Show features Morris Day and the Time and Cameo
Life Ring Foundation along with sponsors: Bright Services, Atlantic Credit & Finance, Inc., and Magic City Ford announce a performance by legendary R&B artists Morris Day and the Time and Cameo on August 2 in Roanoke’s Elmwood Park Amphitheater.
The Life Ring Foundation is proud to present the Big Lick Summer Concert Series for 2015 as an opportunity to help raise awareness and funding for the meaningful work that the organization does throughout the Valley to contribute to the growing local music scene.
The foundation is a direct impact public charity that operates with a fraction of the administrative and infra-structure expenses of other comparable public charities. The organization strives to construct the shortest distances possible between means and needs.
Whether partnering with other charities or tackling causes key to Life Ring’s mission, the foundation is committed to having a direct impact on the lives of those in Southwest Virginia.
Through altruist efforts the organization puts hundreds of Christmas presents under trees and help put advanced life saving equipment in Carilion’s Roanoke Memorial Hospital Neonatal Intensive care Unit.
Other Life Ring efforts involve assistance in teaching children to read while helping to provide safe havens for victims of domestic violence. One of the headliners for the double header concert will be Morris Day and the Time.
Born in Minneapolis, Morris Day had a flair for fashion. Inspired by photographs of his grandpa in zoot suits, a true fashionista was formed! Day went to school with Prince Rogers Nelson and sang in Prince’s first band Grand Central. Prince grew as an artist and so did the opportunity around him. The Time was originally created as Prince’s alter-ego to be seen as the cool, street-wise funk band contrasting Prince’s more soulful R&B sound. After looking at several lead vocalists, Prince wanted someone with mad talent so he cast his highschool friend– the funky, the fabulous Morris Day. Soon after, Morris Day and the Time were cast in Purple Rain which captured the exploding Minneapolis music scene at its peak.
Morris Day burst onto the public scene with the group’s self-titled album, The Time, which included “Get It Up,” “Cool,” and “Girl.” Soon after the world was introduced the prolific Minneapolis music marvel, the group went on to record three more albums, including What Time Is It? (featuring the hits “777-9311,” “Wild and Loose,” “Walk,” and “Gigolos Get Lonely Too” and “Ice Cream Castle,” which included the hit “Jungle Love.” After three albums Morris Day launched his solo career, releasing three albums: The Color of Success, Daydreaming, and Guaranteed. Combined sales of Morris Day’s solo work and The Time is in excess of 10-million units.
Cameo rated high on the R&B charts for more than a decade. The group has sold more than 17 million albums and is one of the most popular Funk/ Rock and Soul bands of its era! Line-ups change, styles evolve, and record labels merge, but Cameo has maintained its core funkiness for nearly four decades. From the seventies through today, CAMEO has been churning out trailblazing hits! The group’s pivotal sounds are a part of music history and has permanently marked major turning points in the industry setting a standard that many have tried to duplicate and follow.
CAMEO’s creator and producer, Larry Blackmon, along with founding member Tomi Jenkins is once again ready to challenge the way the world listens to music! CAMEO is ready to introduce a new generation to their sound. The New York City-based band, led by drummer Larry Blackmon, debuted with a single called “Find My Way” on Chocolate City Records, (a label managed by Cecil Holmes through Casablanca Records.) Larry Blackmon has been synonymous with CAMEO since the beginning of his career in the music industry, growing up in New York City, and digesting the sounds of the city streets. The kind of non-stop activity that Blackmon creates has consistently propelled the across-the-board success that CAMEO has enjoyed for over three decades. Blackmon & Jenkins possess a creatively determined mind, spirit and dedication to their music!
The show will be held Sunday, August 2 at the Elmwood Park Amphitheater in Downtown. Doors open at 5:00 pm. Tickets at $30 General Admission go on sale at 10am on Friday, June 5th. Tickets and event information available at: www.jeffcenter.org/morrisdaycameo
