STOKED

Soul/R&B singer Andy Stokes makes it into Oregon Music Hall of Fame, and he's also enjoying the biggest hit of his life, 'Best Day Ever'

Not that Andy Stokes hasn't enjoyed a successful singing career. Much of the past 30 years has been spent in Portland, playing clubs and developing a fan following and a reputation as one of the area's premier performers.

But it's been a good year for the "Northwest's King of Soul."

Stokes has received extensive airplay for his Billboard-charting single "Best Day Ever," a song about his wife and a hit among the Adult R&B and indie soul crowd. It's part of his new album "Now," and the next single to come out features Snoop Dogg — yes, the famous rapper.

Stokes turned 61 last weekend and celebrates with his "Big Portland Birthday Bash," Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Alberta Rose Theatre.

And then in October, he'll be inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.

"I'm enjoying every bit of it," says Stokes, a longtime Portland resident who now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. He'll soon be moving back to Washington state.

"Sometimes I wake up and look out the window and say, 'I'm really here.'"

Stokes and wife Vicki tell each other every day, since their dating days, that "it's the best day ever." So Stokes wrote a song about it, and "Best Day Ever" remained on the Billboard Adult R&B chart for 24 weeks, topping out at No. 11.

"Biggest thing in my life to make it to the top 10 in Billboard (radio plays, charts)," he says. "And I'm being able to tour the nation and enjoy having a hit record.

"I'm enjoying the ride, man. Endure the journey, give it 100 percent, you never know how long it's going to last."

Of Vicki, he adds: "So blessed to have her in my life. You got somebody in your corner who has your back. It's a beautiful thing. ... And she doesn't care about the things that come with music, like girls flirting. 'That's OK, as long as you buy a CD.'"

Meanwhile, when Terry Currier from the Oregon Music Hall of Fame called Stokes to inform him of his induction, "I was at a friend's house and I dropped to my knees," he says.

"I told my wife and I just put my head down and got emotional. It's a long journey and to be accepted by a hometown where it started means more to me than anything."

Born in Virginia and growing up in Tacoma, Washington, Stokes found music through his father, and the two would often sing around the family home. He moved to the Portland area to play football at Mt. Hood Community College in 1975. His career took a turn toward music in the 1980s as the lead vocalist for the funk band Cool'r, inspired by the likes of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. The group was signed with A&M Records and toured with The Stylistics, Michael Bolton, George Clinton, The Temptations and more; Cool'r was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in 2009.

Stokes' previous album "Full Circle" made the U.K. Soul Chart.

And "Now" has produced two very notable singles.

After "Best Day Ever" comes "We on da Flo" with Snoop Dogg. It comes out later this month.

"I've been singing the song at shows, and people are going crazy already," he says. "It's got a step dance made up to it already."

He's been on the road for three months, the latest tour being on the East Coast. "Now everything is being geared up for the next single," he says.

"You know how this business is, sometimes it takes 30 years to be an overnight success."

Andy Stokes' birthday show is 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 N.E. Alberta St. Tickets: $25, $30 at door, www.albertarosetheatre.com. For more on Stokes: www.AndyStokesMusic.com.