The O'Jays and Stephanie Mills to Perform at Playhouse Square

If the planet could choose one anthem to promote world peace, it could well be one anthem could well be Rock Hall of Famers the O'Jays' "Love Train"...a song as relevant a call to bring world cultures together today as it was when it was nominated for a Grammy in 1973:

"The next stop we make will be England. Tell all the folks in Russian and China too...

All of you brothers over in Africa, tell all the folks in Egypt and Israel too...

Please don't miss this train at the station, 'cause if you miss it I feel sorry for you...."

... ."Love Train"

Fans of Northeast Ohio R&B icons, The O'Jays, will be able to jump onboard that Love Train when tickets go on sale Sat., Nov. 19 at 11 am for the January 28, 8 pm O'JAYS and Stephanie Mills concert at Playhouse Square's State Theatre. (Tickets $62 - $102.)

Walter Williams, Sr., Eric Nolan Grant and Eddie Levert, Sr.'s impressive body of O'Jays work has spanned 50-plus-years, garnered four Grammy nominations, won American Music Awards NAACP, Soul of America and Soul Train's Quincy Jones awards, produced 24 Top Ten smashes and charted 59 songs.

While hits like "Back Stabbers," "For The Love of Money," "Use Ta Be My Girl," "Have You Had Your Love Today," "Darlin' Darlin' Baby" and, of course, "Love Train," landed the group in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2005) and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame (2004), what resonated with fans was the entire O'Jays "package"...one that included great showmanship, intricate dance steps plus incredibly dynamic and energetic live performances.

Through the years, the trio was blessed to fall under the tutelage of the late great choreographer, Cholly Adkins. They credit Cholly with teaching them the importance of overall showmanship and how to execute their steps while delivering songs live...no lip-syncing necessary!

Original O'Jays members Eddie Levert, Sr. and Walter Williams, Sr. have been joined over the years by several "third" O'Jays since the group's birth in Canton, Ohio in the early '60s. Eric Nolan Grant has been with them since 1995, debuting with the trio's chart-topping album Love You To Tears.

Eric had already been a part of the O'Jays extended musical family, but still had to audition. "Honestly, being from Cleveland, the O'Jays were our heroes," Eric explains. "We all looked up to the O'Jays, patterned ourselves after them. So Gerald (the late entertainer and son of Eddie Levert, Sr.) called to say they were holding auditions, and I got the gig!" Sometimes," he continues, "I'll get caught up to where I'm on stage, and I'm watching Eddie and Walt like I'm in the audience! Every now and then Eddie and Walt have to come over to me and say, 'Hey, sing!' After all these years of being in the group, I am still a fan."

Eddie and Walter's lifelong relationship has kept them in good stead personally, as well as strengthening their business relationship. The two met when Walter was 6 and Eddie was 7. They admit they had to "grow on each other," because "they were like two wild bulls when they first became friends". Walter says, "We probably could have had great solo careers, but I don't think either one of us could ever had been as big as The O'Jays."

Not only are the O'Jays devoted to their friendship and the endurance of the group, their community knows them for their work and dedication for many charities, in particular, funding for ongoing education. For example, the O'Jays' Annual Celebration Weekend funds The O'Jays Scholarship, which benefits Stark County (Ohio) students.

They are highly involved as well in college/scholarship fund raisers by the Tom Joyner Foundation; The Minority Golfers Association; Tim Reid Celebrity Weekend; Willie E. Gary Celebrity Golf Tournament and E.G.O.S. (Education, Goals, Opportunities & Sports). (The O'Jays also donated a song to a project by Dr. Neil Cherian that raised money for the 911 victims.)

R&B, soul and gospel singer, songwriter and Broadway star, Stephanie Mills, rose to stardom as "Dorothy" in the original Broadway run of the musical The Wiz from 1975 to 1977. The song "Home" from the show later became a No.1 U.S. R&B hit for Mills and her signature song and would be covered later by Diana Ross for the movie adaptation three years later. In the 1980s she scored five No.1 R&B hits, including "Home", "I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love", "I Feel Good All Over", "(You're Puttin') A Rush on Me" and "Something in the Way (You Make Me Feel)". Mills' 1980 song "Never Knew Love Like This Before" won a Grammy Award for best R&B vocal performance.

THE O'JAYS & Stephanie Mills:

Sat., Jan. 28; 8 pm; Playhouse Square's STATE THEATRE:

Tickets are $102; $92; $82; $72 & $62. On sale at: playhousesquare.org; 216-241-6000 & The Ticket Office.