Keeping The Faith: Celebrating 30 Years of Music and Entertainment with Singer/Songwriter Faith Evans

On the heels of Black History Month and the beginning of Women’s History Month, the historic Town Hall will present Keeping The Faith: Celebrating 30 Years of Music and Entertainment with Singer/Songwriter Faith Evans featuring tribute performances by Grammy Award-nominated recording artists Durand Bernarr, Kierra Sheard-Kelly, and B.Slade, along with Chyna Tahjere, Ayana George Jackson, Matia Washington, Chenee Campbell, Anitra McKinney, and Susu Montgomery. Fifteen years since her last New York City performance, Grammy Award winner Faith will be celebrated and will perform a few of her classic hits, under the musical direction of multiple genre composer and conductor Damien Sneed, along with his critically acclaimed Orchestra of Tomorrow.

This year marks the 30^th anniversary of her debut album, Faith (1995). The songwriter, arranger, and record producer is the artistic force behind her nine studio albums: Keep The Faith (1998), Faithfully (2001), The First Lady (2005), A Faithful Christmas (2005), Something About Faith (2010), Incomparable (2014) The King & I (2017), her duets album with her late husband, The Notorious B.I.G., and her one compilation album, R&B Divas, featuring Faith, Nicci Gilbert, Monifah Carter, Syleena Johnson, Keke Wyatt, Kelly Price and Fantasia, from the hit reality series of the same title. 

With more than 20 million albums sold and counting, Faith has more than 30 top-charting hit singles. Her  voice has appeared on nearly 20 soundtracks including “Kissing You” on the Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album; “Somebody Bigger Than You and I” with Whitney Houston featuring Faith, Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill and Monica from The Preacher’s Wife: Original Soundtrack Album;  “My Everything” with Faith and Barry White on the Money Talks: The Album; “Best Man” on The Best Man: Music from the Motion Picture and numerous others. Faith has also made numerous guest appearances on singles including “Heartbreak Hotel” by Whitney Houston featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price from Houston’s album, My Love Is Your Love (1998) and the single, “Can’t Believe” with Carl Thomas from Faith’s third album, Faithfully (2001), both singles were nominated for Grammy Awards, respectively. 

“We will celebrate Faith Evans as one of the greatest and most prolific songwriters in R&B history,” says Melay Araya, Artistic Director of The Town Hall. “After hearing Ms. Evans and other virtuosic vocalists sing her masterful compositions in a hall built for the human voice is a major highlight of our programming season and a light pointing us towards the path we must take to honor and recognize the great contributions of Black women to the American Songbook. The fact that Faith Evans will be tributed by some of the legends who  influenced her is a testament to the respect and importance placed on her work in the continuum of Black Music history.”

“Since the release of Faith Evans’ first self-titled album on August 29, 1995, I have been a huge fan of her work as a phenomenally skilled vocalist, consummate producer, and a highly gifted songwriter,” says Damien Sneed, musical director of the evening’s concert event. “I remember meeting her for the first time backstage while traveling as Karen Clark Sheard’s music director many years ago. Faith is the epitome of musical excellence and embodies living legend status. Her body of work will stand tall throughout generations. It is a tremendous honor to serve as music director for her Town Hall tribute, along with a stellar group of vocalists and my Orchestra of Tomorrow. Friday, February 28, 2025, will go down in history as a night to remember.”