When the distinguished gentlemen of the Eta Boule chapter of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity bring Grammy Award-nominated veteran soul crooner Will Downing to the Sheldon stage in a couple of weeks, the performance will be a concert for a worthy cause.
While Downing is the draw. However, “To benefit young Black males,” is the tagline that appears as prominently as the headliner’s name on the promotional material for the May 17th show.
“I [first] tried to get Will Downing about three years ago and each time it was a conflict,” said Vernon “Vito” Bracy, Chair of the Eta Boule Foundation Concert Committee.
In 2025, Downing vowed to make it happen.
“I applaud him for doing that,” said Bracy, who is also one of the region’s leading promoters – CEO of Renaissance Voice Communications. “Some artists just move on to the next and don’t care, but that man has a genuine spirit of trying to get things done. I can see that’s why he is so successful.”
He also apparently has a heart for lending his talent to benefit others. Proceeds from the 7th Annual Fathers and Mentors Concert will benefit the Eta Boule Foundation.
For six years the Eta Boule Foundation has been mentoring young Black men, providing professional development and scholarship funding in the sum of $50,000 that is dispersed to 20 deserving Missouri HBCU students.
“Our mission is to help young Black men succeed and achieve,” said Bracy, “We are about helping the next generation. If not us then who will.”
They are also about meeting critical needs in the here and now.
Bracy is still inspired by the rallying efforts of his organization during the COVID pandemic.
“It was apparent that the community needed some help,” Bracy said. “We galvanized the members and in one week we raised $100,000 within our fraternity organization to give to the Urban League [of Metropolitan St. Louis] to feed the community.”
This act of giving will be framed around a good time.
“I think it will be a combination,” Bracy said when asked what type of show that audiences can expect from Downing. “A little bit of slow jams – and a little bit of upbeat. I’m sure he’ll have some of his oldies but goodies like ‘Crazy’ and all that good stuff.”
Guests will arrive to the sounds of DJ Quinn of 96.3 FM during the reception who will get the audience ready for opening act comedian Darius Bradford. Friend of the foundation and former KMOX news anchor, Carol Daniel – who currently helms the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ Save Our Sisters initiative – will serve as the evening’s host. The friendship between Bracy and Daniel dates back to early in his promoting days.
Bracy has produced and promoted concerts in four different cities. He started during his college days at Lincoln University. Bracy graduated from promoting and producing spring concerts on campus in 1978 to becoming the first Black man to promote at Ballpark Village more than three decades later. His experience made him a perfect fit to fill the role as chair of Eta Boule Foundation’s Concert Committee.
“I was very fortunate growing up in Harlem, two blocks from the Apollo theatre and always had a mission of [promoting].”
In those early days before cell phones and Zoom meetings, he amassed a rolodex of top acts like Cameo, Keith Sweat and Kurtis Blow. It was Cameo – led by frontman Larry Blackmon – who performed in that very first spring concert giving him his start as a promoter. Decades later, he is still firmly connected. It’s how he has turned the annual fundraising event into one of the leading cultural experiences in the city.
This year the Eta Boule Foundation will be doing something a little different with respect to their annual gesture of celebrating those who help make the region a better place. For the first time in its history, the event will be honoring two leading Black women for their outstanding community service.
Adrian Bracy, wife of Chairman Vito Bracy, is the current executive director of The Steward Family Trust. She was the first Black woman to serve as CFO for three different NFL teams. Michelle Tucker, President and CEO of the United Way of Greater St. Louis will also be recognized. The distinction from the Eta Boule Foundation comes on the heels of being named the 2025 Non-Profit Executive of the Year by the St. Louis American Foundation at this year’s Salute to Excellence in Business.
“The Eta Boule Foundation is made up of esteemed Black professional gentlemen and organizations and we believe in uplifting not only Black men but also the community as a whole” Bracy affirms. “Honoring women, in lieu of men this year, shows that very dedication to the entirety of St. Louis.”
An Evening with Will Downing, The Eta Boule Foundation Annual Fathers and Mentors Concert, will take place on Saturday, May 17th at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 314.534.1111 or visit www.metrotix.com.
Living It content is produced with funding by the ARPA for the Arts grants program in partnership with the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and the Community Development Administration.
