Soul and doo wop music groups Ladies of Soul and Street Corner Doo Wop performed a concert Sunday evening in efforts to raise money for the Paul Robeson Performing Arts company.
After its 21 year affiliation with Syracuse University ended in 2010, the performing company has been without a home, and is only putting on performances from time to time. Sunday evening's concert featured the two groups mentioned above along with a dinner and dessert for 30 dollars per person, all in the effort to raise funds for the local performing arts.
Fans of soul and doo wop clapped their hands and tapped their feet to the sassy Ladies of Soul and Street Corner Doo Wop groups, who admit themselves that times for the arts haven't been easy.
"It's been tough," Vance Woods, a member of the Street Corner Doo Wop group says. "We have to solicit people to help us out, now that they've taken our grants and money, it's been very difficult."
The groups are making an effort to pass along the arts to the younger generation, and the Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company is something they want to stay open.
"They can take this to another level," Jodey Coan, another member of the Street Corner Doo Wop group says. "Where kids can learn and build their craft...it opens a lot of doors."
If the groups can have another outpouring of support from the community like tonight at Plymouth Church, they might have a chance at opening the doors to a new home, where they will be financially stable for the next generations of young artists in the Central New York area.
