Soul/R&B Legends The O’Jays Celebrate 60 Years With Final Tour
After more than 60 years of electrifying people all over the world, the mighty, legendary, R&B/Soul kings The O’Jays are set to embark on their final tour! Featuring original members Eddie Levert Sr and Walter Williams Sr, who have been singing together for over 70 years!
The O’Jays are touring history, a connection to an era and a sound that formed the soundtrack for the lives of several generations. In 1972, Gamble & Huff, a team of producers and songwriters with whom the O’Jays had been working for several years, signed the group to their Philadelphia International label.
With this magic formula, often called The Sound of Philadelphia, The O’Jays scored their first number 1 and million-selling song, “Backstabbers”, followed by more chart-topping pop and R&B singles including “Love Train,” “Put Your Hands Together,” “For The Love of Money,” “I Love Music,” “Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love),” “Livin’ For The Weekend” and “Use Ta Be My Girl.”
Please don’t miss this train at the station
‘Cause if you miss it, I feel sorry, sorry for you
This success propelled The O’Jays to be the first black vocal group to perform in arenas throughout America during the 70s and 80s. Eddie Levert Sr, Walter Williams Sr, and Eric Nolan Grant, who joined the group in 1995, continue to thrill fans today.
‘The reason that this is our last tour is because, between Eddie and I, our ages will be over 160 years old by the end of the tour. I will be 60, and Eddie… you can do the rest of the math. But really, we wanted one last tour to say goodbye to our friends, family and fans, and ride The Love Train together, one last time.’, according to Walter Williams Sr.
‘I was thinking that I would quietly retire, but our fans and my body weren’t having it…The love and physical benefits of performing keeps us on the younger side of our age. This tour is a celebration of all of our lives and the struggles and joys that got us to today. It is time for us to say goodbye and we would like to do it in person. Please come join us as we play the music we have shared together over the past 60 years, one last time.’, Eddie Levert agrees
Throughout their career, The O’Jays have achieved 10 Gold albums, 9 Platinum albums and 10 #1 hits. It’s been a long journey, but the Love Train is still going strong, thanks to the fans!
The O’Jays were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005 and honoured with BET’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. In 2013, they were inducted into The Official R&B Music Hall of Fame.
The O’Jays Final Tour:
July 21: Arie Crown Theater, Chicago, IL, United States
July 22: Arie Crown Theater, Chicago, IL, United States
July 29: The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, Detroit, MI, United States
August 6: Lakewood Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA, United States
