Historic West End Partners (HWEP) unveiled a new mural on Friday that features three renowned musicians — gospel singer John P. Kee, R&B singer Fantasia Barrino and singer and songwriter Anthony Hamilton — all of whom hail from North Carolina.
Kee, pastor of New Life Fellowship and a 2007 inductee into the Christian Music Hall of Fame, was born in Durham; Barrino, who rose to fame as a contestant during season three of “American Idol” and went on to win a Grammy Award and star in the Broadway musical “The Color Purple, was born in High Point; Hamilton, a top-selling artists with a Grammy Award to his credit, was born in Charlotte.
In an interview with QCity Metro, J’Tanya Adams, founder and executive director of HWEP, said the mural was funded by a $9,950 grant from the Knight Foundation to the city of Charlotte. HWEP commissioned local artist Able Jackson, 49, to create the artwork, painted on the side of a building at 1009 Beatties Ford Road…