Spring Affair to feature local talent, raise funds

A call to all musical talent in Sampson County has gone out as an invitation to take part in an upcoming music competition for a cause. For the winner, the chance to record a single with a former Motown Records producer will be on the line.

The competition, titled the Spring Affair 2025, is set for May 24, and its focus is to give local music artists an evening to showcase their talent through live performances. The event will include both adult and youth categories, which will be judged by a panel of guest music industry experts. And the spot to see the show will be 7 p.m. at Rich Farms and Venue, located at 1973 Huntley School Road in Roseboro.

The competition is only one aspect of the event, as it also doubles as a fundraiser. Tickets to the Spring Affair 2025 are $50 and proceeds will be invested partially between supporting local domestic violence group, UCare, and aiding Kingdom Life Ministries, the co-beneficiary, with needed funds to help build the ministry a church.

Even after the finale concludes, the fundraising continues, as downloads from the winner’s released single will be used to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

The single, which is the grand prize, will be produced following a studio session with the renowned Gregory Williams, founder and leader of the former Motown Records group Switch. A legend, whose musical achievements include producing a multitude of works for the likes of Boyz II Men, El DeBarge, Groove Theory and TLC. Complimenting the session is a professional photo shoot and promotional support for releasing the track across all major platforms.

The idea behind the event came from Spring Affair Talent Committee member, Charles Boykin, who originally wanted to bring an opportunity to showcase the hidden youth talent within Sampson County, into the spotlight.

“My thoughts were to come up with a way of accessing some of the talent that’s around the state,” he said. “I thought about this years ago, when I was one of the judges for the Miss Junior American pageant, I believe it was. After I was a judge, and was thinking about it, I thought to myself, a talent show like this, it’d be a good thing to get kids involved in Sampson County. That was the original idea for the purpose of the event, and now here are.”

That vision was helped into fruition by Boykin’s cousin James Baylor, committee chairman, who said he was honored to have been entrusted with leading it into reality.

“I’m honored, for him to even put his faith in me to chair this committee,” Baylor said. “When he asked me, I was a little bit reluctant, saying thing like, it depends on what we have to work with, and so on. But after the first meeting, I was at ease, because everyone has been cooperative and motivated.

“We’ve been working on it, along with some behind the scenes stuff going on, for about three months,” he added. “There’s been a lot of the work being done laying the groundwork in terms of the artists, the producers, formulating our strategy for marketing, promotion and all that sort of thing. So, it’s been going on for a little while, but now, we’re starting to see the manifestation of our work.”

While Boykin’s idea started out as one for promoting youth musician and vocalist talent in Sampson, it’s blossomed to include not only all ages but all genres. That said, how does one enter the competition? It’s quite simple and signups are now open to whomever wishes to participate.

However, the committee does have one entry guideline. Only positive, profanity-free musical selections will be considered. Outside that outlier, all genres are welcome, including instrumental, rap and spoken word with musical accompaniment.

“Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure in the music industry,” said a statement from the Spring Affair Talent Committee. “Whether you’re an emerging artist or a seasoned performer, the Spring Affair 2025 competition is the perfect platform to take your music career to the next level. We look forward to seeing your submissions and celebrating your talent at Spring Affair 2025!”

The Talent Committee members include Derek Wilson Sr., Lew Starling, Cynthia Roberts, Alonzo Vann, Shirley Williams Steve Jones, Tomeka Robinson, Bill Scott, Demond DeVane, Boykin and Baylor.

For further information or questions, parties were encouraged to contact the Talent Committee at springaffair2025@gmail.com or 404-798-6416.

“Our staff will provide entry forms and instructions upon request,” the committee stated. “The new extended deadline for submissions is March 29, 2025. Finalists will be notified by April 12, 2025.”