Park After Dark: Detroit, Michigan

All-American Music Tour

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Gate opens 5:15 pm | Concert begins 6:00 pm | No entry after 6:15 pm

Featuring: Eddie Watkins Jr., Motown Artist

Event Information:

Detroit, Michigan is known as the Motor City and the birthplace of Motown music. Eddie Watkins Jr. was born and raised in Detroit. He began his professional musical career at 17 years old playing bass guitar on recordings with the Temptations and Marvin Gaye. His funky bass guitar skills and soulful vocals combined with his 5-piece band will bring the sound of Motown to Sholom Park. Join us for the Park After Dark concert series as we visit some of the best-known musical cities throughout the United States. Experience the sounds that define the musical heritage of each city with live entertainment on the Sholom Park stage.

About The Artist:

Eddie Watkins Jr. was born & raised in Detroit MI, home of the Motown sound. Eddie started his music career playing piano for a bingo game at 10 years old. His grandmother “Big Mama” bought him a piano at age 7 and his parents forced him to take piano lessons against his will Eddie says. As it turned out they were right cause by the age of 13 Eddie had switched to bass guitar, joined the Musicians Union and got hired by the Jonny Trafton big band performing with seasoned local Motown musicians.  

At age 17, still in high school Eddie was noticed by legendary Motown producer Norman Whitfield at an Undisputed Truth band rehearsal. A few days later he got the call from Motown to play for Norman Whitfield’s new Temptation album Masterpiece. Luckily the year Eddie started playing bass for Motown is the year they started putting the musicians’ names on the albums. The Masterpiece album led to many more Motown sessions for Holland Dozier Holland (of Four Tops, Diana Ross and the Supremes fame) Marvin Gaye, The Dramatics and many more local Detroit groups.

When Motown packed up and moved from Detroit to Hollywood Eddie decided to follow in hopes of being part of the Motown L.A. sound. To Eddie’s surprise there were hundreds of sessions a week going on in L.A. and Eddie very quickly became one of the premier session bass players in town playing bass for everyone from James Brown to Barbara Streisand.  

Click here to visit the artist’s website.

Registration Information:

There are two types of registrations for this event: Coach and First Class. Please register with our event partners at Master the Possibilities Education Center using one of the links below or you may call 352-861-9751 ext. 1. Please Note: You must register each person separately.

First Class: $25 per event

MTP Registration Link for First Class — click here!

First Class Registration Includes: 

First Class includes admission and a special tasting menu from a participating food truck representing the food from Detroit, reserved area for seating, and you’ll skip the food lines with our new concierge service.

Detroit, Michigan Exclusive Tasting Menu:

• Mini Lamb Gyro and/or Mini Chicken Gyro
• Better Made Potato Chips (made in Detroit)
• Baklava
• Faygo Pop (made in Detroit)
Additional menu items available for purchase.

Coach: $15 per event

MTP Registration Link for Coach — click here!

Coach Registration Includes:

Admission. Food & beverage will be available for purchase. You may also bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Note: There is a 14 business day refund policy on this event. No refunds will be given if requested within 14 business days of this event. Please, no pets.