Fox Theatre Presents CHARLIE WILSON With Will Downing 5/7

Fox Concerts presents R&B legend and Grammy nominee CHARLIE WILSON at the Fabulous Fox Theatre Friday, May 7 at 8 p.m. with special guest WILL DOWNING. Tickets are on sale now and prices are $55, $45, and $35 with a limited number of Gold Circle seats also available. All prices are subject to change.

As one of the most distinguished voices in R&B music, Charlie Wilson needs no introduction. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native and former lead singer of the funkadelic brotherly trio, the GAP Band, is on tour tosupport his second solo album on Jive Records, entitled Uncle Charlie. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Chart and #2 on the Billboard Hot 200.

This album debut was a career high forWilson, charting higher than any of his previous projects, including the music he recorded with the GAPBand. 2009 was a stellar year for Wilson. He received two 2010 Grammy Award nominations for Best Album (Uncle Charlie) and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "There Goes My Baby," and a 2010 NAACPImage Award nomination for Outstanding Male Artist. In addition, Billboard Magazine has named Charlie the #1 Urban Adult Contemporary Artist of 2009 and "There Goes My Baby" the #1 Urban Adult Contemporary Single of 2009. Wilson also received the 2009 Soul Train Icon Award in November. "There Goes My Baby," spent 10 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B chart and remained on thecharts for 52 weeks.

The hauntingly beautiful song was written by multiple Grammy winner Babyface and Calvin Richardson, and produced by Gregg Pagani. Wilson's current single "Can't Live Without You" has spent 51 weeks on the Billboard Hot R&B Adult chart with 20 weeks in the top 10. The song was produced by the Underdogs, who also produced several tracks on the album.

With its classic vibe and cool groove, Wilson delivers his first-class vocals as suave as ever. It's no wonder Wilson was once dubbed "the de-facto father of new jack swing," artists like Aaron Hall and R. Kelly have long paid homage to Wilson's characteristic vocal style. Labelmate, Kelly, wrote andproduced the hit single, "Charlie Last Name Wilson " from the gold-certified CD of the same name. From Wilson's classic R&B GAP Band hits like "Yearning for Your Love" and "Outstanding" to collaborations with Justin Timberlake on "Signs" and Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams on the Grammynominated track "Beautiful," Wilson continues embracing contemporary music with his phenomenalvocal style and unique licks. "It is a true honor to be able to continue to work with today's hottest and biggest artists and as long as they still want me I am here" Wilson says of his career's longevity.

Will Downing is on tour to support his latest album Classique which debuted at # 22 on Billboard's Top 100. The album also debuted at # 3 on the R&B charts just following Eminem and Black Eyed Peas. Backin top form, Downing's sensitive touch is felt throughout Classique - singing, writing, arranging andproducing, the latter mostly in collaboration with his dear friend and much-in-demand ace Rex Rideout. Classique is quintessential Will Downing from start to finish, a quiet but emphatic statement on the strength and confidence this Brooklyn native has garnered as he celebrates his 20th anniversary as ThePrince of Sophisticated Soul, a career in which the man and his artistry have been recognized for excellence from NARAS to the NAACP.

Tickets for CHARLIE WILSON with special guest WILL DOWNING are on sale now at the Fox Theatre box office and all MetroTix locations. To charge by phone call MetroTix at 314/534-1111 oronline at www.metrotix.com