By Warren Roseborough

The ballads of Keith Sweat and Joe meshed with the powerful vocals of Tamia to produce an evening to remember at the Classic Music Festival at the Lander’s Center in Southaven on Saturday night.

Up first was Tamia, who made her singing debut with Quincy Jones and has been getting down ever since. The wife of retired NBA great Grant Hill, Tamia treated concert-goers to a voice that is a thing of beauty.

Next up was Joe. There clearly was a contingent of people for whom he was the object of their drive to Southaven for the concert. They went wild. Joe rolled through his old and new songs, wooing many throughout a stellar performance.

Although all three performers could easily fit the bill as a headliner, that honor went to the seemingly ageless Keith Sweat. Think fun and romance and you’ve got the backdrop for his performance, which unfolded with an onstage and Sweat asking for a “Hen” – yes, as in Hennessy.

And, as is a staple of his shows, Sweat brought the ladies onto the stage. From my vantage point, the Classic Music Festival was a 5-star night worthy of the Southern Heritage Classic @ 30.

This article originally appeared in the New Tri-State Defender

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