TALLAHASSEE, FLa. — The amphitheater at Cascades Park is set to receive a new, musical name, and the City of Tallahassee is inviting the community out to attend the ceremony for the newly named amphitheater on Monday, Jan. 16.
According to the City of Tallahassee, the amphitheater's new name is Adderley Amphitheater in honor of jazz musicians Julian "Cannonball" and Nathaniel "Nat" Adderley, also known as the Adderley Brothers, in which the City says both have boasted local ties.
The ceremony will take place at the amphitheater on Jan. 16 at 3:30 p.m., along with the City's annual MLK Jr. Day festivities taking place that same day. The ceremony will include a musical tribute featuring works by the Adderley Brothers, followed by Tallahassee Nights Live, according to the City.
The City Commission began the Adderley renaming process of the amphitheater and a portion of Suwannee Street back in April 2022.
According to the City, the Adderley Brothers were brought to Tallahassee in the 1940s due to their parents, Jessie and Dr. Julian Adderley Sr. taking jobs at Florida A&M University. Both brothers began playing brass instruments and performed in local and high school bands throughout their teenage years.
The brothers graduated from FAMU and later became known for pioneering the sub-genre "soul jazz", playing in their own bands as well as with other musicians such as Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, and more, the city says. The Adderley Brothers were laid to rest in Tallahassee's Southside Cemetery.
