Eric Meier B.S.E.’86 is a serial entrepreneur, a health care technology executive, and a Seattle rock club owner – an eclectic resume by any standard. Now, he’s making waves in the Mississippi Delta, championing the region’s rich musical legacy.
Meier, along with partners Howard Stovall and Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, has launched Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience. The production pairs authentic Delta blues musicians with symphony orchestras in a live performance, narrated on screen by Freeman. The show is midway through its inaugural 20-city run and will take the stage at Duke’s Reynolds Industries Theater on Oct. 25, a homecoming that Meier finds particularly meaningful.
“Duke gave me a remarkably well-rounded foundation,” Meier said, “one that has always encouraged me to blend creative possibilities with sound business practices.” It’s a formula he’s carried from his days as a biomedical engineering major to his success across technology, hospitality and, now, music.
Fascinated by the cultural richness of Clarksdale, Mississippi, Meier found himself introduced to Morgan Freeman, owner of the famed Ground Zero Blues Club, by local friends. Although he continues to pursue health care ventures, Meier became a partner in the club and later opened “Hooker Grocer & Eatery,” a culinary tribute to blues great John Lee Hooker, just across the street.
Diving into Delta culture might seem an unlikely detour, but for Meier, exploring new ideas is nothing new – it’s a Duke-inspired habit. “I’m relentlessly curious,” he says. “The Mississippi Delta’s history and talent are treasures, but not everyone can travel there. This show brings the rawness of the blues and the majesty of orchestration to a wider audience. And with Morgan’s narration, it all comes together.”
An engaged alum, Meier continues to nurture his intellectual curiosity through Duke. This past fall, he spent time at the Duke Marine Lab in Beaufort, North Carolina, rekindling his early passion for marine biology. As an undergraduate, he missed out on coastal and ecological pursuits, busy as an engineering student, water polo and fencing team member, and Budweiser campus rep. He also has served on the Pratt School Board of Visitors and as an alumni interviewer.
“Duke always encouraged us to give back, get involved, and pay it forward,” he says.
After nearly two years of planning with Stovall and Freeman, Meier helped craft a show where blues musicians join orchestras on stage while Morgan Freeman guides audiences through a cinematic journey tracing 100 years of American blues. Presented by Duke Arts, the production has already played to enthusiastic audiences in Salzburg, Dublin, and New York City’s Central Park as part of the SummerStage series. “These artists – and their music – are crucial to share and celebrate,” Meier said. “Delta blues was born out of hardship and pain but carried hope and resilience to the world. At this stage in my life, I feel lucky to help preserve and spread that legacy. It’s worth protecting – and, even more, enjoying.”