ABOVE: The Tempting Temptations (L-R: Phill Wade, Chad George, J. Pyles, Martell Lacey and Damon Price)
Nearly 40,000 people made their way out to the Miller Outdoor Theatre for the 22nd Annual Dancin’ in the Street…Motown & More Revue which was presented by the Bacement Foundation for the Arts and proudly sponsored by the Forward Times.
The four-day entertainment masterpiece has become a staple in Houston during Memorial Day Weekend, and always features some of the Greater Houston area’s most talented artists, dancers and musicians, while keeping the appreciation of live music and entertainment going in the Bayou City. The free event, which is affectionately coined “The Thrill On The Hill”, offered generations of soul music lovers the opportunity to hear from performers who delivered some of the best renditions of soul music and R&B icons such as Gladys Knight & the Pips, Marvin Gaye, Rick James, The Staple Singers, Michael Jackson, Patti Labelle, Sam Cooke, The Temptations, Luther Vandross, The Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Teddy Pendergrass, Luther Ingram, LTD, and so many more.
The Forward Times’ own, Lenora, be an integral part of this year’s cast, singing “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” as Tammie Terrell; “Tell Me Something Good” as Chaka Khan; “Best of My Love” and “Don’t Ask My Neighbors” as the lead singer of The Emotions; and singing as a part of the hit 90s group SWV and as a backup singer for Anita Baker.
For the past 22 years, the Dancin’ in the Street…Motown & More Revue has been produced and developed independently by BACE Productions (Black American Cultural and Educational Productions) and was founded by Shirley Marks Whitmore and husband, Clarence Whitmore Sr., who also performed as a part of the show for many years in the role of Ray Charles. The couple have passed the torch down to their children; producers, Clarence Whitmore Jr., Azania Whitmore Eaton, Dalilah Whitmore and Ta’ Whitmore. The children plan to follow in their parents’ legacy by continuing to expand on the legacy and family business their parents built.
Lenora performs “Tell Me Something Good” by Chaka Khan
Hosts Curtis Von and Detria Ward
Dorothy Lastice
Phill Wade as Rick James
Council Member Dwight A. Boykins
The Emotions
Chad George as Stevie Wonder
Ron John as Frankie Beverly
New Edition tribute
GREATHOUSE
Lenora and Martell Lacey as Marvin Gaye and Tammie Terrell
Phill Wade as Ray Charles
Vincent Powell
Raye Burnside as Gladys Knight
Martell Lacey as Marvin Gaye
Thousands gathered to witness “The Thrill on the Hill”