CHICAGO HEIGHTS | Internationally known R&B and jazz vocalist Marcus Gentry and his band, First Class, will make an appearance at Prairie State College.

The concert will take place Sept. 6 in the Business & Community Education Center auditorium of Prairie State College, 202 S. Halsted St. in Chicago Heights. The concert begins at 7 p.m.; doors open at 6 p.m.

Gentry will perform a two-hour show paying tribute to the life and talents of some of the great baritones of the past and present including Nat King Cole, Lou Rawls, Jerry "Iceman" Butler and Will Downing.

The audience will have the opportunity to learn about the lives of the original artists.

Gentry has performed both nationally and internationally in a variety of venues.

Throughout his musical career, Gentry has shared the stage with such musical greats as James Brown, The Persuasions, Billy Paul, The Manhattans, Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, Blue Magic and Bloodstone.

The cost for tickets is $20 general admission; $10 for students and seniors. Advance tickets are available for purchase in the Prairie State College Business Office during regular business hours. Hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday. Visa, MasterCard, and Discover are accepted for advance payment. Tickets are cash only the night of the concert.

Half of the concert proceeds will benefit the Prairie State College Protégé program, a mentoring and support system for historically under-represented men. The program promotes academic progress through mentoring, college visits, cultural outings, and various workshops aimed at overcoming common barriers to academic success.

For more information about the concert, contact the Prairie State College Foundation at (708) 709-3636.

- THE TIMES