SUNDAY SOIREE

Tidwell’s time to shine

But chart-topping Joe was the star of the show

There are usually 52 Sundays on the Gregorian calendar, and in Little Rock, the one right before Christmas is usually given over to the annual fundraiser for the Tidwell Project Inc. If it hasn’t been said before - this is simply the most enthusiastic, well-attended Sunday ball in all the land.

The mission of the nonprofit, started by Michael Tidwell more than 20 years ago, is to bring more arts exposure to lower-income children and adolescents, and foster the training of those with a flair for it. This 11th fundraiser took place Dec. 22.

Little has changed over the years, and apparently, little should. It was once again held at the Marriot (previously the Peabody - so that’s one change). Nicky Parrish and her band, Kemistri, performed, as did the Tidwell Project dancers. Then it was the main act.

Two years ago the group brought in Brian McKnight, and last year it was Eric Benet. This year, it was Joe (Joe Lewis Thomas), whose most recent album Double Back: Evolution of R&B debuted No.1 on Billboard’s R&B chart.

The singer didn’t mingle with the crowd in the ballroom before the performance.

“Oh, no, no,” one organizer explained. “If he did that the women here would just tear him up.”

Tidwell Project dancers have recently performed at the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame induction ceremony as well as the Martin Luther King Jr. Excellence Award ceremony.

Tidwell is also a dance teacher at Parkview Magnet High School.

High Profile, Pages 34 on 12/29/2013

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