Forty-five years after releasing his first album, “Who’s Been Talkin’,” Robert Cray is nothing but pleased to still be around and making a living by playing his guitar and singing.

“It had always been a dream to do this, but there wasn’t any time limit or anything,” says the Georgia-born Cray, 71, who’s released 19 more albums and scored a Top 25 hit in 1986 with “Smoking Gun.” He was also part of the all-star “Showdown!” album 40 years ago with Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland.

“A lot has changed. At first, we didn’t think we were gonna be able to do what we do now, just having this longevity. We’re out here having fun, and I’m really happy to be able to do this and continue doing it as long as we’d like to do it.”

During his career, Cray has appeared as an extra in “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” won a Grammy Award for his 1986 album “Strong Persuader,” played as part of Chuck Berry’s backing band in the film “Hail! Hail! Rock ‘N’ Roll” and guested on albums by John Lee Hooker and B.B. King. He was inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk in 2005 and into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2011, and he received an Americana Music Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.

Some fans are waiting for a new album, but Cray — whose last release was “That’s What I Heard” in 2020 — says playing live is a greater priority than recording right now.

“It’s just where we are at this point,” he explains. “We could put out a new album, but we’re just doing what we’re doing and I’m not going to rush to put out anything. In anybody’s career, there are times when everything is at the top level and you’re selling tons of records and having massive audiences. For us starting off as a band, playing blues and rhythm and blues, we never thought that could happen in the first place.

“To have that happen was tremendous. But to still be here is just as exciting.”

The Robert Cray Band performs Friday, April 4 at the Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St. Doors at 7 p.m. Bobby Murray and Lenny Watkins open. 248-399-2980 or royaloakmusictheatre.com.

Other music events of note this weekend (all subject to change) include …

FRIDAY, APRIL 4

• Ferndale-born jazz bass great Ron Carter and his Quartet perform at 8 p.m. at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-576-5111 or dso.org.

• Markus Stenz conducts the Detroit Symphony Orchestra through pieces by Beethoven, Bruch and Schumann at 10:45 a.m. and also at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 5 and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6 at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Saturday’s concert will be streamed for free via the “Live From Orchestra Hall” series.  313-576-5111 or dso.org.

• Ukrainian folk group Yagody performs at 7 p.m. at Friday Night Live! in the Rivera Court at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave. 313-833-7900 or dia.org.

• Los Angeles rapper Dom Kennedy emcees at Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.

• New York’s Ida and Tsunami from Washington D.C. team up for an indie rock double-bill at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.

• Veteran troubadour Pat McGee is joined by Friends at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.

• Nashville duo the Weird Sisters get strange at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.

• Marie Vaunt, Raedy Lex, Kittamami and Juicy main the decks at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.

• The sold-out Daze Tour featuring Torture, Sanction and more is on at 6 p.m. at the Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff, Hamtramck. 313-462-4117 or sanctuarydetroit.com.

• Pianist Zen Zadravec is on duty through Saturday, April 5 at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, 97 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5399 or dirtydogjazz.com.

• The Honest to God Jug Band plays a post-game Opening Day Party at 4 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• The Bob Seger tribute Katmandu plays the hits at 8 p.m. at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.

• Detroit’s Cadieux Cafe has a weekend of tributes lined up with The Music of Steely Dan and, on Saturday, April 5, the Abbey Road Project, both at 8:30 p.m. 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.

• Jump — America’s Van Halen Experience pays tribute at the Emerald Theatre, 31 N. Walnut St., Mount Clemens. Doors at 7 p.m. 586-630-0120 or theemeraldtheatre.com.

• Troubadours Richard Gilewitz and Bear Whitmer join forces at 8 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.

• Veteran singer, songwriter and guitarist Jackie Greene performs at 8 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.

• The Sean Dobbins Organ Trio plays a 5 p.m. matinee, followed by bassist Marion Hayden and her Legacy Ensemble at 7 and 9:30 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.

• Virtual: “Seventeen (Right Here) World Tour in Cinemas,” from the Kpop troupe’s last concert trek, is currently showing in theaters worldwide. svtrighthereincinemas.com for theaters, showtimes and ticket information.

• Virtual: The British rock quintet You Me At Six streams the final show of its farewell tour at 3:45 p.m. from London, preceded by a documentary at 2:30 p.m. Both will be available on demand afterward. Tickets for both via driift.live.

• Virtual: Grammy Award winner Billy Strings is back at it with shows streaming at 6:30 p.m. through Saturday, April 5 from St. Augustine, Florida, for subscribers to nugs.net.

• Virtual: Former Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tune guitarist Jorma Kaukonen streams solo at 11 p.m. From Mill Valley, California, through Saturday, April 5 for subscribers to nugs.net.

