Long before Prince and the band Mint Condition, Stokley Williams was a Minnesota kid with a drum kit.
“It all goes back to my early years of being influenced by African drumming,” he said. “I'm just an artist who enjoys playing all types of music. It’s due to the culture that I come from, a culture that's produced so many genres, including blues and gospel.
“I just do what feels good to me. It’s all about the gumbo and I embrace it all. I love jazz, bebop and hip-hop – all of it.”
At 8 p.m. Wednesday, the musician now known simply as Stokley will bring his six-piece band to the August Wilson African American Cultural Center in Downtown as part of its Soul Sessions series. Tickets, $68, are available at awaacc.org.
Thanks to his parents, both educators, he was exposed to a wide range of music from an early age — from traditional gospel to reggae, funk and the pop music that evolved in the melting-pot region of Minneapolis-Saint Paul.
Early on, Prince was very supportive of his 1990s group, Mint Condition, and the Minneapolis native often invited them to tour with him.
During a recent interview from his hometown of Saint Paul, Stokley said he is looking forward to playing in Pittsburgh.
“It’s been awhile, but I’ve been to the ’Burgh before. I’ve got some good friends I’ve met over the years,” he said.
As the lead singer of Mint Condition, Stokley’s unique vocal chops are familiar to many R&B and soul enthusiasts. He is blessed with a high first-tenor range comparable to Smokey Robinson, with lower octaves reminiscent of the baritones of Johnny Ace or Brook Benton.
In Pittsburgh, his fans will hear cuts from his sophomore release, “Sankofa,” and his debut solo album, “Introducing Stokley,” released two years ago.
Sankofa, a Twi word from Ghana, means connecting today with the future.
“It’s all about the future,” Stokley said. “I’m still building, trying to sell people on who I am now – to poke people to make them feel something.”
The album employs the talents of hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg and neosoul star Wale along with the Grammy-winning H.E.R. The goal was to infuse a modern twist to his music, which blends African sounds with American soul.
During a recent stop in Baltimore on the Grown & Sexy Tour, Stokley was the the opening act for Jagged Edge, Next and the headliner, Monica.
Now 55, Stokley says he’s comfortable with his solo career and with critics who say his time has passed.
“My critics just make me work harder,” he said. “As long as I love what I do, people will still buy the records and show up at the shows.”
Timothy Cox (teacawks2@gmail.com) is a freelance journalist, Point Park University graduate and former entertainment editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier.
First Published: April 3, 2023, 9:30 a.m.
