The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship announces that award-winning R&B singer Stephanie Mills will headline this year’s community concert taking place on Thursday, May 26 at Dwight P. Mitchell City Center Park in downtown Benton Harbor. Accomplished jazz artist Gerald Albright will open for Mills, marking the official kick-off of the Championship taking place May 25-29 at Harbor Shores.
The concert, sponsored by Whirlpool Corp., is slated to begin at 7 p.m. ET, and there are no tickets required. Local food trucks will be on-site with fan-favorite cuisine options available for purchase, and all golf fans, music lovers and Southwest Michigan community members alike are invited and encouraged to attend. Approximately 5,000 people attended the 2018 community concert, and organizers expect another large turnout this year. The Championship, which is hosted every other year at Harbor Shores, was canceled in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.
“The community concert is our way to not only welcome fans to our great city ahead of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, but also celebrate our local community members and give everyone the opportunity to experience the excitement of the Championship,” said Deb O’Connor, director of global corporate reputation and community relations at Whirlpool Corporation. “With the cancelation of the Championship in 2020, everything feels that much more special this year—and the community concert is no exception.”
Mills is best known for her role as Dorothy in The Wiz on Broadway (1974-1979). She also won a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1981, and gained 10 No.1 billboard hits and five No. 1 R&B hits throughout the 1980’s.
Albright is an eight-time Grammy nominated jazz musician best known for his gifted saxophone performances. He launched his solo career in 1987 and has been a core part of the genre with chart-topping albums, countless radio hits and as a member of many all star tours, including Guitars & Saxes and Groovin’ For Grover.
Local businesses and community leaders, including representatives from the PGA of America and KitchenAid, are working together to host and prepare for the community concerts to showcase Southwest Michigan to the thousands of visitors and golf fans who will be flocking to the area in May. For more information on the concert or additional community events happening throughout the Championship, visit SRPGA.com.
