By Wiley Henry
MEMPHIS, TN — He wasn’t expected to live. But then Christen Dukes beat the odds –– a preemie weighing a mere 2 lbs. and 5 oz. But he couldn’t beat the agony of sickle cell disease and cerebral palsy.
He questioned God: “Why me? Why was I born with sickle cell and cerebral palsy? Why do I have to deal with this?”
Then it dawned on Dukes that there is more to his life than grappling with his twofold malady. An accomplished trombonist, he would rather make music and help others with debilitating diseases.
On Sept. 15, Dukes is hosting a benefit concert at Stax Museum of American Soul Music, featuring Deonna Sirod, Adajyo, and Dukes’ friends. The doors will open at 6 p.m. for a museum tour; the concert will follow at 7.
Proceeds will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Hematology Clinic and Dukes’ newly founded “Arts Over Odds Foundation.” General admission is $30. Live stream: $15. Tickets are available at www.givebutter.com/artsforallbenefitconcert.
Dukes said the idea for his “Arts Over Odds Foundation” was revealed to him when he was a junior at Visible Music College in Memphis, where he majored in music engineering and production/performance.
He graduated from the college in 2019. Prior to that, he’d graduated from Craigmont High School in 2014. “I was really trying to find out my purpose in life and what I really wanted to do as a career,” said Dukes, 27.
The answer came to him during a 5 a.m. prayer service at his home church, Reformation Memphis. “I was really praying about my purpose and what I wanted to do,” he said, adding, “God literally showed me a vision of what my organization would look like.”
Dukes decided that individuals grappling with maladies such as his would be the foundation’s focus. But then he vacillated between people with other debilitating diseases.
“After talking to some people and thinking about my overall story, I had to realize that I’m not just dealing with sickle cell. I’m dealing with cerebral palsy,” said Dukes, who has hosted benefit concerts for St. Jude before.
The last benefit concert was in 2019. This one is different. It’s Dukes’ official launch of his “Arts Over Odds Foundation.” And he hopes to reach as many people as possible via the arts.
“I always had a deep passion and love for the arts,” he said, familiarizing himself with several musical instruments –– including the baritone and percussions –– as early as eight years old.
He’d become more attentive to the trombone instead and honed its sound into a melodious blend of R&B, funk, and jazz fusion.
A former student of Stax Music Academy, Dukes has traveled and played his trombone. “Going to Stax as early as I did helped me to go to college,” he said, “and doing what I’m doing now.”
Dukes was also fortunate to attend Berklee College of Music’s five-week summer program, thanks to an award that he received in 2017 from the Memphis Beat the Odds Foundation.
He wants his own foundation to be art-based, not just about music. And he envisions a facility with recording studios, art studios, photography studios, editing rooms, and sound stages.
“I think we will be something special –– not just for this city, but for this region or even farther,” he said.
The “Arts Over Odds Foundation” is nonprofit and has an 11-member board so far. Dukes is the founding president.
The foundation’s mission is “to teach youth and young adults with health disorders in multiple fields of the arts and inspire them to work toward and believe in a thriving future.”
Dukes has had some challenges. But he’s not ready to quit. “I didn’t want sickle cell to become a barrier and not go after what I wanted to do,” he said, “and not try my hardest to do it.”
