The Blackbelt Benefit Group is hosting the band Big Nekkid & Friends on Friday at the old Warren’s of Selma building.

Big Nekkid will be paying tribute to The Band and their final show, The Last Waltz, that was performed nearly 40 years ago.

“It’s just celebrating and paying tribute to that original concert back in 1976 that was called The Last Waltz,” said Big Nekkid guitarist and vocalist Cliff May.

The tribute will take place on the actual 40th anniversary, and May said it’s always been a Thanksgiving tradition for him to listen to the album from that night 40 years ago.

But this time, instead of listening to it, he’s going to be playing it to a crowd of family and friends.

“We’ve played events in the past, but this one is quite special because we get to come home and be around friends and family performing this music and it feels really good,” May said. “We all grew up in Selma, but now have moved away. We got some in Nashville, some here in Birmingham. We’re all spread out.”

Victor Shaw, a member of the Blackbelt Benefit Group, said he is excited to have the guys come down and perform for the fundraiser.

“This is going to be epic,” Shaw said. “I’m excited. Of all the musical events this year we’ve put on whether it be the after music at the Farm to Feast, the bands that played at the Rockin’ Ribs — this is equal to those, and it’s something new that we haven’t done before. This is a new event for us, so I’m particularly excited for that.”

May said he and the group enjoy working with the Blackbelt group and they are looking forward to this collaboration.

“We’ve all done several events for the Blackbelt Benefit Group, and we always love working with those guys,” May said. “They’ve done so much good with Selma and surrounding areas and we’re friends with them so it always feels good to be a part of one of the Blackbelt Benefit Group events and we’re looking very much forward to it.”

Other members of Big Nekkid are Ben Brooks on guitar, Morgan Duncan on guitar, Roger Jones on drums, Dan Tidwell on keys and saxophone, Will Sommerville on bass and Josh Simmons on keys.

May said he’s excited about performing in front of the people he grew up with, and with it being Thanksgiving and the anniversary of The Last Waltz, it’s just that more special to him.

“We’re just really excited about it,” May said. “It’s kind of a homecoming of sorts for all of us, and it’s something we all grew up listening to and loving so we feel real good to come back to Selma and do that in front of a crowd of folks we love to see.”

Tickets for the event are $15 and can be purchased at http://selmacelebrates.bpt.me/ or at the door. The performance is set to begin at 7:30 p.m.