SATURDAY, APRIL 5

• Detroit Opera begins its three-performance run of Artistic Director Yuval Sharon’s new, futuristic interpretation of Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte” at 7:30 p.m. at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St. It will also be staged at 7:30 p.m. April 11 and 2:30 p.m. April 13. 313-237-7464 or detroitopera.org.

• Utah rock quartet the Used celebrates its 25th anniversary with shows tonight and again on Sunday, April 6 at the Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-5451 or thefillmoredetroit.com.

• French electro-swing trio Caravan Palace jazzes up Saint Andrew’s Hall, 431 E. Congress St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-961-8961 or saintandrewsdetroit.com.

• Lake Orion native Alex Holycross of the Native Howl celebrates his birthday with the debut performances of Ember and Ash, his new duo with Erin Zindle of the Ragbirds, at 6 and 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. Alex Shier also performs. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.

• Canadian rapper and actor Connor Price stops at the Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-399-2980 or royaloakmusictheatre.com.

• Hawaiian singer-songwriter Maoli comes to colder climes to perform at the Majestic Theatre, 4140 Woodward Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-833-9700 or majesticdetroit.com.

• Texas Hippie Coalition headbangs at District 142, 142 Maple St., Wyandotte. Doors at 6 p.m. district142live.com.

• All Water celebrates the release of a new EP, “The Sum of All Parts,” at the Diesel Concert Lounge, 33151 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield Township. Doors at 5 p.m. 586-933-3503 or dieselconcerts.com.

• The Erotic Poetry & Music Festival celebrates its 36th show at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Performers include Satori Circus, Divine Butterfly, Konrad Lee, One Single Rose, The Impaler, Dena Luckett, Lushes LaMoan and more. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.

• British Columbia singer-songwriter Cameron Whitcome arrives at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.

• KC Lights, Maur, Nayt and Darren Divine party at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.

• Monique Ella Rose sings at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• The 3148s, Vultures of Culture, Sean Anthony Sullivan and Past Dog Beach pile up at 7:30 p.m. at the New Dodge Lounge, 8850 Jos Campau, Hamtramck. 313-638-1508 or thenewdodgelounge.com.

• Michigan’s Jeff Karoub and Garrison Corner are joined by George Luckey at 8 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.

• The award-winning Steve Taylor Three continues to promote its latest album, “Temporary Heart,” at 8 p.m. at the Pontiac Little Art Theatre, 47 N. Saginaw St. 248-644-3110 or ThePLAT.org.

• Here Head’s On Fire, Touch the Clouds and Suburban Delinquents triple play at Small’s, 10339 Conant, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. 3130873-1117 or smallsbardetroit.com.

• The RFD Boys make a hometown stop at 8 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.

• Vocalist Isis Damil sings at 6:30 and 9 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. Guitarist Luke Sittard and his Quartet finish the night at 10:30 p.m. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.

• Virtual: Concerts for Cuba 2025, taking place in three cities to raise money for humanitarian aid funds, streams at 9 p.m. via the HotHouseGlobal YouTube channel and Facebook Live.

• Virtual: New Jersey rock singer-songwriter Neal Francis streams his 9 p.m. show from Nashville for subscribers to nugs.net.

• Virtual: Elton John and Brandi Carlile, supporting their new album “Who Believes in Angels?,” are the musical guests on this week’s episode of “Saturday Night Live” at 11:30 p.m. on NBC (WDIV, Channel 4 in Detroit). Jack Black hosts.

 SUNDAY, APRIL 6

• The comedic musical duo Ninja Sex Party and Canada’s funky TWRP are back on the road together for the first time in more than five years, playing at the Majestic Theatre, 4140 Woodward Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. 313-833-9700 or majesticdetroit.com.

• Pity Party (Girls Club), actually an all-male trio, performs in the Pike Room at the Crofoot Complex, 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-858-9333 or thecrofoot.com.

• Tal Allen’s the Color of the Blues closes the weekend at 5:30 and 7:30 pm. at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• Local singer-songwriters Dan Cafferty and Steve Taylor host an Empty Chair Night, open mic style, at 7 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.

• The Prolifics perform their Motown tribute at 7 p.m. at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.

• Ann Arbor’s Ark hosts a doubleheader, with the family favorite Gemily at 1 p.m. and then veteran Michigan songstress May Erlewine at 7:30 p.m., with Theo Katzman opening. 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1818 or theark.org.

• Vocalist Sarah D’Angelo and pianist Cliff Monear team up at 6 and 7:30 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.

• Virtual: “An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile, filmed March 26 in London to promote their new album “Who Believes in Angels?,” airs at 8 p.m. on CBS (WWJ-TV, Channel 62 in Detroit) and streams on Paramount+.

• Virtual: The “Garden State” 20th-anniversary concert streams at 9 p.m. to raise proceeds for the Midnight Mission, which serves the needy in Los Angeles, via veeps.com.

Originally Published: April 3, 2025 at 12:17 PM EDT