Tomorrow night will mark 21 years since Winfield James and family created the popular ‘Tribute to Mothers’ annual show.
Billed ‘Tribute to Mothers 21’, the show, billed for the National Cultural Centre, will take the format of a musical drama featuring a number of well-known local singers.
James, himself a performer, told The Scene that the show is designed for persons of all ages as it is “nice clean fun.”
Asked what has kept him going for so many years, James said the support of the public. However, he said it was becoming increasingly difficult each year to come up with songs to fit his story lines. In addition, the money he spends to ensure that the show is a success goes up every year, while the returns decrease.
But James said persons would call him every year and encourage him to keep making the show a reality and he just keeps going. He also pointed out that the amount of money he has to pay in value added tax (VAT) was a bugbear.
He recalled that it was 21 years ago that one of his brothers approached him and suggested he promoted a boxing bout. “But I told him that even though I like boxing I was not going to promote any boxing.
After thinking about it, and because it was close to Mother’s Day I said to myself that maybe I should promote a show to celebrate the day.
So I went home and spoke to my wife and then I spoke to my mother and they agreed,” James said.
From that year the show has been on every year. James said that without the assistance of his family members he would be unable to continue.
‘Tribute to Mothers 21’ starts at 7 pm tomorrow at the National Cultural Centre. Door prizes will feature in which all the stubs of tickets will be placed in a bag and pulled at random and prizes awarded. James said he hoped the winning ticket holder would be a mother as that person would be named mother of the night and receive numerous prizes. There will also be a few other prizes for some other mothers.
Tickets for the show cost $1,000, $900 and $800 and could be picked up at the National Cultural Centre. Singers this year include Czerina Ally, Delma Lynch, Pamela Gittens and Barbara Phoenix.
