'Opportunity of a lifetime': Centerville singer to compete in NYC's Amateur Night at the Apollo

CENTERVILLE — Tracy Howerton first started singing in a church choir in his hometown in Virginia when he was just a 6-year-old boy. Now, at 52, he is ready to perform Wednesday at the legendary Amateur Night at The Apollo theater in New York City.

The performance will be a big step toward realizing a music dream for the Centerville owner of a painting company, and a chance that he and his mentor hope will inspire others on the Cape to follow their passion.

After moving to the Cape at age 25, Howerton became involved with a band named Bittersweet, and slowly transitioned his love for singing into being a stage performer.

According to Howerton, despite the initial challenges of learning, he got better with each performance with the band. Now he believes he has been presented with the "opportunity of a lifetime" at The Apollo.

Since its debut in 1934, Amateur Night at The Apollo has become famous for introducing new talented performers to the world, such as a 15-year-old Ella Fitzgerald, who became one of the first Amateur Night winners. The legendary Apollo has also launched the careers of icons who include Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Sarah Vaughan, Dionne Warwick, Luther Vandross, and Gladys Knight & the Pips.

A little help from a friend

The road to getting Howerton there began with Gregory Baker of Mashpee. During the pandemic, Baker, Howerton’s friend and former bandmate, submitted a short form, some descriptions and a video of Howerton singing Al Green’s  "Look What You Done for Me" to the selection committee at Amateur Night. The video was shot in November 2013 when the band performed at "Live from Center Stage" in Dennis.

The Apollo's Amateur Night was delayed for the past two years because of COVID-19 concerns so it was only recently that Howerton got a call telling him he was selected to perform.

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Howerton hadn't known about the video submission, and says he got "very excited" when he found out because it was always his dream to perform at the Apollo.

“I am nervous, and I am confident,” said Howerton about his Wednesday show, saying his spot will be performing for under three minutes with the band there.

Baker also got Howerton’s journey started with the band Bittersweet. “I don’t remember exactly when and where, but I heard him (Howerton) singing and I thought he had a really great voice and it would be nice to put up a band around that voice,” said Baker.

“We were phenomenal, I felt like a celebrity with the band,” said Howerton. “Everybody appreciated my voice and I got very comfortable with the audience we were performing in front of.”

Tracy Howerton, an inspiration for other Cape Codders?

Baker, whom Howerton lovingly calls "Big Brother," said he believes that Howerton’s performance at The Apollo will inspire other creative Cape Codders to showcase their talent to the world, despite various challenges.

“There are people out here who are very talented but get negative feedback from even their parents because they don't want them to get into that field as they don't think they're good enough,” said Baker. Creative artists of any genre can easily get distracted by people’s negative opinions, he said, but it is all about believing you can do it.

“If you think you can achieve something, it’s worth taking a shot, because, in life, you never know what can happen,” Baker said.

In Howerton’s words, “If I can do it at the age of 52, anybody can.”

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His advice: “Never let anyone tell you what you can do, never let anyone let you give up a gift God has blessed you with. Anyone wanting to do anything with their life can do it, and I truly believe the one that endures forever wins the race.”

In his professional career, Howerton owns the Millennium Painting company. He has been working as a painter since 1998, offering services such as exterior and interior painting, drywall, patch repair, working on decks, power washing and carpentry.

But “my dream is to be a recording artist,” he said. “I write songs, but I have never been heard. After coming back from New York, I want to start performing original materials and be heard for a change.”

When asked about his favorite artists, Howerton said it is a never-ending list, but notable mentions were James Brown, Luther Vandross and Smokey Robinson.

After Wednesday's show in front of a live audience, billed by the Apollo as "one of New York's most popular live experiences," chosen performers will proceed to the next round of Amateur Night until the finale at summer's end. The final winner will get a grand prize of $20,000. The competition also includes the Child Stars of Tomorrow, who also compete for a chance to win $5,000.

In recent years, the Apollo Theater has increased its global reach by bringing Amateur Night to international editions in England and Japan, as well as offering live-stream broadcasts of concerts, talks and other events that can be viewed by audiences from anywhere.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Apollo theater's Amateur night chooses Cape Cod singer to compete