A good love song is timeless in singer Christopher Williams’ opinion.
“No one can change a great love song. The tradition of a good singer always lives,” Williams said.
And the balladeer performed his most popular ballads and up tempo jams when he graced the Kelly-Strayhorn stage on May 7 as the featured guest for New Horizon Theater’s annual black tie event.
Proceeds from the event went to help New Horizon Theater continue to bring high-quality African-American themed productions to the Pittsburgh area.
 |
|
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS
|
“Each year we go through a list of names that will fit into our budget and although our budget was less than meager this year, Christopher Williams fit into that budget,” explained New Horizon Theater Chairperson, Joyce Meggerson-Moore. “Our booking agent saw him in August and thought that he would be a good person for us. He is a good singer and actor.’
Meggerson-Moore said that although the theater company typically brings in groups for its yearly celebration—they have hosted Blue Magic, the Stylistics, the Delfonics and the Ashford and Simpson in the past—New Horizon Theater is excited to be bringing Williams back to the ’Burg.
“We thought we’d be able to still market to our usual market and also bring in some new people,” Meggerson-Moore said.
A pre-performance reception was held at 6:30 p.m. for patrons to mingle with one another and enjoy light food. The performance began at 7:30 with another reception and meet and greet with Williams following.
“We expect the show to appeal to different audiences, especially couples and they can expect a variety of good music. People will have a good evening and they will know that their money went to support a good event,” Meggerson-Moore said.
Williams promises the audience an unforgettable night of song.
“It will be a walk down memory lane I’ll perform songs like “I’m Dreamin’” and “Promises, Promises. You’re going to get classic Christopher Williams,” he said. “People can expect to have a good time.”
Williams emerged onto the music scene in the late 1980s. His 1989 Geffen Records release, “Adventures in Paradise” spawned the singles, “Talk to Myself” and “Promises, Promises.”
In 1991, Williams scored the role of Kareem Akbar, one of Nino’s assistants in the movie, “New Jack City.” The song, “I’m Dreamin’” from the soundtrack became a number one single.
Still high off of the success of “New Jack City,” Williams released the album, “Changes” in 1992, which birthed the singles, “All I See” and “Every Little Thing You Do.” In 1995, Williams released “Not A Perfect Man,” which produced the singles, “Dance 4 Me” and “If You Say.”
“The ’90s was a good time,” Williams remembers. “It was a time when Aaron Hall and Al B. Sure!, Johnny Gill and Keith Sweat and Bobby Brown and me all had hit records.”
However, as the 1990s rolled on, Williams faded from the music scene. He blames a “Falling out with his record label” for his absence.
Not one to sit on his laurels, the singer took a different route in the music business and began performing in stage plays.
He has been seen in several theater productions including “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” “A House Is Not a Home,” “The Clean Up Woman,” and “Guilty Until Proven Innocent.”
“I spent the last seven years of my life doing stage plays and they have been fun. I’ve gotten the chance to do every character from the funny person to the low-down man and all the characters have been fun and I’ve learned a lot of things. I love the theater and the things that happen at 8 p.m.,” he said.
He is currently in rehearsals in Atlanta for the stage production, “Loving Him Is Killing Me.” In addition his long-awaited, yet-to-be-titled album is set to drop this summer.
Tickets for the event were $40 which includes pre-party and concert; orchestra seating were $100 and included pre-reception, New Horizon committee listed, post reception and meet and greet with Christopher Williams.
About Post Author
