Four years later he comes back to The Centre on the campus of Halifax Community College to present A Tribute to the Music of Motown.

“We had close to 900,” he said in a recent interview about his 2012 William Wardlaw show. “A lot of people came out to support the show. We're hoping to have 900 plus this time around. We came to the Roanoke Rapids community and they showed so much love. During the show people were dancing. It was just the love you all showed us. It left a great impression on me, that support and energy.”

(Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets may be purchased online at The Centre. More information on Brencore may be found at its website)

Smoot had tried to bring the show back to the theater, but got no response. But there were friends and connections who wanted thim back. “We still have the 12-piece covering it all — Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, Diana Ross, The Temptations, the Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight. We changed the cast. We just recently sold out the Historic Howard Theater and the State Theater in Culpeper.”

Since coming to Roanoke Rapids, much has changed with Smoot's business — Brencore Entertainment. “It's just been a blessing,” he said. “Since then my business has expanded to various parts of the country. We're becoming a national group. We're picking up a lot of new venues, spreading out, expanding.”

Smoot is doing three to four major concerts a month.

As his business has grown, he never forgot Roanoke Rapids. “We reached out numerous times wanting to continue on that. It doesn't stop me. We've enhanced it. There are more opportunities to do the show, it's more energetic, very much crowd friendly. Singing and dancing are part of the show. The more you do it, the more you practice, the better you become. We know what to expect from the flow of the show.”

Smoot has enjoyed connecting with Halifax County again. “We're getting a lot of feedback from The Centre. They're doing a wonderful job and have been very instrumental.”