Memphis and Mid-South musicians join 2026 Oscars ‘Sinners’ tribute performance celebrating blues-rooted film music
A Mid-South presence is set for the Academy Awards stage
Several artists with Memphis and Mid-South ties are scheduled to take part in a major music sequence during the 98th Academy Awards ceremony, where a planned tribute will spotlight the film Sinners and the role music plays in its storytelling. The on-air segment is built around the Best Original Song nominee “I Lied to You,” with performer Miles Caton and songwriter Raphael Saadiq slated to lead the performance.
Who is involved, and why it matters locally
The announced lineup for the tribute includes blues and roots figures spanning multiple generations, with Memphis guitarist Eric Gales among the performers. Gales’ participation places a contemporary Memphis artist on one of the entertainment industry’s largest live stages, alongside veterans and nationally recognized names connected to blues and American roots music traditions.
Featured song: “I Lied to You,” a Best Original Song nominee performed by Miles Caton and written by Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson.
Additional participants: Buddy Guy, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Bobby Rush, Brittany Howard, Shaboozey, Alice Smith, and dancer Misty Copeland.
Onstage cast presence: Jayme Lawson and Li Jun Li are also scheduled to appear as part of the tribute.
How the tribute fits into the film’s awards-season profile
Sinners has been positioned by awards organizers and show producers as a major cultural and visual phenomenon this season, prompting the ceremony to design a performance intended to reflect the film’s musical foundation and distinctive style rather than functioning solely as a standard song presentation. The Oscar telecast’s producers have described the performance as an exploration of how music operates within the film.
The segment is structured as a film-centered moment built around “I Lied to You,” with multiple musicians and onstage participants supporting the featured performance.
Memphis connections to the broader ‘Sinners’ music ecosystem
The Oscar moment follows earlier awards-season recognition tied to Sinners and its music, including Grammy attention for work associated with the film. For Memphis audiences, the Oscars tribute offers a high-visibility continuation of that momentum—placing a Memphis guitarist in a nationally televised performance that emphasizes blues lineage and its modern practitioners.
The 98th Academy Awards aired Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Los Angeles, with the Sinners tribute presented as part of the ceremony’s planned music programming.