Saturday, April 05, 2008

Will Downing Shares Struggle On Speaking Tour

Singer Will Downing will appear at a new series of speaking engagements/listening parties in various markets to promote his latest CD, After Tonight, and to discuss his career as well as his health challenges. These events will mark his first public appearances since being diagnosed with polymyositis at the end of 2006.

Downing will visit Chicago, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Atlanta on the tour. Each event will be held in an upscale social center and hosted by a prominent local media personality, who will engage the veteran singer in a one-on-one interview before an audience. Still battling effects of the crippling muscle condition, Downing will not perform. Instead, the upbeat artist dubbed "the prince of sophisticated soul" will field questions directly from fans, sign autographs, and pose for photos.

Downing has made great strides in his battle with polymyositis. He completed After Tonight, recording at times from a hospital bed or a wheelchair. Thanks to hard work, faith and family, Downing is now able to get up and walk on his own with the aid of a walker.

Recently, Downing expressed his concerns that fans might not want to hear the details of his very personal health struggle. He said: "People are funny. Everyone has something that they've gone through in their life that is --or that they will go through that's devastating. And I don't know if people like to hear about another person's trouble, you know what I mean. I think Stevie said it best: 'I don't want to bore you with my troubles.'So I'm not sure if people want to hear my story. People'd just look at me and just say, 'Aw, shut up and sing.'"

Upcoming dates for An Evening With Will Downing are as follows:
April 22 - Chicago, IL — DuSable Museum
April 24 — Detroit, MI - Sweet Georgia Browns
April 29 - Washington, DC — Station 9
May 1 — Baltimore, MD - Reginald Lewis African American Museum
May 7 — Atlanta, GA — (location — tba)

In addition, Downing has just released another single from After Tonight called "Fantasy (Spending Time With You)," also produced by Rex Rideout.

By: Janine Coveney

Find more Will Downing CDs at amazon.com
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