Alonzo Russell will be back at studio 116 in downtown Brundidge Saturday night by popular demand.

Russell wooed the audience when he brought Sam Cooke to the studio stage several weeks ago. On Saturday night, Russell’s Legends of Soul performance will again highlight Sam Cooke, the “inventor” of soul but will also include Marvin Gay, Otis Redding, Barry White, Wilson Pickett and Percy Sledge.

Sara Dismukes, studio 116 co-director, said Russell has a beautiful voice and brings heart and soul to the stage every time he performs.

“Alonzo’s Sam Cooke performance was outstanding,” Dismukes said. “The audience didn’t want him to stop singing. We are excited to have him back at studio 116 Saturday night.”

Russell has a strong background in musical performance. Originally from Chicago, he started dinner shows in Gary, Indiana and on the Southside of Chicago that featured the music of Sam Cooke.

“I’ve always been a fan of Sam Cooke but the more I read about him and learned to understand him, the bigger fan I became,” Russell said. “My sole goal is to bring back to the forefront the music from Sam Cooke’s era. I want to introduce the legends, from Sam Cooke to Elvis, to the younger generation. I want to edu-tain the audience. I want them to remember – to learn about music history and enjoy the sounds of Motown – to provide the community with that opportunity.”

Russell said he will begin his performance at studio 116 with Cooke’s music from 1957 until his death in 1964.

“And, I’ll do the music of artists who came after him,” he said. “Marvin Gay, Barry White, to name a few. I’ll end with Percy Sledge’s ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ and I’ll remind everyone not to wait until it’s too late to tell someone that you love them. Tell them now, while you can.”