Ten Years To The Day
Tony Wilson & Guests celebrate the Music of Michael Jackson
A unique concert performance paying tribute to the King of Pop a decade after his passing.Tuesday, June 25th at 7:30pm
EXCLUSIVELY AT THE REGENT THEATRE
GENERAL INFORMATION
All tickets bought for this event will be for GENERAL ADMISSION seating.
There will be no reserved seats available.
If you need reasonable accommodations, such as wheelchair accessible seating….
...please call our Box Office: 781.646.4849
Wheelchair Accessible seating is Available
DOORS OPENS: 6:45PM
START TIME: 7:30PM
TICKET PRICING
[Ticketing Fees will be added for all ONLINE, PHONE and BOX OFFICE purchases]
ALL GENERAL ADMISSION SEATS: $20.00
[Day-of-Show: $25.00]
YOUTH - 12 & UNDER: $10.00
[Day-of-Show: $15.00]
...Tuesday, June 25th at 7:30PM
In the early 1980’s, Tony Wilson (aka “Young James Brown”) began his entertainment career as a Michael Jackson impersonator, and was so good at his job, that he was approached to be a body double for Michael Jackson during his VICTORY tour. Tony eventually appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show and was crowned the Best Michael Jackson Impersonator.
“He (Michael Jackson) would use me for the decoy work,” Wilson said. “I would have on the dark sunglasses and a glove in the limo, and the crowd would come my way…so he’d be able to get-in and get-out!”
Wilson said he still has one of the microphones that Jackson used on his Victory tour.
“What a pleasure it was to meet and work with Michael; the bonus was that I also got to befriend Joe Jackson, who, along with my Godmother Martha Reeves, greatly helped me in my career,” added Wilson.
Michael Jackson will forever be known as “The King of Pop.” His music is beloved worldwide and his dance moves have awed audiences since the moment he stepped onto the stage. He has won multiple Grammy Awards and created Humanitarian Foundations of giving. “We are the World” and “Heal the World” provided millions of funds to people in need throughout the globe.
On June 25th, Tony Wilson—a personal friend of Michael Jackson who also studied under him—will be performing music from Jackson’s “Bad” and “Thriller” tours. The two originally met after Tony was asked to be on the Oprah Show and was distinguished by Oprah as the Best Michael Jackson Tribute Artist. Promoter Don King and Joe Jackson, Michael’s father, saw Tony perform and asked him to be Michael Jackson’s body double. Tony accepted and became close friends with Michael Jackson and his family. In fact, Michael gave Tony one of his iconic crystal white gloves, hat, pants, belt, shirt and shoes—all of which will be on display for the audience at The Regent Theatre event. In addition to songs from Jackson’s instantly recognizable repertoire, Wilson will sing the song he personally wrote and performed for Michael entitled, “We Call Him Peter Pan.”
After Jackson’s untimely death, his family put together a tribute CD and portrait for which close friends and artists collaborated, including Diana Ross, Adam Lambert, Dionne Warwick, Jermaine Jackson, Gladys Knight, and others. Tony Wilson contributed “We Call Him Peter Pan” to the recording along with a new song, “A Dot for the King.”
This is a one-time performance to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009, while also celebrating African-American Music Appreciation Month. Come hear Tony Wilson perform Jackson’s iconic songs and dance moves and talk about his relationship to the “King of Pop.” Plus, during this all ages, interactive, family show, Wilson will be inviting children and adults onstage, if they would like to dance along with him. It is not to be missed!
ABOUT TONY WILSON
Tony Wilson, endorsed as the YOUNG JAMES BROWN by the Godfather of Soul himself, is a Chicago native, and has entertainment in his blood. Since a teen, Tony has been performing and electrifying audiences with his own style, showmanship, charisma and especially, his dance moves.
In his 20’s, Tony began entering contests at the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem and other venues. Tony was actually crowned the Best Michael Jackson Entertainer, and asked to be on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson’s father, took an interest in and liking to Tony.
From that landmark appearance on Oprah, Tony’s life changed. Soon, major entertainers such as James Brown himself were calling on him for movie roles, to be a stand-in, or to even back them with his band. James Brown saw Tony perform, and was so impressed with his unique style and showmanship, he asked Tony to be in Tony Scott’s Internet-only short film Beat the Devil. Additionally, at James Brown’s behest, Tony was personally selected by James Brown to portray the Young James Brown in Funk Blast.
But James Brown was not the only celebrity seeking Tony’s talent; in fact, Tony was not only making a reputation for himself as a versatile singer who could harmonize with the best and belt out anything from Nat King Cole to Barry Manilow; Tony was not only being recognized for his unbelievable moves and grooves—such as moon-walking on his head, doing flips into splits, or spinning 4-5 times around like Michael Jackson—Tony was being recognized by his own peers, celebrities and political leaders, for his musical direction composition and dedication to children.
Tony Wilson resides in Chicago, and is currently the front man for the original James Brown Band.