By Kevin Greer
Lakeside Communications Manager
CeCe Teneal wowed the Hoover Auditorium crowd last season with her “Portrait of Aretha” show, a tribute to the legendary Aretha Franklin. Many who attended requested her return to Lakeside.
They got their wish.
Teneal will be the first Hoover show of the season with her “Divas of Soul” concert on Saturday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. Teneal wasn’t expecting a return to Lakeside this season, but was thrilled to get the invite.
“I know most organizations like Lakeside usually skip a year,” Teneal said. “We’re excited to be coming back again.”
Last season was Teneal’s first visit to Lakeside, and it quickly made a lasting effect on the Orlando, Florida, native.
“I love Lakeside,” Teneal said. “It’s one of my favorite places to go. My band and I sat along the lake and it was beautiful. Everybody was friendly. We had a fantastic time.”
Teneal also said it’s “amazing” that Lakesiders wanted her to come back. It’s something she tries to accomplish during every performance.
“Whenever we take the stage, that’s always my goal,” Teneal said. “I want people to leave differently than they came. We try to create an experience that leaves a lasting impression. It looks like we were successful in doing that.”
Teneal has been an accomplished and dynamic performer since 2002. She says she got her singing voice from her mother, who toured all over the world with B.B. King. Teneal was aware of her talent at very young age, but a music career wasn’t something she wanted to pursue.
“I actually rebelled against music for the first 18 years of my life,” Teneal said. “I sang in church because I had to, and I always knew the talent was there, but I just wasn’t prepared to fulfill that. I wanted to be ‘normal.’ It was kind of like a bug that just bit me at age 20. My mom is really the carte blanche as it relates to performing and singing. I guess you could say that that apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
Teneal’s “Divas of Soul” will be similar to her show last year in only one way — she will perform some Aretha Franklin songs. The concert will be a mix of some of the greatest soul artists of all time, with some disco mixed in. Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, Patti LaBelle and Chaka Khan are small samples of what Lakesiders will hear.
“This is a super fun show,” Teneal said. “Every person will know every song. It’s definitely a sing-along and dance-along show from top to bottom.”
Teneal had a great first impression during her first visit to Hoover. She was expecting a smaller venue, and it was the type of crowd she enjoys performing for.
“Everybody was there because they wanted to be there,” Teneal said. “I especially notice when I go out into the audience and I’m able to see their faces, I could tell that everybody was having a good time. For me, that definitely made it a place that I wanted to go back to.”
Teneal is happy to be the first Hoover performer of the season and is confident Lakesiders will have fun at her show.
“Bring your dancing shoes, bring your singing voices and come prepared,” Teneal said. “We’re coming to have a good time and start the summer off with a bang.”
