Legendary singer Lou Rawls comes to GPAC

By Stanland L. Bryant
Staff Writer

The GPAC will host one of America's most distinctive voices, Lou Rawls Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. The world-renowned singer's performance, whose career has spanned more than 40 years, is apart of the 2004-05 Nostalgia Concert Series.

Born in 1935, Rawls was raised by his grandmother on the south side of Chicago. He displayed an early love for music by joining the choir at his local Baptist church at the age of 7. He became interested in popular music by the time he was a teenager so Rawls joined his first of many groups, the gospel outfit called the Teenage Kings of Harmony.

He moved on to join four more groups after that until he was almost killed in a car accident while on tour with the Pilgrim Travelers.

After recovering he started working feverishly on the Los Angeles circuit singing secular music where he was discovered by a scout for Capitol Records.

From there Rawls went onto to record 60 soulful albums, receive 13 Grammy nominations (four which he won), and capture millions of fans’ hearts across the world. Hopefully, you'll be able to come out and enjoy this evening with a truly talented and timeless performer.