The Best of Motown and More Brings A Night Full of Favorite Songs to the Luez Theatre {video}
It was just like they belonged on the stage at the Luez Theatre when The Best of Motown and More returned to the City of Bolivar to perform for a long-anticipated concert. The last time the group appeared at the Luez Theatre was for its A Motown Christmas Concert in December 2022 . On Thursday, February 15, 2024, one day after Valentine’s Day, the music was all about love.
The best of Motown and More – Ditannual (Doc) Hutchison (Detroit) and William Gill (Flint), both born in Michigan; Gerald Lyles, raised in Detroit; and AJSR, from St. Louis, Missouri. – came finely attired in matching royal blue, sequined jackets, and white slacks. They brought that same energy they are known for and opened the show with “Get Ready”, a song the Temptations originally released in 1966 and made famous. They continued singing from a long list of Motown favorites that included “It’s A Shame”, “I’ll Be Around”, “The Girl’s Alright With Me”, “I’m Stone in Love With You”, “Just My Imagination (Running Away From Me)”, “Can’t Help My Self”, “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got)”, “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”, and more. If you are a lover of music from The Spinners, The Temptations, The Stylistics, or the Four Tops, The Best of Motown and More takes you back to that time when artists were talented, and music was original.
AJSR kept the love going when he broke out the bass-baritone and reincarnated Barry White singing songs like “Never Never Gonna Give Ya Up” and “Deeper And Deeper“.
Sometime into the performance, the Best of Motown and More experienced technical difficulties with one of its four mics. The show stopped for a moment, but the group did not wait long before taking matters into their own hands. While tech worked diligently { Good job Jalen Jones } to resolve the issue, Gerald Lyles led the group in an acapella rendition of the Temptations song “I Wish It Would Rain”. Missing background music and minus a mic did not diminish the talent and professionalism of the group.
The O’Jay’s “Love Train” rode through the Luez again. And the group paid tribute through song to veterans and first responders.
The Best of Motown and More closed the concert evening singing The Temptations’ “My Girl”.
AJSR shared some words about returning to Bolivar, “This is wonderful, and I love the comradery of all the people. It was great just being back.”
A message from The Best of Motown and More, “Thank you [Bolivar] for having us!”
You may see more music videos from the concert on the Hatchie Press YouTube channel.
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