Some of the biggest R&B, pop and country hits of the 20th century, all written by the one-and-only Ray Charles, will be performed by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and special guest vocalist Dee Daniels at the next DTE Energy Foundation Pops concerts. This "Ray Charles Tribute" will feature such memorable hits as "Hit the Road Jack," "Georgia on My Mind" and "What'd I Say," and will be led by guest conductor Chelsea Tipton II.
The concerts take place in Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center on Thursday, April 12 at 10:45 a.m. and 8 p.m.; Friday, April 13 at 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 14 at 8:30 p.m.; and Sunday, April 15 at 3 p.m.
Ray Charles' legendary career spanned more than 58 years and produced some of the most enduring and blockbuster hits of his generation. Considered an American cultural icon, Ray Charles has had a huge impact on American popular music and on legions of artists who have been influenced by his genius. Launching his career in the mid-1940s and initially modeling himself after Nat King Cole, Charles soon began experimenting with many genres of music. In 1955 he had his first break-out hit with "I Got a Woman." The song, based on a Gospel tune but with decidedly secular lyrics, is often credited with being the first "soul" record. In the years that followed, Charles produced one hit after another, accumulated 12 Grammy Awards, the Grammy's Lifetime Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of Arts award, the President's Merit Award and was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors.
Dee Daniels brings her gospel background, blues flavoring and jazz styling to the symphonic stage in these concerts. Throughout her career, Daniels has performed with such legends of jazz as the late Sarah Vaughan, Lionel Hampton and Joe Williams. She has also performed with such luminaries as Hank Jones, Johnny Griffin, Russell Malone, John Clayton, Toots Thielemans, Benny Golson and many others. Daniels has performed throughout the United Kingdom, Africa, Egypt, Hong Kong, North America, Australia and Japan, as well as several European countries, including Belgium, where she gave a command performance for the King and Queen. Her most recent solo CD is Feels So Good, and her first DVD is titled Dee Daniels Live at Biblo.
Entering his fourth season as Resident Conductor of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, conductor Chelsea Tipton II returns to the DSO following a sold-out Young People's Concert this past holiday season. Tipton has appeared with most of the major orchestras in the United States and in 2005, he was called in as a last-minute replacement for Robert Spano to conduct an all-Gershwin season finale with the Brooklyn Philharmonic. In 2001, Tipton was one of 10 conductors selected to conduct the New York Philharmonic in a "Special Reading Session" mentored by Kurt Masur.
Tipton has appeared on NBC's Today Show with Wynton Marsalis and has performed as a section clarinet player with James Galway and the Eastman Philharmonia; Wynton Marsalis and the Eastman Wind Ensemble; and on recordings with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.-- www.detroitsymphony.com
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