Cushney Roberts began his working life as a Princeton University-educated corporate engineer but fate, and the bright lights of Las Vegas, lured him to the stage.
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Between jobs he rolled the dice and tried singing professionally in the casino city. It paid off.
Spectrum, the group he formed, have spent several years recreating the sound and style of The Four Tops in Las Vegas' multi-million dollar production shows American Superstars and Legends in Concert.
In recent years they teamed with Radiance, a vocal quartet which pays tribute to the disco and Motown era music of The Supremes, Martha and The Vandellas, The Crystals, The Marvelettes and other female artists.
“Spectrum, the men’s group, had own show in las Vegas but were starting to do more and more corporate dates, so while the men were on the road the ladies group was put together to cover,” Roberts says.
Together they tour Australia with their popular Songs in the Key of Motown show, which hits the Commercial Club Albury in late October.
Combining two shows is no easy feat. With such a long list of songs to choose from it is impossible to please all the people all the time.
“That’s always been our biggest quandary because the catalogue is so huge,” Roberts says.
“All the hits, and many of the songs that didn’t even become hits are so great.
“We managed somehow to cover enough to leave people more than satisfied … but there’s just no way to do all the hits in the time allotted.
“This is two established singing groups cast together – the male group Spectrum and female group Radiance – and each of them have their own 90-minute show.”
The combination ensures a dazzling performance full of hit after hit with all eight performers talking the lead at times, keeping the audience on their toes.
