Justin Timberlake Talks Memphis Soul At The White House, Leaves Suit & Tie At Home

Erika Brooks Adickman | April 9, 2013 4:27 pm

Justin Timberlake will help bring a taste of Memphis to the White House tonight when he performs live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for the 10th In Performance At The White House concert. Earlier today (April 9), JT joined Mavis Staples, Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite in the State Room for a discussion led by First Lady Michelle Obama for music students from across the country on the topic of Memphis Soul. The 20/20 Experience singer was dressed down for the event — we assume he’s saving his “suit and tie shit” for tonight’s gig, which will be led by Booker T. Jones as music director/bandleader. The concert will also include: Alabama Shakes, Steve Cropper, Queen Latifah, Cyndi Lauper, Joshua Ledet and Bell And Moore. (Side note: we would kill for a duet mash-up between Cyndi and Justin of “Time After Time” and “Mirrors”!)

Before opening up the floor to questions, the First Lady instructed the crowd of students, “As you listen, I want you all to keep one thing in mind…realize that none of these folks up here arrived here on the basis of talent alone. They’re here because they’ve been working hard to perfect their craft since they were at least your age, and many of them even younger…when Justin first started touring, he would immediately go to the bus to watch a tape of his performance, taking notes so that the next night he would be even better.”

You can catch the performance live at 7 p.m. ET on WhiteHouse.gov or catch a rebroadcasting on PBS on April 16.