Rickey Powell: Difference between revisions
(New page: '''Sylvester Rickey Powell, Jr''' (born 1948 in Birmingham) is a Broadway and jazz vocalist. Powell is the son of Sylvester and Catheryne Powell of Birmingham. He attended [[Tuggl...) |
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'''Sylvester Rickey Powell, Jr''' (born [[1948]] in [[Birmingham]]) | '''Sylvester Rickey Powell, Jr''' (born [[1948]] in [[Birmingham]]; died [[January 15]], [[2022]] in Birmingham) was a Broadway and jazz vocalist and actor. | ||
Powell | Powell was the son of Sylvester and Cathryne Powell of Birmingham. He attended [[Tuggle Elementary School|Tuggle]] and [[Wilkerson Elementary School|Wilkerson]] schools and [[Ullman High School]]. As a boy he was a participant in the [[Civil Rights Movement]] and attended [[16th Street Baptist Church]]. He was close friends with [[Cynthia Wesley]], one of the victims of the [[1963 church bombing]]. | ||
He then enrolled at Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, majoring in vocal music. He transferred to [[Talladega College]] after his first year and | He then enrolled at Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, majoring in vocal music. He transferred to [[Talladega College]] after his first year. He was cast as a line dancer in a [[1969]] [[Town & Gown Theater]] production of "Hello, Dolly!" directed by [[James Hatcher]], and was inspired to pursue a career in theater. | ||
After graduation | After graduation, Powell and a close friend, Annie Joe Edwards, moved together to New York City. He performed for Voices, Inc., in the off-Broadway tour of ''Hair'', with the Chic Organization and with the Village People, Herbie Mann and other artists. He was the understudy for the lead in the revival of ''The Wiz'' and starred was part of the cast of ''Mama I Want to Sing''. | ||
Powell has toured Europe with Gloria Gaynor and twice with Queen Esther Marrow and the Harlem Gospel Singers. | Powell has toured Europe with Gloria Gaynor and twice with Queen Esther Marrow and the Harlem Gospel Singers. After a diagnosis of kidney failure, he was forced to stop touring. He returned to Birmingham where he could schedule dialysis treatment and joined [[Birmingham City Schools]]' artist-in-residence program ([[Mind Lift, Inc.]]). He and Annie Joe Edwards have also been involved as Creative Arts Coordinators for after school programs at the [[A. G. Gaston Boys and Girls Club]]. | ||
As a vocalist, Powell performed with the [[Birmingham Heritage Band]]. As an actor he starred locally as "Reverend Johnson" in [[Harris Wormsby]]'s "[[The Dream Lives]]" in [[1989]], and as "Joe Bailey" in ''[[Tuxedo Junction (musical)|Tuxedo Junction]]''. He starred in the [[Birmingham Childrens Theater]] production of "[[The Watsons Go To Birmingham – 1963]]" directed by [[Chalethia Williams]], and in a revival of "The Dream Lives" in [[2014]]. He performed a one-man "musical memoir" entitled "[[Rickey Powell's Busy Day]]" for [[Theatre Tuscaloosa]] in October [[2021]]. | |||
Powell was inducted into the [[Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame]] in [[2001]]. He died in January [[2022]]. | |||
==References== | |||
* Prewitt, Nathan T. (January 16, 2014) "'The Dream Lives' pays tribute to civil rights at Carver Theatre in Birmingham." {{BN}} | |||
* Wormsby, Hollis (February 12, 2015) "Rickey Powell: God Has Given Me Triumphs and Trials." {{BT}} | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Powell, Rickey}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Powell, Rickey}} | ||
[[Category:1948 births]] | [[Category:1948 births]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:2022 deaths]] | ||
[[Category:Ullman graduates]] | [[Category:Ullman graduates]] | ||
[[Category:Talladega College alumni]] | [[Category:Talladega College alumni]] | ||
Revision as of 16:00, 17 January 2022
Sylvester Rickey Powell, Jr (born 1948 in Birmingham; died January 15, 2022 in Birmingham) was a Broadway and jazz vocalist and actor.
Powell was the son of Sylvester and Cathryne Powell of Birmingham. He attended Tuggle and Wilkerson schools and Ullman High School. As a boy he was a participant in the Civil Rights Movement and attended 16th Street Baptist Church. He was close friends with Cynthia Wesley, one of the victims of the 1963 church bombing.
He then enrolled at Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, majoring in vocal music. He transferred to Talladega College after his first year. He was cast as a line dancer in a 1969 Town & Gown Theater production of "Hello, Dolly!" directed by James Hatcher, and was inspired to pursue a career in theater.
After graduation, Powell and a close friend, Annie Joe Edwards, moved together to New York City. He performed for Voices, Inc., in the off-Broadway tour of Hair, with the Chic Organization and with the Village People, Herbie Mann and other artists. He was the understudy for the lead in the revival of The Wiz and starred was part of the cast of Mama I Want to Sing.
Powell has toured Europe with Gloria Gaynor and twice with Queen Esther Marrow and the Harlem Gospel Singers. After a diagnosis of kidney failure, he was forced to stop touring. He returned to Birmingham where he could schedule dialysis treatment and joined Birmingham City Schools' artist-in-residence program (Mind Lift, Inc.). He and Annie Joe Edwards have also been involved as Creative Arts Coordinators for after school programs at the A. G. Gaston Boys and Girls Club.
As a vocalist, Powell performed with the Birmingham Heritage Band. As an actor he starred locally as "Reverend Johnson" in Harris Wormsby's "The Dream Lives" in 1989, and as "Joe Bailey" in Tuxedo Junction. He starred in the Birmingham Childrens Theater production of "The Watsons Go To Birmingham – 1963" directed by Chalethia Williams, and in a revival of "The Dream Lives" in 2014. He performed a one-man "musical memoir" entitled "Rickey Powell's Busy Day" for Theatre Tuscaloosa in October 2021.
Powell was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 2001. He died in January 2022.
References
- Prewitt, Nathan T. (January 16, 2014) "'The Dream Lives' pays tribute to civil rights at Carver Theatre in Birmingham." The Birmingham News
- Wormsby, Hollis (February 12, 2015) "Rickey Powell: God Has Given Me Triumphs and Trials." The Birmingham Times