“What’s Love Got to Do with It?” brings family-friendly entertainment to Salisbury
Published 12:10 am Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Stand-up comedian Johnny Hatcher or "Big Sugar," loosened up the crowd at Trinity Presbyterian Church. Brad Dountz/Salisbury Post.
Yulanda Carson told stories as her persona, “Mama Patience.” Brad Dountz/Salisbury Post.
Chris Robinson played the piano at the “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” fundraiser. Brad Dountz/Salisbury Post.
Men of Progress sang several songs to a captive audience. Brad Dountz/Salisbury Post.
"Mike Turner" made an appearance and sung a few songs. Brad Dountz/Salisbury Post.
The Phoenix Readers brought new life to classic songs by speaking the lyrics out loud like a poem. Brad Dountz/Salisbury Post.
SALISBURY — Named after the hit Tina Turner song from 1984, the Trinity Presbyterian Men’s Council assisted in sponsoring its annual “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” fundraiser on Feb. 17 for 240 patrons to mingle and take in a mixed bag of performers.
“Each year for the past seven years, the men of the church, we’ve felt like it was necessary to say ‘thank you’ to our women. Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to share some positive feedback,” Wilson Cherry, a church elder, said.
The church supplied an extensive catalog of acts for the fundraiser. Church member Chris Robinson played the piano before the Phoenix Readers read aloud lyrics from songs by Paul McCartney, Van Morrison and Eric Clapton. The vocal group Men of Progress sang both gospel and pop songs, while published author Yulanda Carson told riveting stories as “Mama Patience,” a “wise-cracking, senior citizen who prompts applause and laughter.” Phillip Glover, a Charlotte barber and musician, even dressed up as one of Ike and Tina Turner’s relatives, “Mike Turner,” to demonstrate his talents. The Miller Brothers were the lucky ones who closed out the night.
“Eleven o’ clock on Sundays is one of the most segregated hours of any day in a year and we wanted to branch out and invite some different entertainers, invite some different people,” Cherry said. “That was the purpose of this. When I look around the room and I see the many varied faces, I feel good about what we’ve been able to accomplish.”
One of those people was stand-up comedian Johnny Hatcher who also goes by the stage name, “Big Sugar.” Hatcher, a Livingstone College graduate, has traveled to 22 states during his career, but is only now starting to cater to a secular audience.
“I do a lot of corporate events, private events. Now, I’m starting to venture into the church limelight where it has humbled me in so many ways, so I can get out and reach out to everybody,” Hatcher said.
Before Hatcher went up to do his routine for the crowd, he was confident he would give them a spectacle worth the price of admission.
“I’m going to go on and do what I do best and give these good people a great show tonight and hope for the best,” Hatcher said.
Cherry said he was adamant in making this event as joyful as possible and that he needed to promote the more underrepresented aspects of the church.
“It’s a situation to bring people into the church and see how we do things. Church should be fun, it shouldn’t always be about shouting and praying and hooping and hollering. It should be an opportunity for folks to gather, open up, get to know each other, and share positive things with each other,” Cherry said.
