On Monday, August 16, the 28th annuAl Martin Luther King, Jr. Concert Series at Wingate Field, hosted by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, will host a special night of gospel music, with performances by BeBe and CeCe Winans, and Fred Hammond. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Concert Series in Crown Heights/Central Brooklyn and the Seaside Summer Concert Series at Coney Island have entertained hundreds of thousands of residents over the past three decades and remain the largest free concert series in the New York metropolitan area.
"Brooklyn is proud home to everyone from everywhere, so there is no better place in the world to enjoy music-the universal language," said
BP Markowitz. "That's why I have been so proud to host free concerts at Coney Island for more than three decades, and in Central Brooklyn for 28 years. From Seaside's stellar lineup of
John Legend,
Neil Sedaka,
The Beach Boys and the
B-52s, to MLK's
George Clinton,
Toni Braxton and Sean Paul, Brooklyn is once again the place to be for hot fun in the summertime."
The brother-sister duo of BeBe and CeCe Winans carries a great lineage as members of the gospel dynasty The Winans. They have had individual success, but nothing compares to the magic that is sparked by their musical union. They've sold more than five million records, while picking up five Grammy Awards, eight Dove Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, a Soul Train Music Award and more than 12 Stellar Awards.
They have had solo success, as well. CeCe earned several Grammys, released eight CDs and became the first African American woman to receive a Dove Award for best female vocalist. BeBe earned numerous awards, penned hits for other artists and released six solo projects. He also honed his acting skills, co-starring in the Broadway play The Color Purple and serving as one of the judges of BET's Sunday Best.
For more than 21 years, gospel listeners around the world have known Fred Hammond as a talented songwriter, bassist and vocalist. His work with Face to
Face Productions Corporation, of which he is both founder and CEO, has earned him the title "The Babyface of Gospel." As a solo artist and member of the pioneering urban group Commissioned, he has sold nearly 2 million albums. Since retiring from that group in 1995, his work with Radical for Christ has made him a mainstay on the Billboard Gospel Chart top 10.
The Seaside Summer Concert Series, now in its 32nd year, is the largest free outdoor music series in New York. Throughout the years, the Thursday night series has attracted top name classic rock, pop, oldies, contemporary and Latin performers to Asser Levy/Seaside Park, at West 5th Avenue and Surf Avenue in Coney Island. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Chair rentals will be available for $5, or concertgoers can bring their own chairs.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Concert Series is celebrating its spectacular 28th season with a star-studded lineup of gospel, classic soul, contemporary, Caribbean and R&B artists. The free concerts begin 7:30 p.m. Monday nights at Wingate Field, entrances on Brooklyn Avenue between Rutland Road and Winthrop Street. Seating is limited so attendees should bring chairs.
Performers are subject to change without notice. Call the concert hotline for updates at 718-222-0600, or visit
www.brooklynconcerts.com.
