The 'Empire' alum will star on and direct the pilot of the new series, which is based on the real life of W.C. Handy, who is widely considered the godfather of blues music.
- Jul 18, 2020
AceShowbiz - Terrence Howard has delayed his retirement plans after signing on to star in and direct a new TV series, titled "Delta Blues".
The "Empire" star announced his retirement from acting in September (19), noting he intended to step away from the screen after the conclusion of the hit series, but he appears to have changed his mind, thanks to a great pilot script.
"(The script is) better than bacon," he tells Deadline. "I was done but I am putting retirement on hold to tell this story."
Terrence will mark his directorial debut with the one-hour television pilot, based on the life of W.C. Handy, who is widely considered the godfather of blues music.
The show centers around Handy's role in music history, starting off in the Mississippi Delta, where the blues legend left his fabled Mahara's Minstrels show to pursue a solo career after partnering with masonic group the Knights of Pythias.
"This story is about our history and has to be handled very carefully," Howard explains. "I am committed to telling the truths of the times, even the uncomfortable truths."
Evan Ross will co-star and serve as an executive producer in partnership with executives at Zero Gravity Management, the brains behind hit Netflix drama "Ozark".
"When I read this script, it spoke to me and I knew I had to be a part of it," Evan gushes. "This is a timely project with what is transpiring in our country today. To tell our history and our music history and to be able show the horrors that we have overcome to succeed is powerful and I am excited to be teamed with Terrence and Zero Gravity to make it happen."
"The characters in this project are real people that should be household names, but history has erased them from the schoolbooks. 'Delta Blues' is a musical celebration of our people, as much as it is a celebration of our strength and fortitude."
