Southern Avenue: S.O.B.'s 2025

With their debut album for Alligator Records, Family, the collective Southern Avenue has been met with acclaim, thanks to their brand of sunshine soul and roots as on "So Much Love" and the equally effervescent "Upside" (both written the same day). Southern Avenue declares their warm, inclusive, roots-reverent vibes in no uncertain terms.

So, it was sweet serendipity that Southern Avenue headlined FUV's first Marquee Member concert at Sounds of Brazil (S.O.B.'s), hosted by Alisa Ali, with a bluesy, breezy 12-song set of sister harmonies and Memphis mojo. Watch videos below of three of those songs: "Upside," "Found a Friend in You," and "Late Night Get Down."

Southern Avenue is lead singer and songwriter Tierinii Jackson, guitarist and songwriter Ori Naftaly (Jackson's husband), and her sisters, drummer Tikyra (T.K.) Jackson, percussionist and violinist Ava Jackson, and touring bassist Matt Wilson. Since the release of Family in April of this year, the band has supported the Dave Matthews Band, Will Hoge, and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue.

Southern Avenue (named after the street that runs through Memphis's center) has been around since 2015, releasing three albums (two on Stax), before coming on board with Alligator. They've got a Grammy nomination to show for that decade too, getting a Best Contemporary Blues Album nod for 2019's Keep On and they also won a Blues Music Award in 2018 as "Best Emerging Artist" for their 2018 debut.

Intrigued to see them live? Southern Avenue have Nashville's Americanafest ahead on September 11 and FUV's friends at WXPN will welcome the band to their XPoNential Music Festival on September 19.

[Recorded 6/18/25; Engineered by Jim O'Hara; Produced by Meghan Suma; Videographers: Nikki Phillips, Alena Godas, Erin Merriman and Therese Burgo.]