From the Tyler Perry movie sets to the Stifel Theatre, David and Tamela Mann continue to entertain and inspire. Their “Love & Relationship Tour, which stopped in St. Louis on Friday night, reached both comedy fans and music lovers.
The couple delivered love, humor and conversation through a blend of R&B, gospel and an open discussion titled “Fireside Chats.” The talk featured Laterras Whitfield, creator of the “Dear Future Wifey” podcast, and his wife, Ashley Whitfield. Fans heard a candid conversation about navigating financial pitfalls, loving with intention and blending families.
“And when you say yes to dating someone, you have to say yes to all of them and kids are all of them.”
Ashley Whitfield
“It takes a very special person to have a blended family,” David Mann said. “Because when you’re blending a family, no one should ever be able to see where the blend starts and stops.” He spoke from experience: two children from a previous relationship as well as raising Tamela’s niece, and two children together.
They shared stories and lessons while seated in a roundtable setting behind a glowing fireplace, with the St. Louis skyline illuminated behind them. They also spoke about how faith shaped their family.
“We will have a list that we tell God, and then if you allow God to use you, He’ll have a list that He’ll give you,” Ashley Whitfield said. “And when you say yes to dating someone, you have to say yes to all of them and kids are all of them.”
Laterras Whitfield reflected on adopting his nephew and recalled a moment before their marriage when Ashley spoke with the child and he told her, “I love you.”
“Ashley originally said she didn’t want to date a man with kids,” he said. “But God was using her so powerfully in that moment. She was being the mother he needed, and he recognized that.”
The audience also enjoyed a brief comedy set, where David Mann transformed into Mr. Brown, his infamous Tyler Perry character. He joked about the differences between young love and old love — based on how closely couples sit next to each other — drawing steady laughter.
He also offered tips on getting a woman’s attention, demonstrating by lying back as the stage washed in deep red. Only his silhouette was visible when “Turn Off the Lights” by Teddy Pendergrass began to play. In full Mr. Brown fashion, he poured water down his chest and then spit water into the air, sending the theater into laughter and cheers.
But while the laughs were loud and the conversations heartfelt, the music was the night’s anchor. The show opened with La’Kea Stokes, a multi-Grammy Award-winning background vocalist, performing “Who Am I” and “Good” from her EP Diary of a Church Girl. She delivered classic gospel runs over modern R&B production that reflected her testimony.
After her set, David and Tamela Mann returned to the stage with their love on full display. The first stop was the “Love Lounge,” where they opened with “Us Against the World,” singing to each other with a kind of shared battle cry. David wore a light-wash denim pants-and-jacket set with beige accents, while Tamela matched him in light blue denim layered with shimmering gold.
They followed with “You,” a slow-groove love song that invited the audience to settle into the moment. They sang to each other at the edge of the stage as strobes washed over the crowd. The groove continued with “Good Love,” a contemporary track with lyrics that feel like a blueprint for a healthy marriage.
After the “Fireside Chat” — centered on love, faith and gratitude — it was time for gospel. The St. Louis skyline faded into images of Tamela’s album covers as she took the stage solo, with David watching from the wings.
She opened with “You Deserve My Praise,” the stage glowing in sunny yellow. The lights shifted to lime for “Working for Me,” filling the theater with rejoicing. The lighting softened to sky blue as she sang her verse from Kirk Franklin’s “Now Behold the Lamb.”
She invited fans to stand and sing along, and they did, especially when she moved into her Grammy-nominated, Billboard-topping hit “Take Me to the King.”
Tamela closed the night with a gospel medley including “Change Me,” “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” and a spontaneous arrangement built around familiar gospel phrases like “praise Him” and “I’m on the winning side.” The songs flowed together like a prayer and a praise break. By then, fans were on their feet dancing, praising and giving thanks.
At the end of the praise break, David joined his wife onstage and draped a towel around her shoulders like James Brown, drawing one last laugh before the couple exited hand in hand.
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.
