Take Me to the River

What Take Me to the River does

Take Me to the River is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, formally the Take Me To The River Education Initiative, founded in 2014 by Martin Shore and headquartered in Sausalito, California. Its mission is the preservation and education of American musical heritage, with a primary focus on the soul, blues, and jazz traditions of Memphis and New Orleans. The organization operates a multi-format content and education platform built around feature-length documentary films, Grammy Award-winning music albums, live concert tours, and standards-aligned educational curricula distributed to schools and cultural institutions.

Its core products are the documentary franchises "Take Me to the River: Memphis" (2014) and "Take Me to the River: New Orleans" (2019), with "Take Me to the River: London" in production for Spring 2025 release. Supporting products include Grammy-winning collaborative albums distributed through Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music; international live tours under the Memphis Soul Revue / All-Stars banner booked through PRB Presents and staged at venues such as Barbican London, City Winery NYC, Pori Jazz Festival, and Ambassador Theatre Dublin; educational programs delivered in partnership with the NYC Department of Education, Stax Music Academy, School of Jazz, Boys & Girls Club, and Grammy Museum; and an annual November fundraising gala featuring ticketed admission and corporate sponsorships that fund GRAMMY Camp scholarships and teacher development.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit funding stack rather than a commercial revenue model. Primary revenue streams are charitable donations (PayPal, Stripe, fundraise pages, legacy giving), ticket and merchandise sales (via Hifi247), gala tickets and corporate sponsorships ($50–$500 tiers), and live concert ticket sales routed through venue platforms such as Ticketmaster, See Tickets, and Barbican ticketing. The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging brand partnerships (including Procter & Gamble), cultural institution alliances, and content marketing through documentaries, albums, and social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter). With only 5 employees and no disclosed revenue, the organization appears to operate as a capital-efficient, project-based nonprofit where each documentary cycle and tour cycle functions as a discrete funding and impact milestone.

Name

Take Me to the River

Legal name

Take Me To The River Education Initiative

Website

https://takemetotheriver.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Take Me to the River is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2014 that preserves Memphis and New Orleans musical heritage through award-winning documentaries, Grammy-winning albums, international live tours, school-based educational programs, and an annual fundraising gala.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage & Music Education

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Sound Recording Studios (51224)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Music heritage preservation
• Documentary films
• Music education programs
• Live concert tours
• Cultural nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Sausalito

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization relying on charitable donations from individuals and organizations. Website features prominent donation options and multiple giving methods including PayPal, fundraise pages, and brand partnerships.
2. Gala Events and Sponsorships: Annual November Gala events featuring ticket sales ($100 general, $50 members) and corporate sponsorships ($500). Proceeds fund GRAMMY Camp scholarships and teacher development programs.
3. Live Concert Tickets: Ticket sales for live tour events at international venues including theaters, concert halls, and festivals across the US, UK, and Europe.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online shop through hifi247.com for merchandise including albums, posters, and Take Me to the River branded items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Take Me to the River is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces award-winning documentary films and Grammy-winning music albums celebrating the musical heritage of Memphis and New Orleans. It complements its media productions with educational programs for schools, an annual fundraising gala, an online merchandise shop, and international live concert tours featuring the Memphis Soul Revue All-Stars.

Product overview

Take Me to the River is a non-profit organization operating as a multi-platform cultural preservation initiative centered on Memphis and New Orleans musical heritage. The core offering consists of feature-length documentary films (Take Me to the River: Memphis, Take Me to the River: New Orleans, and upcoming London), Grammy-winning music albums produced in collaboration with legacy and contemporary musicians, and international live concert tours featuring the Memphis Soul Revue All-Stars. Supporting the documentary and music content are educational programs including interactive workshops, curriculum resources for educators, and virtual classrooms. The organization also hosts an annual November Gala for fundraising. All components work together to fulfill the mission of preserving musical traditions, inspiring innovation, and supporting music education across generations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Take Me To The River: Memphis: Feature-length documentary celebrating Memphis music heritage, blues, soul, and rock 'n' roll.
• Take Me To The River: New Orleans
• Take Me To The River: London

Products and services

• Take Me to the River: Memphis Documentary Award-winning feature-length documentary (2014) celebrating Memphis musical heritage including blues, soul, and rock 'n' roll; brings together multiple generations of iconic Memphis musicians to document the creative process of recording a historic new album.
• Take Me to the River Memphis Music Albums Grammy award-winning music albums featuring Memphis artists and the historic collaborative recordings from the documentary project; available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
• Take Me to the River: New Orleans Documentary Feature-length documentary (2019) showcasing New Orleans jazz heritage, musical culture, and the collaborative bond between legacy musicians and today's stars in creating timeless music.
• Take Me to the River New Orleans Music Albums Music albums celebrating New Orleans' diverse musical landscape; available on streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
• Educational Programs Educational initiatives for students and educators including interactive workshops led by musicians and historians, curriculum resources aligned with educational standards, and virtual classrooms with live artist sessions.
• Live Tours International live concert tours featuring the Memphis Soul Revue and All-Stars performances at venues across the US, UK, and Europe including Barbican London, City Winery NYC, and Pori Jazz Festival.
• November Gala Annual fundraising event supporting GRAMMY Camp scholarships and teacher development programs; features musical performances, networking, film previews, and corporate sponsorship packages.

