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Grammy Award-winner Maxwell and R&B singer-songwriter Raheem DeVaughn are among the headliners for Gov.-elect Wes Moore’s inaugural gala in Baltimore, the organizing committee announced Thursday.
Additional performances by beloved local R&B group Dru Hill, Baltimore trumpeter Brandon Woody, ballerina Caroline Rocher Barnes, the Morton Street Dance Center, the University of Maryland Bhangra dance group and EntouRAAS dance team, The Peabody Jazz Institute, Benjamin Gates, and the Top Tier Shiners are also scheduled for the Jan. 18 gala to celebrate Moore and Lt. Gov.-elect Aruna Miller.
The committee announced last week that DJ D-Nice, DJ QuickSilva, DJ Tanz and DJ Kristin would also perform at the event, known as the People’s Ball.
”I’ve maintained from the start that this inauguration is not about us — it’s about all Marylanders,” Moore said in a statement. “That’s why I couldn’t be more excited to celebrate with some of Maryland’s brightest artists, and to welcome other entertainers from across the country to our great state.”
A slew of Maryland talent will be showcased earlier in the day during the swearing-in ceremony: singer Parijita Bastola, a recent contestant on “The Voice”; the Morgan State University Choir; Maryland National Guard Choir and Band; U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club; Coach G Academy, Inc.; Meki’s Tamure Polynesian Arts Group, Inc.; Cultura Plenera; The Sensational Royal Lights; Bowie High School Marching Bulldogs; and the Clarksburg High School Chamber Choir.
The wreath-laying ceremony and prayer walk on the day of the inauguration will feature a performance by Maryland spoken word artist Lady Brion.
The committee will host An Evening of Faith and Community on Sunday, Jan. 15, featuring performances by gospel singer Yolanda Adams and soloist Wintley Phipps. They will be joined by Maryland artists Lily Grace, the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers, TAGE on Steel, the Asian American and Pacific Islander Youth Choir, the Piscataway Conoy Tribe, JJ Hairston, and Anthony Brown & group therAPy.
The Moore campaign is holding a Day of Service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 16.
penelope.blackwell@thebaltimorebanner.com
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Penelope Blackwell is a Breaking News reporter with The Banner. Previously, she covered local government in Durham, NC, for The News & Observer. She received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Morgan State University and her master’s in journalism from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.
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