News + Features
Opening Night at The Aretha with Sheila E.
July 8, 2021 · Updated July 8, 2021·By B.J. Strawter, Jr.
It felt good to be back. Blue drinks were flowing, boats were anchored and spirits were flying high as The Aretha hosted Sheila E for opening night of the Wednesday Jazz Series. This is the inaugural season for The Areth
July 8, 2021 · Updated July 8, 2021
It felt good to be back. Blue drinks were flowing, boats were anchored and spirits were flying high as The Aretha hosted Sheila E for opening night of the Wednesday Jazz Series. This is the inaugural season for The Aretha, formerly known as Chene Park and opening night did not disappoint.
Monica Blaire shined as the opening act on a night that was overcast and rainy.
Sheila E opened with a cover of Come Together by the Beatles to get the crowed going, then later showed love to Jill Scott with a version of A Long Walk, and you know the night couldn’t wrap without The Glamorous Life.
The surprise of the night was the crowd signing along joyfully to, a only the way Sheila E. could, rendition of When the Saints Go Marching In.
She entertained all evening while inviting fans on stage to dance and accepting a rose from a fan. Seeing her bound up the stairs to sing from atop a chair was delightful.
Sheila E did not miss a step or a beat. What a way to open up the joint.
Stay tuned for our pre-show interview with Sheila E here at BLACdetroit.com. While you wait, read our Spotlight on Sheila E. from 2016.
Filed under
Every question deserves a better answer than a search result — here's where this story leads.
Why Every Metro Detroit Nonprofit Should Be Thinking About AI
How a local workshop is helping nonprofit leaders turn curiosity into practical action. For many nonprofit leaders, artificial intelligence still feels like something meant for Silicon Valley or Fortune 500 companies. It isn’t. Whether your organization has three employees or three hundred, AI is quickly becoming another tool that can help teams spend less time […]
Althea Gibson’s Second Act
Most people remember Althea Gibson as a tennis legend. Fewer know she also became the first Black woman to compete on the LPGA Tour, breaking another barrier and opening doors for generations of Black women golfers.
Detroit Jazz Festival 2026 Guide
A local guide to navigating the Detroit Labor Day weekend jazz celebration.
Help Us Get It Right
This coverage is a community project.
Spot something outdated? Know a person, business, or organization this story should connect to? A story we should tell next? It goes straight to our editors — privately.