Richmond to Celebrate D’Angelo With a 90-Minute Hometown Tribute

D’Angelo’s hometown is bringing his music back to the heart of Richmond.

On October 10, the Richmond Folk Festival will present “Soul of the City: Richmond Celebrates D’Angelo,” a free 90-minute hometown tribute built around the songs, musicians and musical community connected to one of modern R&B’s most influential voices. 

What Happened

The tribute is scheduled for 5:00–6:30 p.m. on October 10 at the Center for Cultural Vibrancy Stage inside Richmond’s Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront.

Richmond musicians Kia Bennett and Randall Cort are curating the program, while longtime music educator and D’Angelo mentor Bill McGee serves as creative director. The lineup brings together singers and musicians from Richmond, including people with personal or musical connections to D’Angelo and the community that shaped his sound. 

Most importantly for fans, organizers say the entire performance will consist of D’Angelo songs presented in chronological sequence.

That turns the 90-minute set into more than a collection of familiar records: the music itself will provide the structure of the evening. 

Why This Matters For R&B Fans & Music Lovers

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For longtime listeners, Richmond is offering something different from a conventional greatest-hits celebration.

The people performing the music come from the same city and musical environment that helped shape D’Angelo, while the set itself is designed to move through his songs chronologically. Organizers describe Richmond’s mix of gospel, soul, funk, R&B and other traditions as an important part of the musical environment surrounding his development. 

For newer listeners, that also creates a natural entry point into a remarkably concentrated catalog.

Three major studio albums produced songs, performances and production ideas that continue to travel through R&B decades later. Richmond’s tribute puts that catalog back into the community where the story began.

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