Southern Oregon’s Rogue Suspects, with three powerhouse vocalists, will bring Franklin’s songs to life starting Jan. 15

By Jim Flint for Ashland.news

On a winter night in Talent, when the house lights dim at Camelot Theatre and the first notes rise from the stage, the room won’t just be hearing Aretha Franklin’s music — it will be stepping into her world.

Camelot’s acclaimed Spotlight series returns Thursday, Jan. 15, through Feb. 8 to launch the theater company’s 44th season with “Spotlight on Aretha,” a tribute to the “Queen of Soul,” powered by the Rogue Valley’s own Rogue Suspects. The band’s history, chemistry and sheer musical muscle makes it an ideal vessel for Franklin’s legacy.

The Spotlight series is designed as more than a concert. It blends live music with narrative, history and storytelling, connecting songs to the life and times of the artist who made them immortal.

For Greg Frederick, bassist, co-producer and co-manager of the Rogue Suspects, that theatrical intimacy is part of the appeal.

“I love an audience that is there specifically to see a show. It’s up close and personal. Sometimes you can hear them breathe,” he said. “I love that our music gets to share the stage with a theatrical component. It’s like we are all in this together.”

Delayed, not derailed

The Franklin tribute has been a long time coming. In fact, as Frederick put it, “This was a show that almost wasn’t.”

The concept was originally slated for August 2020, after the Rogue Suspects’ Motown Spotlight production became a runaway hit at Camelot, selling out its initial run, earning multiple added performances and returning the following year. Then the pandemic hit, theaters went dark and the Aretha show was shelved — until now.

“There wasn’t an opportunity to reschedule the show. Until now,” Frederick said.

The timing feels right, not only because audiences are eager for live music again, but because Franklin’s songs remain as vital and resonant as ever.

“Aretha’s music was a big part of our musical lives,” Frederick said. “The Suspects are a very diverse group of musicians, genders, ages and backgrounds, and Aretha hit us all.”

Three voices, one queen

At the front of the stage are three powerhouse vocalists — Shae Céline, Jennifer Abdo, and Jade Chavis — who share the responsibility, and the challenge, of honoring one of the most demanding catalogs in popular music.

“There’s a reason we have three lead vocalists,” Céline said. “Aretha is not an easy task. But with our forces combined we hope to be able to bring forward all the amazing qualities of Aretha’s iconic voice. She had a wide range of skills and so do the vocalists for this series.”

The song selection was shaped collaboratively by the singers themselves.

“We took into consideration the most popular hits, the ones that we felt most personally connected to, and some of the deep cuts that helped paint a more detailed picture of her career and life,” Céline said.

Audiences can expect classics such as “Respect,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and “Chain of Fools.” And there will be lesser-known gems that reveal the breadth of Franklin’s artistry.

Holding the groove

For Frederick, the instrumental backbone of the band — Jesse Kennemer on lead guitar, Dennis Johnson on keyboards, David Bolen on drums and himself on bass — carries a heavy responsibility.

“The audience knows these songs,” he said. “They know the lyrics, signature melodies, the bass, keys and guitar lines, and they know the beat. We try to give people the feelings they had when they first heard them.”

Still, he’s quick to credit the singers for delivering the emotional core.

“The heavy lifting happens up front. Shae, Jenni, and Jade deliver the emotion.”

The Rogue Suspects are uniquely equipped for this kind of work. Founded in 1998 by Frederick and Dirk Price, the band is now in its 27th year, with a fluid roster that draws from the region’s most experienced musicians.

“Over the years, I think there have been about 20 Suspects,” Frederick said, noting that members are working professionals who perform, teach, record and tour.

Depth on display

The band has played virtually every major venue in Southern Oregon, from the Britt Festival and Craterian Theater to 17 years on the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Green Show stage. Along the way, they’ve shared stages with artists ranging from Bo Diddley and Jack Johnson to James Brown and Tower of Power.

That depth of experience shows in the Spotlight format, where precision matters as much as passion. Rehearsals are intensive, the details scrutinized. Yet Céline said there has been something almost effortless about this material.

“This music comes so naturally,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s because my mom was listening to Aretha when she was pregnant with me or because I somehow relate personally to Aretha, but this show has come together so easily and just feels so right.”

Beyond the notes themselves, the production aims to illuminate Franklin as a person — her roots in gospel, her role in the civil rights movement and the authenticity that fueled her voice.

“I am excited to show the full picture of Aretha’s career and life to an audience that already knows and loves her music,” Céline said. “We will have our own flavor, of course, while representing the heart of it.”

The takeaway

That sense of connection is what the band hopes audiences carry home.

“I hope they get the same feeling they felt the first time they heard her music and that they are entertained,” Frederick said.

Céline added, “I am hoping they understand Aretha a little deeper as a person and possibly feel the realness behind her vocals, which I think had a huge part in her popularity. Relatability and authenticity.”

In the end, the Aretha Franklin tribute is as much about the Rogue Suspects as it is about the Queen of Soul — a meeting of legacy and lived experience, delivered in a theater where music and storytelling meet face to face.

Camelot’s Spotlight series opens its season with a show that promises not just nostalgia, but a renewed sense of why Franklin’s voice still matters. And if the energy in rehearsals is any indication, these January and February nights in Talent are likely to feel a lot like soul revival meetings — electric, intimate and unforgettable.

Tickets are $40, with rush and preview tickets at $25. Visit camelottheatre.org to purchase tickets or for more information about the Spotlight series and other Camelot Theatre shows.

The rest of the season

“You Can’t Take It With You,” Feb. 18 to March 15. A comedy that celebrates the joy of living life on one’s own terms.

“Sugar,” March 25 to April 19. Classic Hollywood glam meets musical comedy in a stage adaptation of “Some Like It Hot.”

“Three Tall Women,” April 29 to May 10. Edward Albee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama explores memory, identity and the passage of time through the lens of one woman’s extraordinary life.

“Spotlight on Garth,” May 21 to June 14. A boot-stompin’ celebration of one of country music’s legends.

“Kiss Me, Kate,” June 24 to July 26. A musical comedy filled with romance, rivalry and showbiz in a Broadway-meets-Shakespeare toe-tapper.

“Spotlight on Frank & Friends,” Aug. 6-30. A stylish salute to Frank Sinatra and his legendary circle with the unforgettable music of the golden age of swing.

“The Best We Could,” Sept. 9-20. A new play by Emily Feldman, chronicles a cross-country road trip that becomes an unexpected journey of reckoning.

“Spotlight on George,” Oct. 1-25. Celebrating the music and spirit of the quiet Beatle, George Harrison.

“Little Red Riding Hood Panto,” Nov. 18 to Dec. 31. A family-friendly holiday show with a playful twist on the classic fairy tale — filled with laughs, songs and lots of audience fun.

Freelance writer Jim Flint is a retired newspaper publisher and editor. Email him at [email protected].