The music of Prince will be celebrated during a tribute concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City on March 7th.

The show will feature numerous performers with the initial lineup including Stax innovator Booker T. Jones (of Booker T. & the M.G.’s), funk-rockers Living Colour, gospel group Blind Boys of Alabama, rapper Talib Kweli, indie rockers DeVotchka, jazz singer-songwriter Madeleine Peyroux, folk-rockers The Waterboys, and hip-hop mainstay The Roots as house band. More artists are expected to be announced in the coming weeks, with more than 20 to honor the Purple One.

The concert for the artist currently known as Prince is the ninth in an ongoing series headed by New York entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael Dorf. Previous tribute shows at Carnegie Hall by Dorf have included Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Bruce, Springsteen, Elton John, R.E.M., Neil Young, The Who and The Rolling Stones, whose tribute took place last year (read our review).

100 percent of the proceeds from the concert are donated to music education programs for underprivileged youth, with more than $700,000 being raised by these tribute concerts over the years. This year’s beneficiaries include FIKS (Fixing Instruments for Kids in Schools), Church Street School for Music & Art, The American Symphony Orchestra, Young Audiences New York, The Center for Arts Education and Little Kids Rock.

More artists for the tribute show will be announced soon. Tickets and limited VIP packages are currently available for purchase at the tribute’s official website.

- E.J. Judge, WCBS-FM