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Richard Torrence’s “Lord Why Can’t I Do Right” Shows in Oakland

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Everyone has a story to tell.

In the inspirational musical stage play “Lord Why Can’t I Do Right,” writer and producer Richard Torrence pens a story about faith, family, love, and sacrifice. Torrence’s debut follows two brothers – Kenny and DeAundre – who partner together to start a church, but both have their own agenda.

Drawn to women, money, and drugs, Kenny turns his life around after a near death experience. He discovers his true purpose and is led to preach the gospel, and share his testimony with others.

DeAundre, however, is a hustler who will manipulate any situation for his own selfish gain. Building a church with his brother is no different. He sees the church as a vehicle to expand his phony empire, preying on Kenny’s gift in the ministry.

The story that ensues may have you on the edge of your seat.

Richard Torrence, writer and producer of "Lord Why Can't I Do Right".

Richard Torrence, writer and producer of “Lord Why Can’t I Do Right”.

With original music and a talented cast of singers and actors, the play is what Torrence calls a “new generation Cain and Abel story.”

The 12 characters in the play “all have their own story but they all revolve around each other,” he said. “You see a change in each character, they grow in maturity, in their belief in God, in how we need one another to be successful.”

“It’s a very strong message that we need to share, because we can’t do it by ourselves,” said Torrence, who has a background in the entertainment business.

Having grown up in Little Rock, Arkansas and in the church, the writer/producer said he always knew he wanted to write a stage play.

“Lord Why Can’t I Do Right” is not just another church story, but has a message about redemption and “real issues that we deal with on a daily basis, and they need to be resolved,” said Torrence.

Directed by Michael Lange, the play opened in San Francisco at the Brava Theatre and will show in Las Vegas before coming to Oakland’s Kaiser Lakeside Theatre Jan. 30 and 31. Lange and Torrence connected through one of the writer’s friends from his hometown of Arkansas, Arif Khatib.

“I have a testimony, everybody has a testimony,” said Torrence.

The play will be showing Jan. 30 at 7 p.m., and Jan. 31, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., at the Kaiser Lakeside Theatre, 300 Lakeside Drive in Oakland. For tickets and more information, visit www.makeyoufamousentertainment.com.

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Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

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Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.
Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

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Oakland Post: Week of June 11 – 17, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 11 – 17, 2025

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