For a long time now, I have admired the singer and actress, Patti Boulaye, both as an artist and as a person. As well as the contribution which she has made to many aspects of entertainment, Patti is well known for her efforts on behalf of charitable causes, (motivated to a great extent by her strong religious convictions), especially in her native continent of Africa. As a person of faith myself, I look forward very much to reading Patti’s autobiography, “The Faith of a Child.”
It was a great pleasure to speak to Patti recently and to hear about her latest project, “Aretha and Me.” This autumn, Patti will be embarking on a tour in which she will be comparing and contrasting her own life with that of Aretha Franklin and singing many of the classics associated with the late, great soul star. The timing of the tour is perfect, coming as it does in the wake of the release of “Respect,” the moving film based upon Aretha Franklin’s life and music (well worth watching in itself).
On a personal level, I am looking forward to seeing “Aretha and Me” in Birmingham this Friday evening. Please check out Patti’s website https://www.pattiboulaye.com/ for further details and if you are able, get along to see the show for yourself.
Colin McIlwaine.