Mount Zion AME Church is inviting the public out to a “fun and entertaining evening” of music and performance tomorrow afternoon, with money raised going to a talented young singer.

Walk Together Children presented by Ruth Thomas & Company Productions will feature jazz, spirituals, gospel and blues music, with special guest performances by local musicians Wendell (Shine) Hayward and Conrad Roach, as well as the Mount Zion Choir and Liturgical Dancers.

Funds raised from ticket sales will go towards a scholarship providing private vocal lessons to 13-year-old singing talent Angelis Hunt.

The teenager said he was “honoured” to learn the church would be holding a fundraising event for him.

“I was excited when I found out that I was the first recipient of this scholarship and I was really excited and honoured just to participate in the performance,” Angelis said.

The TN Tatem Middle School student has been singing practically ever since he learned to talk.

He said: “I realised I had a talent for it while I was in church singing with my nana and my mom. I just remember knowing I could sing and people would tell me.”

His ultimate goal is to “win more Grammys than Whitney Houston” and he said these private vocal lessons will help him to reach that goal.

“The lessons are important because I’m growing up and my voice is starting to change. It already has and many male vocalists can lose their voice, when they reach a certain age or grow it even where it’s better than it was before. I just want to learn how to keep it up.”

Local entertainer Ruth Thomas said she was happy to take part in the benefit performance in honour of Angelis.

“That’s what Ruth Thomas & Company do,” she said. “I research and write the pieces and Grace Rawlins, Leo Mills and Gary Phillips, we do the acting and sometimes we have guest musicians and dancers, but we never take money ourselves.

“When we perform in churches we tell the church that they can sell tickets if they want to or take up a collection, we don’t mind how they do it, but whatever money they make is for them.

“We have helped churches to raise funds to pay for a new organ or full repairs to the church or whatever. But this time we are particularly happy that the funds will go to help a student and young person and I am especially happy because this young person is involved in performing arts, and that is my first, second and third love.”

Ms Thomas said she had the chance to hear Angelis sing for the first time this week and was astounded by his talent.

“His voice is really worth nurturing and he has a strong sense of music and a very rich tone,” she said. “He also has stage presence and his interpretation makes you feel that he is singing right from the hear which is all wonderful.

“These are the hallmarks of a great performer and now that talent can all be extended and developed.”

She said she was ‘proud’ that the church had decided to support him in his training and hopes it will help preserve his voice and continue to improve his technique.

Organiser Althea Ratteray, from Mount Zion, said the purpose of the music scholarship was to help hone budding young artists.

“Particularly for church musicians, but musicians in general, we found there was a shortage of qualified musicians and voice teachers so we were inspired by that.

“All of our music directors in a teaching position have been non Bermudian at our church so that’s what led us to start a music scholarship.

“Angelis attends our church and we want to encourage young people, and young males in particular, and he shows the potential and we were happy to do this. He is the first scholarship recipient and we are hoping there will be others.”

Tickets to ‘Walk Together Children’ are $25 for adults and $10 for children 16 and under. They can be purchased by calling 238-0284 or people can take a chance and buy them at the door. The performance starts tomorrow at 4pm at Mount Zion, located across from Whale Bay Road in Southampton.