Tony Powell, who once worked with Michael Jackson, now teaches music in a building that once held Lansing’s prisoners
LANSING, Ill. (June 13, 2024) – In the last 120 years, the building at 3408 Lake Street has been a professional home for mayors, clerks, police officers, nurses, firefighters, public works employees, chamber of commerce staff, and most recently, Visible Music College staff and students. Now, the storied structure has become the home of the Lansing Performing Arts Center, an organization dedicated to music education in the local community.
Education at Lansing Performing Arts Center
Run by husband and wife Tony and Ruby Powell, the Lansing Performing Arts Center (LPAC) started shortly after Visible Music College vacated 3408 Lake Street last year. Tony Powell was a vocal teacher with Visible and developed a group of students outside of the college as well. The Powells said when Visible left last summer, the Village of Lansing — which owns the building — offered them use of it.
“We prayed, thought, and decided to name it the Lansing Performing Arts Center,” Tony Powell said. “We believe we’re supposed to be here.”
Building on the work Visible had done to make the space suitable for music education, the Powells have created a state-of-the-art recording studio, and worked to make the classrooms, performance space, and other spaces in the unique building meet their needs.
LPAC is focused on education when it comes to all things audio-related, offering lessons in vocal performance, voiceover, piano and keyboard, guitar, bass, woodwinds, strings, drums, and more.
“Education is our number one focus. … We are charging minimally for lessons,” Ruby Powell said. “We want the lifeblood of music to continue to flow through the Village of Lansing.”
LPAC’s students currently range in age from 5 to 81 years old.
“We don’t want anybody that loves music to not be able to afford it,” Ruby Powell said.
Community uses
The Powells rent out their auditorium space to the community, including to a church on Sundays, and once to a musician hosting an EP release party.
Tony Powell said he’s also heard ideas from the community about karaoke nights, and is open to other uses that serve the purpose of music inspiration for the Lansing community.
“Those are the kind of things to make available, along with education. You don’t have to come in just for education, sometimes you can come by for inspiration,” he said. “We could have just called this the ‘Lansing School of Performing Arts’ but we wanted it to be broader than that.”
Recording studio
The new recording studio at LPAC can be used for recording vocals, instruments, podcasts, and more. It includes a “whisper room,” inside which all outside sound is muted. It also includes 24-track recording capability, with a sound engineer’s room, as well as a modern-looking space for recording performances.
Tony Powell said LPAC’s new sound engineer provided much of the equipment for the studio.
“Some of my spiritual kids were in here the other day laying some vocals,” Powell said.
Helping Michael Jackson, singing for presidents, and “loving that chicken from Popeyes”
Tony Powell’s music career has brought him around the globe. He started singing professionally in the mid-80s, singing in ministry settings and also finding himself on radio and TV.
In 1988, Powell said he was the original voice for the “Love that chicken from Popeyes” jingle that is still popular today.
“I’ve done 350 different commercials,” Powell said, adding that he also appears in the movies Hoodlum (with Laurence Fishburne) and My Best Friend’s Wedding (with Julia Roberts).
Powell sang for Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. He’s sang in 11 countries and 47 cities in the U.S — and at the Vatican twice.
After Michael Jackson released his Thriller album, Powell said Jackson received his first facial reconstruction surgery, which affected his breathing and his overall sound.
“He couldn’t do what he normally did,” Powell said. “I got a call from Quincy Jones’ assistant and he wanted to know if I could come out talk to them about helping him.”
Powell flew out, met with Jackson’s team, and eventually met privately with Jackson over the course of 10 days.
“He was one of the finest students I ever had. He did everything I asked,” Powell said.
Powell also taught actress and singer Keke Palmer vocal lessons from age 11 to 16.
Beyond LPAC, Tony Powell teaches at Unity Christian Academy in South Holland, and works as the director of worship at Grace Church in Lansing.
Dr. Ruby Powell, meanwhile, has built a legacy of compassion and care for children and single mothers. She has a 37-year history in social services, particularly in the child welfare system.
She also founded Oasis Empowerment Zone in 2009, a non-profit that’s dedicated to empowering single mothers through training, guidance, and other support.
“I really got tired of hearing single mothers saying, ‘This is all I can do. I can’t fulfill my dreams.’ I once was a single mother for about 10 years before Tony and I met and got married. I wanted to help single mothers to understand that they could,” Ruby Powell said.
Ruby currently handles the business end of the Lansing Performing Arts Center while Tony handles teaching.
Continuing the community legacy in a historic building
The Powells are just the most recent of a long list of people that have called 3408 Lake Street home. Constructed in 1894, the building served as Lansing’s first Village Hall, and was surrounded by unpaved roads at the time it was completed. In its 120 years, the building would also serve the Lansing police and fire departments.
On the inside door of a safe located in the building, an impressive lineup of Village stickers can still be found. Additionally, two jail cells are still intact in the building that were once used by the police department. A courtroom upstairs was once used in official proceedings as well. The building has also served as the home for the Lansing Chamber of Commerce.
More recently, the building served Visible Music College, as well as Greenway Bikehouse, which has since moved to 18418 Wentworth Avenue.
In a 2023 article detailing the history of the building, Lansing Journal historian Marlene Cook wrote the following about the building in its early years: “Concerts, flower shows, art exhibits, movies, business meetings, organizational meetings, weddings, family celebrations, classes, and even dog shows were hosted at the new facility. Small shows required a $2 permit fee.”
While the Powells may charge a bit more than $2, the same community-serving mission remains at the Lansing Performing Arts Center.
Those interested in more information about LPAC can visit LansingPAC.org or call 708-374-7016.
Related
- Lansing history: Lansing’s original Village Hall has served Board members and bike owners — and much in between (June 13, 2024)
- Greenway Bikehouse relocates to former Waters Edge building (June 5, 2023)
How wonderful! I applaud the Powells for their dedication and community spirit. Good luck to them.
What they have done looks fantastic. My hope for the Powells is much success. Word of mouth helps and I intend to do just that. đź‘Źđź‘Ť