Open ears and an open mind are the essence of singer, guitarist and songwriter Robert Cray’s approach to writing, recording and playing music for the last 40 years. While he was barely out of his teens, he and his band played throughout the Northwest corner of the country amassing fans with every club gig and forging the roadmap that would bring them to international acclaim. He returns to the Park Theatre this Saturday, November 12, at 7:30 p.m.

He has created a sound that rises from American roots and arrives today both fresh and familiar. In just over 40 years Cray and his band have recorded 20 studio releases, amassed five Grammy awards, a suitcase full of W.C. Handy blues awards and in 2011, were inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Cray’s music has always been a product of all his influences, from the gospel music of the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland’s soul, Jimi Hendrix’s rock guitar to the Beatles pop sounds. He would bring all of these influences into play throughout his career, as well as the southern soul and blues he often channeled from his favorite blues players; Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Albert King and especially Albert Collins. Perhaps the Texas Blues and R&B man Jimmie Vaughn said it best, “He’s got one foot in the future and one foot in the old stuff.”

On August 28 the Mascot Label Group celebrated the vibrancy of Cray Band’s rocking rootsy blues, soul-filled ballads and timeless R&B with the release of “4 Nights of 40 Years Live.” The three-piece set includes video clips of concerts from the ’80s and four recent shows, as well as interviews with Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Bonnie Raitt, Jimmie Vaughan and Buddy Guy and commentary from Cray and other band members. For more information and tickets to all Park Theatre concerts, visit www.parktheatreri.com.

The remaining concert schedule for 2016-2017 is as follows:

November 19   Forever Young: A Tribute to the Music of Neil Young December 2-3  Coppélia: A Whimsical and Enchanting Love Story of a Dancing Doll

December 5-6 Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker

December  9     Darlene Love: A Darlene Love Christmas - Love for the Holidays

December 23 Judy Collins - The Holiday & Hits Show

Tickets for all shows are available through the Park Theatre’s Box Office at 467-PARK (7275) and online at www.ParkTheatreRI.com. The Park Theatre is located at 848 Park Avenue, Cranston. Free parking is available for all shows.

Built in 1924, the Park Theatre was a cultural landmark for nearly eight decades until its closing in 2002. Following seven years and $10 million in renovations, the Park Theatre was reborn as Rhode Island’s newest performing arts center. A fully equipped, state-of-the-art multipurpose facility, the theatre features concerts, theatrical performances, opera, dance, children’s and family shows, and more. Through extensive renovations, the theatre boasts a larger, deeper stage and 1,000 plush seats with significantly more legroom than most theatres have. The facility also includes the Stage Door Restaurant & Lounge, a pre-show destination offering a unique environment for guests to enjoy dinners, appetizers and cocktails before a performance. Free parking is available for all events. For more, visit www.ParkTheatreRI.com.