-Trotter create an exhilarating exchange of energy with their audience.
Recently earning GRAMMY nominations for Best New Artist and Best American Roots Song for “Blank Page,” they also received this year their first ever Duo of the Year nomination from the Country Music Association, Vocal Duo nomination from the Academy of Country Music, plus recognition by the Country Music Hall of Fame, Grand Ole Opry and Americana Music Association including earning AMA Duo/Group of the Year for the second straight year.
Not to mention, you may have seen them recently giving a moving rendition of “America The Beautiful” at the National Anthem at Wrestlemania 40.
Highlighting the collective impact of Levitt venues in communities across the country and a shared mission to build community through music, the Tour is a collaborative programming effort of the Foundation and its Levitt venue partners.
“Collectively, the Levitt network presents the largest free outdoor concert series in America, and we are beyond excited that this year The War and Treaty will be sharing their powerful music as part of our National Tour,” says Sharon Yazowski, CEO of the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation. “Known for creating an energetic, electric atmosphere through their resounding, soulful beats and compelling lyrics that speak to contemporary themes and issues, The War and Treaty are the perfect artist for this year’s Tour.”
The Trotters aren’t strangers to Levitt stages, either—back in 2018 and 2019, they mesmerized Levitt Shell Memphis (now Overton Park Shell) and Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks audiences with their commanding presence, defined by Tanya’s soaring twang, Michael’s effortless piano prowess, and the couple’s full-bodied harmonies, all bolstered by an equally expressive supporting band.
With a name that pays homage to the dichotomy between hard times and healing—partially inspired by army veteran Michael Trotter Jr. who, at 19, left for a tour of duty in Iraq—The War and Treaty crafts warmhearted roots music that shares narratives of love, loss, commitment, and conflict.
“For me, [the best part of playing at Levitt venues] is seeing people sit down at first—then, after a little while, they end up in front of the stage, dancing and having themselves a good ole’ time, a good ole’ party,” Michael Trotter Jr. says. “That’s what we’re looking forward to most about these upcoming shows.”
Described by The Tennessean as “unlike any other act in music,” The War and Treaty has collaborated with country stars like Zach Bryan, Wilder Woods and Brothers Osborne and has opened for living legends like Al Green and Van Morrison and celebrated artists Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, John Legend, Jason Isbell and Lauren Daigle. With their immense talents, the Trotters have electrified their industry peers and captivated audiences across the globe.
The 2024 Levitt National Tour will also see the return of the #LevittTour superfan campaign on the Foundation’s Instagram channel (@levittfoundation). One lucky Levitt audience member will win memorabilia signed by The War and Treaty: a one-of-a-kind memento! The winner will be selected from photo and/or video submissions by Levitt audiences that capture the energy and excitement of the Tour and include the hashtag #LevittTour in the caption.
Learn more about the tour on the way to Levitt Pavilion Steelstacks this July.