By Luana M. Graves Sellars
An American Idol winner and a Grammy Nominee. Sounds like the kind of entertainment that you would find at a huge event in a big city, right? Actually, American Idol winner Ruben “the Velvet Teddy Bear” Studdard and Grammy Nominee, Alvin Garrett along with his Birmingham based band, Just A Few Cats are performing live at Historic Mitchelville’s Annual Juneteenth Celebration. With that kind of big name talent for Juneteenth, is only the beginning of what’s going to be a great event.
When true talent collides like that, there’s no telling what will happen. Besides, that’s the kind of collision that turns into a good thing. Especially when it’s about to happen right here on Hilton Head.
As Birmingham natives, they met about 22 years ago through a mutual friend and instantly connected because of their love for music. As most friendships go, it started with a great story. One evening, the band, Just A Few Cats was playing a jazz set in a club. Ruben, while checking out the vibe in the room, said, “no one wants to hear all of that jazz. People want to hear some singing.” Soon after, he joined the set and the crowd went wild, to which Ruben said, “I told you.” The rest, as they say is history.
Since Just A Few Cats came together, not only do they “fit” well as musicians, it’s been a great time for everyone. ” When I’m with The Cats, I like to stretch out and just have fun. That’s how we always did back when we first came together. It was all about having a good time,” Ruben says.
The collaboration between Ruben and Alvin has been consistent and beneficial to both of them over the years. After joining the band, Ruben went on to win American Idol in 2003 bringing on Alvin as his music director and Just A Few Cats his touring band during the American Idol Season 2 Tour.
Nicknamed the “Velvet Teddy Bear” by Gladys Knight because of his smooth melodic tones when she was a guest judge on Idol, Ruben’s voice was instantly compared to balladeer, Luther Vandross. The similarity in their voices has been a large part of Ruben’s success. His cover of Vandross’ “Superstar”, earned him a Grammy nomination in 2003 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and he has been on a Tribute to Luther Tour since 2018.
As a performer and successful songwriter, Alvin, says that “songs grow from inside my heart” and has a shelf full of trophies to prove it from the Soul Train Awards, a Dove Award as well as a Stellar Award nomination for his work for well-known artists like Fantasia, Johnny Gill, Joe and Kelly Rowland, on top of what he’s done for Ruben. “I have a metronome in my heart,” says Garrett.
Winning Idol “totally” changed Ruben’s life. Laughing he says, “I mean, one day you’re grinding with your band doing local concerts and events, then the next day you can’t go to Wal-Mart without causing a riot. It was crazy, and it took a long time to adjust, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’ve been fortunate and blessed to live my dreams.”
According to Alvin, “Ruben has a very broad musical talent and a real conniesiure of various genres of music. Being in the band frees him to explore other types of music.”
Their most recent collaboration is the song, By Myself that Alvin originally wrote and planned to perform himself. The song was originally recorded by Ruben as a solo, however, Alvin says, “I couldn’t let it go.” Eventually the song became a duet with Ruben, even though, Alvin still feels that it’s “my personal manifesto.”
The song is included in his “new album, The Hill, which is very personal for me, because it reflects my personality and has become my favorite. I want people to connect my music to my name.” The title of the album, speaks to how personal the project is. It stands for Hope, Inspiration, Love and Loss; a project has been “a walk in faith.” I think that “it’s not about accomplishing the dream, it’s about the chase.”
So what’s next for the musical pair? Ruben says, “right now, I’m enjoying being on the road and I hope to start writing and recording new music soon.”
For Alvin, he has several songs that are topping the charts right now and says, “I’m looking forward to introducing myself, the man, to all of the wonderful people who’ve heard and enjoyed my music, but who still don’t know who I am.”
Fortunately for the island, we’ll get the chance. The 2019 Annual Juneteenth Celebration is on June 15th from 11 am to 3 pm in Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park.
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