photo by steed media service

Will Downing’s recording career has won a loyal audience of contemporary jazz and R&B fans via albums and concerts that have showcased his rich baritone vocals and unique interpretations of R&B and pop classics. The sultry soulster recently shared intimate details regarding his work and career at a recent promotional stop held at Sweet Georgia Brown’s restaurant in Detroit for his latest CD, After Tonight.

Fans will be delighted to know that the reknowned singer’s voice has not been affected by his serious health condition. Downing is battling back from a debilitating muscular disorder known as polymyositis, which has caused several lengthy hospital stays. His courage and candor regarding the affliction made for an emotionally charged evening in the lavish setting teeming with adoring fans. The room went electric when he graced the gathering with tantalizing teasers of what’s in store on his latest release. Every listener within earshot of Downing’s celebrated voice appreciated the crooner’s profound sincerity and humility regarding his illness and its impact on his ability to deliver his much missed sound.

Downing credits his family, friends and fans with helping him through the recovery process. “After spending three or four months in the hospital, I came home and we recorded a little bit, and then I got sick again and I had to go back into the hospital. And then I came out and we recorded some more,” he says.

“Sometimes it starts from the littlest thing. From not being able to wiggle your toe or move your finger to a couple of days later you can move [your] finger and you’re like, ‘Alright, I’m coming back.’ and that’s what carries you through,” he says. Amazingly, Downing did the majority of the vocals for After Tonight, his 13th album, from a hospital bed and a wheelchair. roz edward

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