Valerie Simpson Plays Aretha's Greatest Hits at Poway Center

Aretha Franklin is recognized as the most successful female recording artist in history, with 112 charted singles on Billboard, 18 Grammy Awards, and over 75 million records sold. Her legendary career rightfully earned her the title, "The Queen of Soul."

Through A Tribute to Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul, Damien Sneed, Franklin's personally mentored musician, vocalist and composer, pays homage to the monarch herself. Among the show's cherished hits are "Respect," "Knew You Were Waiting," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Precious Memories," "Think," "Until You Come Back To Me," "Daydreaming," "Freeway," "Natural Woman," and others.

Joining the tour is 2021 Women Songwriters Hall of Fame winner Valerie Simpson, a legendary singer and songwriter who penned hits for Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and others. Together with her late husband, Nick Ashford, Simpson wrote such classics as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "I'm Every Woman" (included in the 1993 movie, The Bodyguard), "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand," "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing," and "Solid."

Motown the Musical featured many of Simpson's songs in its national tour. Simpson also headlined in a special engagement alongside Al Green at Broadway's Uris Theatre, (now the Gershwin), in the 1970s. Simpson's expansive talents have drawn adoring fans to her performances for more than four decades, whether together with her collaborator and late husband, or as a solo artist.

Backed by an accomplished cast of jazz, gospel, and soul musicians and vocalists, including Simpson's celebrated panache, Damien Sneed's multi-media tribute to Aretha Franklin is a tender and spiritual reflection upon the life of an iconic industry titan.

Tickets are available at PowayOnStage.org. Tickets are $45 - $70 with discounts available for seniors, student, military and youth (12 and under). A $9 handling and facilities restoration fee will be added to each ticket. Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more by calling 858-668-4797.

The 800-seat Poway Center for the Performing Arts is located at 15498 Espola Road at the corner of Titan Way in Poway. The box office is open two hours before the curtain.

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