Quantifiable outcome

• Award-winning documentaries recognized for authentic portrayal of musical history
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NYC Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor institutional partner bringing Take Me to the River educational programs to New York City schools
• School of JazzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for jazz music education and programming
• Stax Museum of American SoulcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMemphis cultural institution partner preserving soul music legacy, co-developing educational programs
• Stax Music AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMemphis-based music academy partner for youth music education initiatives
• Boys & Girls ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth organization partner providing music education programs to young people
• Grammy MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting GRAMMY Camp scholarships and music education initiatives
• PRB PresentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBooking agent managing Take Me to the River international tour bookings outside the USA, contact: Rupert Orton @ [email protected]
• City WineryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew York City venue hosting Take Me to the River All-Stars live concerts
• Barbican CentrecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor London arts venue hosting Take Me to the River All-Stars performances, including November 2024 and July 2025 shows
• Bristol BeaconminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBristol, UK venue hosting Take Me to the River All-Stars Memphis Soul Revue on July 10, 2025
• Birmingham Town HallminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBirmingham, UK venue hosting Take Me to the River featuring Carla Thomas on July 11, 2025
• Ambassador Theatre DublinminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDublin venue hosting Take Me to the River All-Stars on July 14, 2025 through Ticketmaster
• Pori Jazz FestivalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFinland jazz festival hosting Take Me to the River All-Stars on July 17, 2025
• RiverBeat Fest MemphiscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAnnual Memphis music festival featuring Take Me to the River performances (May 3-5, 2024)
• Red Rooster FestivalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK festival in Suffolk hosting Take Me to the River performances (May 30 - June 1, 2024)
• Joy Theater New OrleansminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Orleans venue hosting Take Me to the River All-Stars on April 27, 2024
• San Francisco Recording Academy ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for GRAMMY Camp scholarships supporting talented high school students in the San Francisco Recording Academy Chapter Region to attend the nation's premier music industry camp
• Leo's Oyster BarminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSan Francisco venue hosting the Soundtrack for Success Gala on November 19, 2025

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stax Museum of American Soul Music: Memphis museum dedicated to preserving soul music heritage and an explicit partner of Take Me to the River — closely comparable as a Memphis-based music heritage organization with educational programming, though operating primarily as a physical museum rather than a touring production.
• Folk Alliance International: Nonprofit organization that serves the folk and roots music community through conferences, advocacy, and preservation initiatives — comparable as a music heritage nonprofit with educational programming and a focus on traditional American music forms.
• Preservation Hall: Iconic New Orleans venue and nonprofit preserving traditional New Orleans jazz through live performances and educational outreach — directly comparable as a heritage-focused live music presenter with educational mission in the same musical tradition.
• Rhythm & Blues Foundation: Nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving R&B music heritage and supporting legacy R&B artists through grants and recognition — directly comparable as a music heritage preservation nonprofit with grant programs and educational/community outreach.
• The Blues Foundation: Memphis-based nonprofit dedicated to preserving blues music heritage through education, awards (Blues Music Awards), and youth programs — directly comparable as a music heritage preservation nonprofit with educational programming and institutional partnerships.
• New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation: Nonprofit that produces the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and runs music education programs preserving New Orleans musical heritage — a direct peer given the shared New Orleans focus, educational mission, and festival/tour operations.
• Songwriters Hall of Fame: Nonprofit organization that honors songwriters, preserves songwriting heritage, and runs educational programs including songwriting camps — comparable as a music heritage nonprofit with educational programming and annual gala/fundraising events.

Broad incumbents

• House of Blues: National chain of music venues and entertainment company specializing in blues, soul, and roots music performances — broadly comparable as a presenter of Memphis/New Orleans-style musical heritage at scale, though operating as a for-profit venue operator rather than nonprofit.
• Smithsonian Folkways Recordings: Nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution preserving and distributing American folk and roots music recordings — broadly comparable as a music preservation organization with significant catalog and educational mission, though operating at much larger institutional scale.
• Grammy Museum: Music museum operated by the Recording Academy with permanent and traveling exhibits on music history — a direct partner of TMTTR and broadly comparable as a music heritage organization, though operating at significantly larger scale and as a museum rather than documentary/franchise model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tmttrfilm
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/tmttrfilm
• Facebookfacebook.com/tmttrfilm
• Instagraminstagram.com/tmttr_film
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tmttrfilm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Take Me to the River