Raheem DeVaughn: A Tribute to Marvin Gaye

Seeing Raheem DeVaughn perform is always an experience. A grand experience, void of disappointment, heavy on anticipation. Every song is sung with feeling and soul, whether it be his own, or a Marvin Gaye cover.  

Raheem DeVaughn performing Marvin Gaye tribute hits. Photo/CD Brown

DeVaughn, and friends, paid tribute to the iconic Marvin Gaye at the Grand Theatre for the Performing Arts on the campus of PG Community College Friday, the eve of what would have been Gaye’s 83^rd birthday.

Flanked by a ten-piece band, complete with horns, bass and electric guitar players, two drummers and a keyboard player, the band’s harmonious effort mesmerized and displayed true, artistic sound to the very end.  

Performing Gaye’s staple song, ‘What’s Going On?, DeVaughn took the audience on a 1970s ride with sultry sounds revealing what he has going on. 

Perhaps the reason DeVaughn sings the songs of Marvin Gaye so effortlessly (it seems) is because he is working on another tribute project that will honor the late, great Marvin Gaye, born April 2, 1939.

"To perform his songs as of late brings me much excitement because I know the tribute album to Marvin is coming in the near future”, said DeVaughn.

DeVaughn and his friends performed Gaye’s hits with the assistance of musicians whose voices may beg the question, who sang it better?

Really. No kidding.

When the guitarist wasn’t having fun with his guitar riffs, he was improvising Gaye’s ‘I Want You’ – really, really well; falsetto-icly speaking. (Yeah, we made that word up).

D.C.-born artist, Yahzarah, accompanied DeVaughn as the pair mastered the Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell single, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.

Yahzarah’s octaves-for-days sent chills as she performed her solo version of Gaye’s Holy. She was bought back later to the stage to help the band sing a rousing GoGo rendition of Stevie Wonder’s iconic Happy Birthday, a song Wonder wrote to celebrate the birthday of history giant, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

But the night didn’t stop there.

While DeVaughn (with his multi-colored, rear-side designed, striped suit) was honoring D.C.’s native son, another fabulous group, The Voices Tribute to Motown (made up of a few members from the area’s Sudden Mpact band), was making headlines of their own. The Voices (appropriately titled) paid homage to the sounds of Motown, performing hits like The Temptations’ ‘Treat Her Like a Lady’. 

Lead singer Andre Jackson can rival any former, or current, Motown artist with his rich vocal ability.  The group’s signature red and yellow sequined jackets set an eloquent tone as The Voices performers sent the crowd into a Motown frenzy.

TV personality, and WPGC 95.5 on-air personality, Guy Lambert took the stage to provide comedic humor before the show.

“Some of you will get it (the joke) tonight, some of you will get it tomorrow”, he said to the laughter of the crowd. 

Upcoming events at PG County Community College's Grand Theatre include the comedy show, Laughs From Largo, featuring Rudy Rush, Tony Roberts and Just Nesh. The May 21^st event promises to have a surprise special guest. (We’re betting it won’t be this guy, but ya never know).