“Though she’s passed on, she was there for the inaugural event and it was such a special night,” said Cedric “The Entertainer” Kyles. “And I’m just so encouraged by what I know the [Rosetta Boyce Kyles] Center will mean.”
When his Cedric and Friends Gala returns to the Peabody Opera House for a second year on Saturday, October 10 – this time with special guest Patti LaBelle as the featured entertainment – the experience will be bittersweet.
Cedric’s mother Rosetta, the inspiration behind the Rosetta Boyce Kyles Women’s Pavilion to be housed at SSM Health Care, passed away this summer after a long battle with cancer.
While she didn’t get to see the pavilion come to fruition, the silver lining is the memories her son was able to provide her from the first year of the Kyles family and SSM Health Care moving forward with the project.
Through the gala she saw the community show up to support efforts to ensure her name will be forever tied to the organization that provided her with exceptional care through her battle with cancer.
“She had been ill even then, but we got her there,” Cedric said. “She was looking great – had her little fur on her shoulders. And then we had that special message from Lionel Richie – who is one of her favorite artists. She was just floored by that night.”
It seemed to bring Cedric joy as he talked about her being recognized and sharing her heartfelt appreciation for the whole experience.
“It was one of the special moments of her life,” Cedric said. “And she continued to talk about it and felt blessed to have shared that evening with all of her family, friends and the St. Louis community.”
This year, she will be there in spirit as World Wide Technology and SSM Health Care present the 2nd Cedric and Friends Gala.
“We definitely want the city to come out,” Cedric said. “We have the amazing Pattie LaBelle this year. She’s an international treasure and legend – and you know she is going to rip it.”
The hope is that each year the event will present a new season to celebrate in memory of his mother.
“Let’s make this a fall Mother’s Day,” Cedric said. “All the young folks who may not have Patti in rotation, make this about spending time with your mothers.”
The black tie optional affair will also give families an opportunity to get in their “good clothes.”
“Come out and get dressed up. Put on your nice gear. Put on your nice cologne,” Cedric said. “This is one of those nights where it’s all right to wear your good stuff. You don’t have to save it for the pastor’s anniversary. Wash your car that day. Just making it a special evening and make it all about St. Louis and how we do.”
Cedric and his comedy cohort Jeremiah J.J. Williams will be hitting the stage as well to warm it up for LaBelle, one of the grand divas of R&B.
“I also really hope that they feel like they are spending the evening with somebody that they grew up with, a homegrown – somebody they know and love – somebody that knows the city,” Cedric said. “I’ve walked those same streets, and we come to have a really good time for a great cause.”
He’s asking for the community to show up and show out in a major way in order to expedite the efforts for the Pavilion, so SSM can achieve its goal of having the center completed by late 2016 or early 2017.
“This is a big push,” Cedric said. “We want the city to demand two shows. We want to be able to say, ‘We’re sold out, so we’re gonna have to stay over and do another one at midnight.’”
“An Evening with Cedric The Entertainer and Friends” will take place at 8 p.m. (cocktails/dinner portion begins at 5 p.m.) on Saturday, October 10 at The Peabody Opera House, 1400 Market St. Tickets may be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. For more information, visit CedricandFriends.org or call 314-951-2290.
