LEGENDS ONLY
The Kings of Music: A Royal Concert premiering on Maryland Public Television on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 7pm. It's an original hour-long broadcast spectacular featuring three of the top lead R&B singers of the 20th century together for the first time; singing like you've never heard them before. Howard Hewett, Gerald Alston and Russell Thompkins, Jr., Kings of Music.
Kings of Music: A Royal Concert
What happens when you take the lead singer from the Grammy Award winning Manhattans, add the Grammy Award winning lead singer from Shalamar and then stir the pot with the lead singer from the legendary Stylistics....performing their greatest hits and songs you've never heard them sing before...together. MAGIC!
Kings of Music
A once in a lifetime original experience from three legends of the music world, together for the first time. Kings of Music captures the making of a musical phenomenon as it blends the vocal talents of three of the top lead singers in the world into a master's trio presenting one superb concert experience. Gerald Alston, Howard Hewett and Russell Thompkins, Jr, push their talents to the limit as they cross all musical genres, including opera, classical, gospel, Broadway, blues, and patriotic. The show seeks to inspire and encourage people of all walks of life to explore their potential. We know their R&B songs, but It’s time to recognize their talents surpass one genre of music as Kings of Music.
Gerald Alston
Lead singer of the Grammy Award winning Manhattans, Gerald Alston is the embodiment of R&B
Alston was born on November 8, 1951, in Henderson, North Carolina to the Rev. J.B. Alston and Geraldine Harrelson.
Alston is the nephew of Gospel singer Johnny Fields of The Blind Boys of Alabama. He grew up in the church where he learned his craft. Alston was just a teenager when he formed a group called, the New Imperials who sang both secular and Gospel music. When the group would perform in churches they would change their name to the Gospel Jubilee.
Alston joined the Manhattans in 1970, shortly after the death of their former lead singer George Smith. As lead singer, Alston helped the group achieve their first Pop and R&B top ten singles that reached Gold and Platinum status for songs like "Kiss and Say Goodbye", "There's No Me Without You" and their Grammy Winning song, "Shining Star".
Howard Hewett
Grammy Award winning lead singer, Howard Hewett is the personification of romance
Born October 1, 1955 and raised in Akron, Ohio, Hewett moved to Los Angeles in 1976, where he first met Jeffrey Daniel and Jody Watley at a club in the LA Crenshaw district.
In 1978, he got a call from Jeffrey Daniel who was in need of a lead singer and Hewett accepted the offer. Within three days Hewett flew to New Jersey, where he met up with Watley and Daniel and started recording the Big Fun LP with their producer, Leon Sylvers. The trio went on to record songs such as "Second Time Around", "Make That Move", "A Night to Remember", "Dancing in the Sheets" and the ballad "This Is for the Lover in You". Hewett was the group's lead singer from 1979 until 1985.
Russell Thompkins, Jr
Russell Thompkins, Jr led the R&B superstars, The Stylistics to the top of the charts
Born in Philadelphia in 1951, Thompkins was introduced to music by his father and started singing formally in school. During high school, Thompkins was a member of a local vocal group called the Monarchs who defeated another group called the Percussions in a talent show at Benjamin Franklin High School. Both groups disbanded shortly thereafter. Their remaining members, Thompkins, James Smith, and Airrion Love from The Monarchs, and James Dunn and Herbie Murrell from the Percussions, joined to form a new group called The Stylistics in 1968. Noted for his high tenor, countertenor, and falsetto vocals, as the original lead singer of the Stylistics, they had 12 straight Top 10 Billboard R&B singles, and 5 gold singles from 1971 through 1974, including "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)", "You Are Everything", "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "Break Up to Make Up", and "You Make Me Feel Brand New".
Kings of Music: A Royal Concert
Viewers always have a fascination for new experiences and that’s why we see so much success in musical documentaries, especially when they feature extraordinary talent going beyond their established musical repertoire and presenting new dimensions of their talent. It’s an unexplored journey that inspires, delights and surprises the viewer. Kings of Music leverages the known with the unknown to create a formula for a musical dynasty with some of the greatest lead singers of R&B groups of all time and uniting them into a trio of singing superstars. Gerald Alston from the Manhattans, Howard Hewett from Shalamar and Russell Thompkins, Jr from The Stylistics. Their Grammy-winning and chart topping classics like "Shining Star," "Don't Get Stopped In Beverly Hills," and "People Make The World Go Round" are unparalleled in music history. These iconic artists defined a genre that continues to captivate global audiences with sold-out performances. Now, they come together in a once-in-a-lifetime presentation to challenge themselves and each other by sharing their love for music of all kinds, including Danny Boy, La Donna E' Mobile, Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do, Give My Regards to Broadway, Amazing Grace and much more.
Oliver Hagen was front and center as the awe-inspiring conductor for Kings of Music. His finesse as maestro and music director encouraged all the participants to expand their musical horizons. And 2004 Miss America Ericka Dunlap hosted the event with elegant wit, enchanting the audience with her regal charm. As you can see, a good time was had by all.
Hyperdrive Entertainment & Productions, LLC
Background Singers
A trio of superstars requires and equally talented group of background singers. Michael Lee, Keith Banks, Aaron Woodfolk, James Gutherie, Carronne Jones and Joyce Walls were up to the task. Their combined vocals and harmonies blended magnificantly with the Kings of Music.
Orchestra
The Kings of Music Orchestra elevated each song to epic proportions. Their strings, horns, wind instruments, and drums made each song a masterpiece of musical artistry.
Maestro
Under the incomparable leadership of Oliver Hagen, the Kings of Music orchestra's unbridled energy radiated throughout every performance of the evening. Conductor and pianist Hagen played piano on Third Coast Percussion’s 2017 Grammy-winning album. Hagen is currently on faculty at the Juilliard Preparatory Division and Newark Academy and is finishing the first draft of his textbook on conducting, entitled One Note at a Time. He has worked as a guest conductor at the Manhattan School of Music and the Mannes Preparatory Division.
Choir
To achieve big sound, you need big voices, and the Kings of Music Community Choir delivered. Their performance shook the rafters of the theater, producing Broadway quality showmanship and acoustics to rival the finest opera houses in Europe
Kings of Music : A Royal Concert
broadcast premiere, 7p.m., Saturday, August 16, 2025 on Maryland Public Television.
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