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EVENTS LEADING UP TO CONCERT CONFUSION DISPUTED

By Erin France/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 11:29 AM CST

A concert promoter and an entertainment agent have different views on what caused a show switch at the Pine Bluff Convention Center during the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s homecoming weekend.

The Saturday night show was advertised as the Maze concert featuring Frankie Beverly. Instead, R&B singer Johnny Gill appeared on stage, leaving many ticket holders complaining and several requesting refunds.

Jerome Derrickson, an agent for Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, said the promoter did not pay the required amount to book the artists.

Cedric Sterrett, the promoter of the event, said he paid Derrickson’s company, Ground Support Entertainment, $8,000 to hold the date of Oct. 24.

Derrickson said Sterrett received notice Oct. 21 that Maze would not play in Pine Bluff because the appropriate amount of funding was not received.

Sterrett said he found out late Oct. 23, the day before the concert, that Maze would not appear at the convention center. He said he was told money wasn’t the issue with Beverly, but he would not come.

“I'm made out to be the bad man when all I did was try to bring something positive to Pine Bluff,” Sterrett said.

Derrickson said Sterrett has smeared the artists’ names with the way he portrayed the events.

“It’s very disrespectful and it’s just not right,” he said. “We’re going after Mr. Sterrett legally now.”

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