FEBRUARY 20TH. MANY OF YOU WATCHED THE SEASON PREMIERE OF THE VOICE TONIGHT, AND WE HAVE A MUSIC COMPETITION SHOW CHAMPION LIVING RIGHT HERE IN OUR AREA. RUBEN STUDDARD, ALONG WITH LOCAL MUSIC GENIUS DOCTOR HENRY PANION, TRAVELED THE WORLD SHOWCASING THEIR TALENT. BUT THIS WEEKEND THEY鈥橰E PUTTING ON FOR THEIR CITY. IT鈥橲 NOT OFTEN YOU GET TO SIT IN A ROOM WITH SO MUCH TALENT. AIN鈥橳 NOBODY LOVE YOU LIKE TWO BIRMINGHAM GUYS WORKING TO KEEP THE ARTS ALIVE IN THE MAGIC CITY. IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME AS A YOUNG ARTIST TO REMAIN IN BIRMINGHAM. AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE I鈥橫 SUCH A STUDENT OF MUSIC HISTORY AND LEARNING ABOUT ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE FROM HERE, THAT LEFT AND NEVER CAME BACK. RUBEN STUDDARD, LONG BEFORE HE WAS AN AMERICAN IDOL WITH SEVEN ALBUMS. RUBEN STUDDARD WAS A KID RIGHT HERE IN BIRMINGHAM AT MY SCHOOLS, IN MY COMMUNITY, THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING WHERE I COULD PARTICIPATE IN AN ARTS BASED EVENT, EDUCATION, SOMETHING TO KEEP MY MIND OCCUPIED. AND IT鈥橲 NOT JUST IN BIRMINGHAM, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THEY鈥橵E CUT SO MUCH OF THE FUNDING FOR ARTS, EDUCATION AND THINGS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO DO AFTER THE SCHOOL DAY IS OVER WITH. WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO JUST GET IN THERE AND PAINT AND SING AND DANCE AND CREATE AND AND THAT鈥橲 WHAT WE鈥橰E ABOUT. DOCTOR HENRY PANION NOT ONLY BELIEVES IN HIS HOME CITY, THE MUSIC LEGEND WORKS TO MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE. I BELIEVE THERE鈥橲 GREATNESS IN A LOT OF OUR CITIZENS. AND IF THEY DON鈥橳 HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP AND GROW, THEY WILL DO SOMETHING. BUT HAVING A POSITIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO TO JUST SHINE AND EXPLORE. AND I THINK WE HAVE TO DO MORE OF THAT AND NOT BE JUDGMENTAL. SO THEY鈥橰E TEAMING UP TO SHOW THE 205 A LITTLE LOVE. I REALIZED THAT BACK TO THE SHOW. IT鈥橲 A WEEK BEFORE VALENTINE鈥橲 DAY. WAS THAT INTENTIONAL? I THINK IT WAS. AND WE AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO MAKE THE EVENING REALLY SPECIAL. AN EVENING WITH RUBEN SINGING LUTHER VANDROSS SONGS BACKED UP BY THE ALABAMA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, SPARKING A LITTLE ROMANCE. SOME INSPIRATION AND MAYBE A BIT OF MAGIC FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN ALABAMA AND IN BIRMINGHAM, AND ASPIRING TO. TO BE THE NEXT RUBEN STUDDARD, MAYBE TO SEE THEMSELVES ON A STAGE CONDUCTING AN ORCHESTRA. THEY GOT TO KEEP THAT DREAM. AND DOCTOR PANION TELLS ME THIS SHOW WILL BE VIDEOTAPED TO AIR NATIONALLY AS A TELEVISION SPECIAL. SO IT WILL BE A PACKED HOUSE AT THE ALYCE STEVENS CENTER. TICKETS FOR SATURDAY鈥橲 SHOW ARE NEARLY SOLD OUT, BUT THEY鈥橵E OPEN
'We have an obligation': American Idol winner, famed composer working to uplift Birmingham's youth
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Updated: 10:37 PM CST Feb 3, 2025
It's not often you get to sit in a room with so much talent, but 米兰体育 13's Guy Rawlings recently sat down with singer Ruben Studdard and producer, composer and conductor, Dr. Henry Panion: two Birmingham guys working to keep the arts alive in the Magic City."It was important for me as a young artist to remain in Birmingham," said Studdard. "And the reason why is because I'm such a student of music history and learning about all of the people that were from here that left and never came back."Long before he was an American Idol with seven albums, Studdard was a kid right here in Birmingham."At my schools, in my community, there was always something where I could participate in an arts-based, event, education, something to keep my mind occupied. And I think that, you know, over the years, and it's not just in Birmingham all over the country, they've cut so much of the funding for arts education and things for young people to do after the school day is over with.""We have an obligation, to provide these opportunities for young people to just get in there and paint and sing and dance and create, and, and that's what we're about," said Panion.Panion not only believes in his home city; the music legend works to make it a better place. "I believe there's greatness in a lot of our citizens, and if they don't have the opportunity to develop and grow, they will do something," said Panion. "But having positive opportunities to just shine and explore, I think we have to do more of that, and not be judgmental."Just a week before Valentine's Day, the two are teaming up to show the 205 a little love with an event featuring Ruben singing Luther Vandross songs backed up by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra."We wanted to make the evening really special," said Studdard.Panion hopes their show can spark a little romance, some inspiration, and maybe a bit of magic. "It's for young people who live in Alabama and in Birmingham aspiring to be the next Ruben Studdard, or maybe to see themselves on a stage conducting an orchestra," said Panion. "They got to keep that dream."
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — It's not often you get to sit in a room with so much talent, but 米兰体育 13's Guy Rawlings recently sat down with singer Ruben Studdard and producer, composer and conductor, Dr. Henry Panion: two Birmingham guys working to keep the arts alive in the Magic City.
"It was important for me as a young artist to remain in Birmingham," said Studdard. "And the reason why is because I'm such a student of music history and learning about all of the people that were from here that left and never came back."
Long before he was an American Idol with seven albums, Studdard was a kid right here in Birmingham.
"At my schools, in my community, there was always something where I could participate in an arts-based, event, education, something to keep my mind occupied. And I think that, you know, over the years, and it's not just in Birmingham all over the country, they've cut so much of the funding for arts education and things for young people to do after the school day is over with."
"We have an obligation, to provide these opportunities for young people to just get in there and paint and sing and dance and create, and, and that's what we're about," said Panion.
Panion not only believes in his home city; the music legend works to make it a better place.
"I believe there's greatness in a lot of our citizens, and if they don't have the opportunity to develop and grow, they will do something," said Panion. "But having positive opportunities to just shine and explore, I think we have to do more of that, and not be judgmental."
Just a week before Valentine's Day, the two are teaming up to show the 205 a little love with an event featuring Ruben singing Luther Vandross songs backed up by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
"We wanted to make the evening really special," said Studdard.
Panion hopes their show can spark a little romance, some inspiration, and maybe a bit of magic.
"It's for young people who live in Alabama and in Birmingham aspiring to be the next Ruben Studdard, or maybe to see themselves on a stage conducting an orchestra," said Panion. "They got to keep that dream."
