New Year's Eve at the Kennedy Center: A Tribute to Aretha Franklin

31 Dec 2019 | 8:30 PM

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Ring in 2020 with a tribute to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin! Featuring Michelle Williams, Dionne Warwick, Bria Skonberg, Morgan James, Nova Payton, and Rayshun LaMarr.

Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams, is a Grammy Award®–winning singer/songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, designer, television host, and member of one of the most successful recording groups of all time, Destiny’s Child. In 2018, Williams reunited with Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Kelly Rowland for a long-awaited Destiny’s child reunion performance during both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. She has recorded four critically-acclaimed albums as a solo artist-Heart to Yours in 2002, Do You Know in 2004, Unexpected in 2008, and Journey to Freedom in 2014, whose song “Say Yes” has been streamed over 100 million times.

Dionne Warwick
Scintillating, soothing, and sensual best describe Dionne Warwick’s familiar and legendary voice which has become a cornerstone of American pop music and the voice of a generation. Celebrating more than 50 years in music, Warwick has achieved the accolades of an international music icon and concert act, earning over 75 charted hit songs and sales of more than 100 million records worldwide.

Morgan James
The right vocalist can make you fall in love at first listen, elicit tears, or bring you back to a different era altogether. That holds true for New York-based soul singer & songwriter, Morgan James. Her most recent studio album, "Reckless Abandon,” is her first as an independent artist, and it is her most personal outing yet, prompting the Huffington Post to call MJ the "Brightest Breakout Artist of the Year".

Nova Payton
Chances are that you’ve heard the amazing soprano voice of Nova Y. Payton on with the internationally staged musical, 3 Mo’ Divas, on television, or in countless regional theatre productions across the country. Boasting a prolific catalog of artist collaborations, the former American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) student has shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Levi Kreis, Bobby McFerrin, John Michael Higgins, Yolanda Adams, Betsy Wolfe, Michael Uris, Anthony Hamilton and Michelle Williams. She has also opened for heavyweights like Ashford and Simpson, Will Downing, Stephanie Mills, Melba Moore, The Chi-Lite,s and the Dramatics.

2021 Partners

February

Gay Men's Chorus of Washington
Us Helping Us
People Into Living
Drag Queen Story Hour NE
One Colorado

March

TransPonder
Rose Haven
Atlanta Pride
Maryland Theatre
Maryland Symphony Orchestra

Bonus Interviews

Partners