{"id":920,"date":"2016-01-02T17:38:11","date_gmt":"2016-01-02T17:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jazzinthegardens.com\/?p=920"},"modified":"2016-11-02T17:41:09","modified_gmt":"2016-11-02T17:41:09","slug":"usher-to-lead-lineup-at-jazz-in-the-gardens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jazzinthegardens.com\/firstact\/2016\/usher-to-lead-lineup-at-jazz-in-the-gardens\/","title":{"rendered":"Usher to lead lineup at Jazz in the Gardens"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Ben Crandell<\/p>\n

Usher leads lineup for 2016 Jazz in the Gardens (@jazzgardens) concerts at Sun Life Stadium March 18-20.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Eight-time Grammy-winning singer, dancer and actor Usher will top an impressive lineup\u00a0of artists at the 11th<\/sup> annual Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival at Sun Life Stadium<\/a> March 18-20.<\/p>\n

The concerts, which drew more than 78,000 attendees to the Miami Gardens venue in 2015, also will include performances by Kool & the Gang, the Average White Band, Brian Culbertson, Michael McDonald, Fred Hammond and the Jazz in the Gardens AllStars, a collective led by Najee, Regina Belle and Alex Bugnon.<\/p>\n

Another headliner is expected to be named for Jazz in the Gardens, which will be\u00a0hosted by comedian Rickey Smiley and include an opening-night party on Friday, March 18.<\/p>\n

Usher had a Top 20 hit in 2015 with \u201cI Don\u2019t Mind\u201d (featuring Juicy J), just the latest in a string of hits in the past decade that has included \u201cGood Kisser,\u201d \u201cNew Flame\u201d (with Rick Ross and Chris Brown<\/a>), \u201cNice,\u201d \u201cDJ Got Us Fallin\u2019 in Love,\u201d \u201cLove This Club,\u201d \u201cConfessions\u201d and \u201cYeah!\u201d<\/p>\n

Past performers at Jazz in the Gardens have included Maxwell, Run DMC, R. Kelly, Toni Braxton, LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, Charlie Wilson<\/a>, New Edition, Neyo, Earth Wind & Fire, Gladys Knight, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Nicole Henry and Kenny G.<\/p>\n