The War and Treaty To Make Donation to Ramah Christian Academy at Upcoming Beachland Concert

Michael Trotter Jr., one half of the dynamic soul/gospel/country group the War and Treaty, has spoken about how music was “cultivated and birthed” in him in Cleveland, where he grew up. He got his first start at 3 years old singing at the Holy Trinity Baptist Church. At elementary school, he learned about Scott Joplin and Charlie “Bird” Parker. While living here, he attended Ramah Christian Academy in Cleveland.

Now, he wants to give something back to the school.

Every year, Trotter and the band’s other half, singer Tanya Trotter, who’s also his wife, try to find an organization to support. Trotter says he had a teacher he loved at Ramah, and when he learned that the teacher, Celeste Giles, is now the school’s principal, he realized it was a great time to make a donation.

The Trotters intend to start an “under dawg” award that will provide money to “someone who was counted out.”

“I never completed a full year at the school,” says Trotter in an email exchange. “My family and I could not afford tuition. At that time under that school’s leadership, they weren’t willing to help us out either. For the longest time, I had a bitter taste in my mouth about that school even though it had a great curriculum and offered a great Christian education. My father was an electronics teacher at that school and my mother was a substitute teacher as well. When we fell on hard times, the school didn’t keep my brother or myself in the school. “

The Trotters will donate $10,000 from their own pockets to the school in a presentation that’ll take place during the War and Treaty’s performance on Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Beachland Ballroom. The tour supports the rollicking new single, “Called You By Your Name,” a tune that blends rock, jazz and gospel.

“We want [the money] to help toward the annual camping trip,” says Trotter. “The concert is a normal War and Treaty concert. We give it all we got, and we make sure we unify our audience and promote the best part of our race. It’s not the Black race. It’s not the white race. It’s not the rat race. It’s the human race. We want to make sure that everybody can feel again. We’re gonna sing gospel. We’re gonna sing soul. We’re gonna sing R&B. But more importantly, we’re gonna sing with our hearts.”

Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.