The O’Jays will perform their hits and classics one last time. The legendary R&B group (Eddie Levert, Sr. Walter Williams, Sr. and Eric Nolan Grant) has announced dates for their farewell tour.
Dubbed Last Stop On The Love Train, the 12-date tour kicks off Friday, June, 17 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The O’Jays will play in cities across the U.S., including Columbia, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta. The tour will conclude Thursday, Sept. 8 in Memphis, Tennessee.
Williams jokingly said in a statement, “The reason that this is our last tour is because, between Eddie and I, our ages will be over 160 years old by the end of the tour. I will be 60, and Eddie… you can do the rest of the math. But really, we wanted one last tour to say goodbye to our friends, family and fans, and ride The Love Train together, one last time.”
Levert added, “I was thinking that I would quietly retire, but our fans and my body weren’t having it…The love and physical benefits of performing keeps us on the younger side of our age. This tour is a celebration of all of our lives and the struggles and joys that got us to today. It is time for us to say goodbye and we would like to do it in person. Please come join us as we play the music we have shared together over the past 60 years, one last time.”
In 2019, The O’Jays released their final album, The Last Word. The album includes production by Steve Greenberg, Mike Mangini, Betty Wright and Sam Hollander, as well as songwriting support from Bruno Mars (“Enjoy Yourself”).
“I look at what is going on in the world and not much seems to have changed from when we first started doing this,” said Levert. “We are still dealing with the same issues. On this album, we addressed those issues as well as the intolerance we see coming out of the Trump Administration on a daily basis. We also offer a solution. That solution is to combat hatred with love and acceptance.”
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Williams added, “I want to believe things will eventually change but we have a long way to go. With this final album, we are providing a soundtrack for those that are speaking truth to power and encouraging people to come together through love.”
For six decades, The O’Jays have gifted the world with timeless music, including “Love Train,” “Back Stabbers,” “For The Love of Money,” “Stairway to Heaven,” “I Love Music,” “Use Ta Be My Girl” and many more.
Their extensive discography includes nine platinum albums, 10 gold albums and 10 number-one hits. In 2005, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
See The O’Jay’s farewell tour dates below.
The O’Jays 2022 Farewell Tour Dates
Jun 17 — Philadelphia, PA @ ExCITe Center
Jun 18 — Columbus, OH @ Columbus Commons
Jun 19 — Baltimore, MD @ AFRAM Festival
Jul 4 — Cambden, NJ @ Wiggins Park
Jul 21 — Chicago, IL @ Arie Crown Theater
Jul 22 — Chicago, IL @ Arie Crown Theater
Jul 23 — Cincinnati, OH @ Cincinatti Music Festival
Jul 29 — Detroit, MI @ The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre
Aug 6 — Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
Aug 12 — New York, NY @ Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden
Aug 13 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
Sep 8 — Memphis, TN @ Orpheum Theatre
Tickets are on sale now on The O’Jay’s website.
