Whitney Houston: The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban) Premieres On PBS Stations Dec. 1
WHITNEY HOUSTON – THE CONCERT FOR A NEW SOUTH AFRICA (DURBAN) Premieres on PBS Stations Beginning December 1, 2024
Full-Length Concert Available for Streaming With PBS Passport
PBS and Sony Music Entertainment in Partnership with The Estate of
Whitney E. Houston and Primary Wave Music Present the Fully Remastered
Never-Before-Televised Concert in Celebration of the 30th Anniversary of
Whitney’s Historic Visit To South Africa
(ARLINGTON, VA – November 19, 2024) – PBS, Sony Music Vision, and Legacy Recordings, in partnership with The Estate of Whitney E. Houston and Primary Wave Music, today announced the broadcast of a special edition of The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban), celebrating the 30th anniversary of Whitney Houston’s historic South Africa concert with a fully-remastered release on PBS stations beginning December 1, 2024 (check local listings). The never-before-televised concert from Durban, South Africa, has been beautifully remastered in 4K with remastered audio. The entire original concert film — recently released worldwide in nearly 1,000 theaters in more than 30 countries in October — will also be available for streaming with PBS Passport on December 1, 2024.
In 1994, Whitney Houston took the stage for a series of three concerts in South Africa, including Durban at Kings Park Stadium on November 8, Johannesburg (November 12), and Cape Town (November 19), making her the first major Western recording artist to perform in the newly unified, post-apartheid nation following President Nelson Mandela’s historic election win. The three performances included a combined 200,000 plus attendees and were more than concerts: they were a celebration of freedom, hope, and unity. Whitney’s powerhouse voice and emotional delivery brought joy and inspiration to a newly liberated country. Additionally, portions of the proceeds from her concerts benefited numerous local South African children’s charities through her foundation.
THE CONCERT FOR A NEW SOUTH AFRICA (DURBAN) captures every note, every cheer, every tear, immortalizing a night that transcended music and became a beacon of change and celebration.
“Since the recent release of this concert film in theaters worldwide, there has been a growing demand to see the concert,” says Pat Houston, the executive producer of ‘The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban)’ and executor of The Estate of Whitney E. Houston. “Thirty years ago, Whitney, along with director Marty Callner and her longtime music director Rickey Minor helped to create a magical once-in-a-lifetime event. With the holiday season upon us, we join PBS and its audience in sharing this unique concert experience in their homes.”
WHITNEY HOUSTON – THE CONCERT FOR A NEW SOUTH AFRICA (DURBAN) is produced and directed by Marty Callner. It is a production of Cream Cheese Films. The executive producer is Pat Houston. Sony Music Vision is facilitating sales.
With more than 220 million combined albums, singles and videos sold worldwide during her career, Whitney Houston has established a benchmark for superstardom. She is the only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, has eight multi-platinum albums and was the first female artist to enter the Billboard 200 album chart at No. 1. She is also the first Black recording artist to receive three RIAA Diamond-certified albums (by a female, male or group).
Additionally, Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, in partnership with The Estate of Whitney E. Houston and Primary Wave Music, recently released Houston’s first live concert album, The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban). The new live album features music from the unprecedented concert event including Whitney’s greatest hits, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “How Will I Know,” “I Have Nothing,” “Greatest Love of All,” “I Will Always Love You,” and other landmark classics including “Amazing Grace” and her rendition of Charlie Smalls’ “Home” from the Broadway musical, The Wiz.
The collection features three configurations with slightly different track listings on CD, vinyl, and digital for the first time. Also included in the CD and digital collection is the first-ever release of thestudio single, “Love Is.” Written by Carvin Winans and produced by Nat Adderley and Whitney Houston, “Love Is” is the only new studio song on the album. Winans and Tommy Sims also produced the “Love Is (Carvin Winans Remix),” which is featured as a bonus track on the digital album.
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ABOUT SONY MUSIC VISION
At Sony Music Vision, we bring film and television storytelling to life for our industry-leading creative talent and iconic music catalog around the world. We pair world class filmmakers with groundbreaking and legendary artists to create, finance, produce and distribute powerful content that features unique access to our archives and vast portfolio of music. A full-service content studio, we collaborate globally across the Sony entertainment companies to engage audiences with premium film and TV projects, including documentary and narrative feature films, as well as television specials and unscripted and scripted series.
ABOUT LEGACY RECORDINGS
Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, is home to the world’s foremost library of historically significant commercial recordings, a peerless collection of works by the most important musical artists of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Across a variety of platforms, the label offers contemporary music fans access to thousands of meticulously restored archival titles representing virtually every musical genre.
ABOUT THE ESTATE OF WHITNEY E. HOUSTON
The Estate of Whitney E. Houston was established in 2012, following the death of the international renowned superstar. Led, managed, and administered by Executor Pat Houston, the mission of the Estate is to further expand the global legacy of Whitney Houston. Through its partnership with Primary Wave Music, the Estate will continue the work of The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation, as well as the expansion of music recordings, film, television, and theatrical projects; brand development, and new partnerships and initiatives that authentically represent WhitneyHouston’s voice and heart for service, young people, education, and community.
ABOUT PRIMARY WAVE MUSIC
Primary Wave Music is the leading independent publisher of iconic and legendary music in the world. The company is home to some of the most iconic songwriters, artists, and record labels across the history of recorded music. The songs represented by Primary Wave Music include over 1,000 Top 10 singles and over 400 #1 hits. Throughout the company’s 15-year existence, Primary Wave Music has embraced an entrepreneurial spirit, offering and executing proactive one-of-a-kind ideas, unique services and marketing campaigns for our artists. https://PrimaryWave.com/.
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