Masters of Soul wow Grand audience

By: Ann Mire, Contributing Writer

The Masters of Soul paid tribute to the greatest singers of the soul genre on the stage of the Grand Opera House last Monday, Oct. 20.

The sounds of many legendary soul singers and groups were heard. The cast of this tribute to soul featured John Hodges, Dario Outlaw, Ronald “Smitty” Smith, Deannine “Lady D” Brooks, Shinee Cruise and Ophelia Vaughan. Members of the amazing TFC Band included Jermaine Newsome, Darrell Ballard, Al Hundley and Oscar Waters.

With stylish costumes and lively choreography, these men and women took the audience down memory lane, actually staying in character with the performers whose music they were playing. Clearly each one of the musical artists had a passion for their music. Group harmonies were amazing, and as were the vocal ranges demonstrated by each individual.

The evening opened with The Temptations’ “Get Ready,” and if the audience wasn’t ready, this tune got them in the mood for a great night of music and dancing. The group also performed “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.”

Without any banter between musical acts, the night moved quickly from one set to the next with simply the introduction of the next tribute group. The Supremes sang “Can’t Hurry Love” and “Stop in the Name of Love.” Aretha Franklin had the ladies in the audience asking for a little “Respect.”

The Four Tops had the crowd dancing and singing in their seats with their hit “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch.”  The lead singer went into the audience for “Ain’t No Woman Like the One I Love.” Martha Reeves and the Vandellas performed with perfect harmony the songs “Dancing in the Streets,” “Jimmy Mack” and “Heat Wave.” Just prior to intermission, Barry White entertained the audience with “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Baby.”

The second half of the show featured Smokey Robinson and the Miracles doing “Going to a Go-Go,” “Tears of a Clown” and “Tracks of My Tears.” Tina Turner made all the right choreographic moves as she sang her big hit “Proud Mary.” James Brown showed his moves with “I Feel Good,” while Marvin Gaye crooned “How Sweet It Is.” He was then joined on the stage by Tammi Terrell for the duet “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

When Mary Wells came out to sing, Crowley councilman Bryan Borrill joined her on stage as she sang “My Guy” to him. Enjoying the spotlight, he did a little twirl with her as the song neared its end.

The finale featured Gladys Knight and the Pips. Lady D had the audience singing along with “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” However, her incredible vocal talents were showcased as she came into the audience and gave a passionate rendition of “Neither One of Us.” The group finished with “Midnight Train to Georgia.” 

With a final call for an encore, everyone in the audience was on their feet for “Dance to the Music” and “Shout.” Several folks couldn’t remain seated and were dancing in the aisles, including young Owen Broussard and this reviewer.

This was one concert that truly left the audience wanting more. After the show, many people were commenting on not only how wonderful this show was (“One of the best,” “My favorite,” “I loved it”, etc.), but also were saying they couldn’t wait for a return visit by the Masters of Soul.

The next event at the Grand Opera House is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 13, when Joe Weigand will appear in “The Teddy Roosevelt Show.” Tickets are priced at $20 and may be purchased by contacting the office of the Grand Opera House at 785-0440 or at thegrandoperahouse.org.