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Ruben Studdard headlines Roswell Roots celebration at Cultural Arts Center
Summary
Singer Ruben Studdard performed a set drawn from gospel and family influences at the Cultural Arts Center in Roswell as part of Roswell Roots, a long-running Black History Month series now in its 24th year, organizers and attendees said.
Ruben Studdard, singer and American Idol winner, performed at the Cultural Arts Center in Roswell as part of Roswell Roots, an event series celebrating Black history, culture and art in the city.
Organizers and attendees said Roswell Roots, now in its 24th year, presents local and national artists; Studdard described the evening as a personal, family- and church-oriented program. "This show is kinda like my mom's music celebration," Studdard said, adding that his earliest musical influence was church and that he grew up "at Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church, which is in Birmingham, Alabama." He called American Idol "the biggest television show" of his youth and said, "To have that platform be the place where you're introduced to the world is a blessing and almost like a miracle."
The performance drew positive reaction from attendees. One attendee called Roswell Roots "a celebration of black history, culture, and art within the city of Roswell," and another said, "Roswell Roots to me is something that touches my heart." Audience members described the Cultural Arts Center as an intimate venue that allowed close engagement with the performer: "it's like such an intimate venue, and you get to really be a part of it. It was a great night," an attendee said.
Several attendees referenced Studdard's long-running public profile. "I've watched Ruben Studdard from when he was on American Idol, and it was just a treat. He was fantastic," one attendee said, while another praised his vocals and sense of humor. An attendee thanked Roswell Roots and the city of Roswell and described the event as "just a fabulous event, 24 years, looking for 25."
The event featured songs drawn from Studdard's childhood influences and family record collection, blending gospel and other genres. Attendees described the show as lively and personal; organizers and speakers emphasized Roswell Roots' role in marking Black History Month through local programming.
