Original image by There Stands the Glass.
My 40-year appreciation of Angela Winbush came full circle at the Juneteenth KC festival on Saturday, June 18. Hits including "I'll Be Good" and "Angel" were among my favorite songs of the ‘80s. I was reminded of my abiding affection for the R&B of that era when the sound was regularly repurposed by rap artists two decades later. While I had reservations about going to the Jazz District on Saturday- would it be appropriate for me to join thousands of people at the free celebration?- my endorsement of the federal holiday and my love of the music won out. I’m so glad. Winbush’s outing was the first oldies concert I’ve attended at which I didn’t feel the slightest bit of ironic detachment. The 67-year-old cancer survivor executed low squats and high kicks. And she still sings circles around musical heirs like Mariah Carey. Nostalgia was a secondary factor in the joy I felt on Saturday.