BET Taps Singers Kelly Price And Kelly Rowland For New Drama Series “American Soul”
Kelly Price joins the cast as a series regular, while Kelly Rowland portrays Gladys Knight in multi-episode guest star role
LOS ANGELES – BET Networks has announced Kelly Price and Kelly Rowland are boarding American Soul, the newest scripted drama series that chronicles the untold rise of Soul Train. The powerhouse singers will pull double duty on the music-based series, showcasing both their incredible voices and acting chops. Kelly Price joins the cast as a series regular, while Kelly Rowland will portray Soul legend Gladys Knight, who was instrumental in launching Soul Train to national prominence. Rowland will also record an original version of Knight’s classic hit, “Midnight Train to Georgia” for the role.
Grammy®-nominated Kelly Price will play “Brianne Clarke,” the extremely wise yet cautious head of the Clarke household. Brianne’s children, Simone and Kendall, are rising stars in Los Angeles, but she is wary of what a life as entertainers could bring them. Kelly Price has forged her own career path in music, when she first earned the reputation as one of the industry’s most sought-after songwriters, before becoming a Grammy-nominated artist in her own right. Her first two albums, Soul of a Woman and Mirror Mirror both went platinum and launched Price to R&B prominence. Proving versatile off the stage, Price has pivoted to the small screen as she recently recurred on Bounce’s series, Saints & Sinners. Price is represented by Lynn Richardson (Sunni Gyrl Entertainment) and Laura Pallas (Pallas Management Group).
In a multi-episode guest starring role, Grammy® Award-winning Kelly Rowland will portray the legendary Soul singer, Gladys Knight. As one of the first performers young Don Cornelius books for Soul Train, Gladys Knight proves instrumental in the national syndicated launch of Soul Train. Don impresses Gladys with his groundbreaking vision, and turns a would-be business transaction into a true friendship.
Kelly Rowland is a 4-time Grammy® Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and executive producer. A global pop star since the age of 16, Kelly grew up in the spotlight as a member of Destiny’s Child, one of the best-selling groups of all time. Rowland has blossomed into a stunning solo artist who has released four successful studio albums, which have topped music charts all over the world. Kelly’s beautiful voice and effervescent personality have also generated success in television, film and fashion.
Rowland has had guest starring turns on “Girlfriends,” “Empire” & “Being Mary Jane”, as well as executive producing her very own docu-series, “Chasing Destiny” on BET in 2016. She also appeared as a judge for the immensely popular shows, “The X Factor” (UK 2011 and US 2013), and “The Voice Australia”. Most recently, she participated as a guest mentor on the new season of NBC’s “The Voice” (US) working alongside Jennifer Hudson. Kelly also added a new title to her name as published author with the release of her literary debut “Whoa, Baby!” which chronicles the trials and funny tribulations of being a new mother. Rowland is represented by The Gersh Agency.
As previously announced, the series features a cast of multi-talented actors including Sinqua Walls (Power, The Breaks) who will play a young Don Cornelius. Series regulars also include Jason Dirden (Greenleaf), Iantha Richardson (This Is Us), Christopher Jefferson, Katlyn Nichol, and Jelani Winston.
Everyone knows Soul Train, but not everyone knows what happened when the music stopped. American Soul is the untold story of the struggle to make the dream of Soul Train come true. Inspired by the personal trials and professional successes of a young, ambitious and troubled impresario Don Cornelius, the 70s period drama is an unflinching look at the entrepreneur, his Soul Train dancers, and musicians set against the backdrop of a cutthroat Hollywood – how they work, play, rise and fall. The series chronicles “the hippest trip in America” and what became of one of the most prominent and groundbreaking television shows for African-American culture.
Production for American Soul kicked off on September 17th in Atlanta, Georgia. The series will bow in 2019.
For more information about American Soul, please visit www.BET.com/AmericanSoul.
(Black PR Wire)