Join the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center on July 17 for an evening with Lalah Hathaway and Ruben Studdard, as they perform classic soul coupled with R&B hits in concert.
Hathaway and Studdard, on their “Meant to Be” tour, will present one elegant show with a seamless blending of classic duets, fan favorites and selections from the artists’ respective catalogs. The concert is set for 8 p.m. in the ASC, 1200 10th Ave. South. Tickets are $61.50, $52.50 and $43.50. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
Born to music royalty, the late soul music legend Donny Hathaway, Lalah Hathaway is often referred to as the “first daughter of soul.” But a Best R&B Performance Grammy Award, many acclaimed recordings and incredible live performances under her belt demonstrate Hathaway has created a musical legacy all her own. Her first single, “Heaven Knows,” hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot R&B chart in 1990. In 2004, she topped the Hot R&B chart with “Forever, For Always, For Love.”
One of Hathaway’s more recent collaborations includes the “Velvet Teddy Bear” himself, Verve Recording artist and Birmingham’s own Studdard. He has warmed the hearts of his huge fan base with five albums and has toured with Peabo Bryson, Melissa Manchester, CeCe Winans and David Foster. His new album is “Unconditional Love,” and with it he has delivered the recording that he himself states is “the record I should have made after I won ‘American Idol.’” “Unconditional Love” brings together timeless classics and new compositions, including “Meant to Be,” the first single, which Studdard introduced on the finale of “The Biggest Loser” and co-wrote with Foster.
Grammy-nominated Studdard told Al.com earlier this year that Hathaway is one of his favorite singers of all time, and that he is excited to be able to bring his tour to his hometown.
“To be on tour with her, and to know how much her father has influenced me musically ... She’s great,” Studdard said. “We’ll perform together, have a full band, do some songs separately. I think it’s going to be a great show, and people will get their money’s worth.”