(PRESS RELEASE) NEW YORK — The Twenty-Four Karat Club of the City of New York announces that R&B and pop music legends The O’Jays will perform at the 117th Grand Banquet, Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, at the New York Hilton Midtown. The evening’s entertainment is being sponsored by Bulova Timepieces, a Citizen Watch America brand.
The O’Jays got their start in 1963 when Walter Williams and Eddie Levert formed a band with William Powell, Bobby Massey, and Bill Isles. Over the years, several band members have changed, but Levert and Williams, the original lead singers, continue to front the group, renowned for such chart-topping hits as “Backstabbers,” “Love Train,” “I Love Music,” and “Use Ta Be My Girl.” The O’Jays were the first black vocal group to perform in arenas throughout America during the 1970s and 1980s.
“The evening promises to be spectacular,” says Club Banquet Chair Myriam Gumuchian. “In response to members’ feedback, we’re hosting both the pre- and post-party in the Grand Ballroom Foyer, which is right outside the ballroom at the Hilton.” There also will be a lounge area nearby for guests to mingle as well.
Following the dinner and the O’Jays performance, the Club will host its annual after-party Bash, featuring high-energy dance music, open bar and, back by popular demand, the chocolate fountain. For those who prefer a slightly quieter environment after the dinner, a new “Sip ‘n Chill” bar and lounge will be set up in the West Promenade.
The Twenty-Four Karat Club Banquet boasts more than 1,000 guests in attendance each year. In 2015, the Club broke with its longstanding tradition of keeping the entertainment a secret until the evening of the banquet. Club chairman Jeffrey Fischer says the decision to announce the entertainment in advance has been well received by both members and the industry at large.
The decision to announce the entertainment in advance went hand in hand with the biggest change for the Club in more than a century: moving its banquet from the storied Waldorf-Astoria — closed for a three-year renovation — to the Hilton last year. Members and guests alike praised the Hilton’s layout, which allowed for easier movement between the various rooms and suites where different cocktail receptions and after-dinner events take place.
Cocktails begin at 5:30; doors to the banquet open at 7 p.m.