FOXBURG, Pa. — Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts announces the debut of powerhouse vocalist, songwriter and soulful communicator, Anita Levels on Saturday, April 1.
The event begins at 7:30 p.m. in Foxburg’s Lincoln Hall.
Levels’ jazzy sound has been described as one of power, intention, passion and soul–in an evening of R&B, Jazz, Soul & Funk with a quartet of premier musicians.
There will be dancing at the back of the hall and beer and wine for sale.
Anita Levels brings her star-power to Lincoln Hall after starring in R.E.S.P.E.C.T.—An Aretha Franklin Tribute in Pittsburgh’s Kelly Strayhorn Theatre on February 11 and a Valentine’s Day performance for the Cultural Trust.
Anita is at the center of the dynamic performance scene in Pittsburgh.
In a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette interview regarding her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in the Strayhorn Theatre’s February 11 performance, Anita said. “I’m a PK [preacher’s kid], like Aretha Franklin, so you kinda just relate to that. A lot of our American iconic music comes from that legacy of church gospel, so I just feel right at home singing her music. I often say that gospel music is like my first language. And I feel that when I hear Aretha. When you grow up on American music, you grow up on Aretha, you grow up on Sam Cooke, you grow up on a lot of these sounds.”
Musician and composer Dwayne Fulton, curator of the Aretha Franklin Tribute concert, said of finding the singer to do it, “I thought, there’s a lot of great singers, but, who can really pull off and embody that type of prowess and legacy with Aretha Franklin? And the only person locally that I came up with was ANITA LEVELS. There’s a lot of great singers in Pittsburgh but there’s a difference between singing and putting on a show.”
Anita, a Texas native, grew up in a military family originally from New Orleans and lived in many places as a kid, including Germany, where she began singing at the age of 4.
“I was really blessed by that experience with different people, different cultures and music,” she said.
In 1991, the family settled in Pittsburgh, where Levels grew into a singer while also earning a master’s degree in training and development at Carlow University.
Mike Canton, Host and Producer of The Soul Show, WZUM 101.1 FM Pittsburgh said, “The first time I heard Anita Levels was on a recording by the collaborative group “The Brydge.” I was struck by her clarity, energy, and joy. It became a local-music staple of my radio program. The first time I saw her solo act live, Anita brought ALL of that, plus a new meaning of ‘crowd control’… we found ourselves fully engaged and participative, in her presentation. She’s a pro.”
Since then, Anita Level’s powerhouse, soulful, but lark-like vocals have graced national and international audiences, performing in London and touring the Netherlands with world renowned ethnomusicologist, Dr. Portia Maultsby, and appearing with the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival and in innumerable other private, public and virtual events in the greater Pittsburgh area.
This will be a night to remember with dancing at the back of Lincoln Hall with beer and wine for sale.
Tickets are adults $25, students $5, and may be purchased online at Alleghenyriverstone.org.
To pay by cash or check at the door, call to reserve at 724-659-3153.
