Motown sound coming to Morris

Published 3:49 pm Thursday, January 26, 2012

Hailing from Sydney, Human Nature features brothers Andrew and Mike Tierney and fellow high school classmates Phil Burton and Toby Allen.

Human Nature, an Australian pop group, is storming America with its first U.S. national tour, a new album release, “The Motown Record,” a PBS TV special and a new DVD. The group performs at Morris Performing Arts Center, 211 North Michigan St., South Bend, on March 25.

The chart-topping quartet and its seven-piece band, The Funk Foundation, embark on the tour in the spring.

“Human Nature: The Motown Show presented by Smokey Robinson” kicks off March 24 in Detroit and travels to 33 cities. Tickets, $32 and $55, go on sale today.

The cross-country tour follows in the steps of the TV special, “Human Nature Sings Motown with Special Guest Smokey Robinson,” which premiered in December on PBS stations nationwide.

The new Human Nature album, “The Motown Record,” set for release March 6, is a classic, yet modern, take on the Motown hits that influenced generations, featuring songs made famous by artists such as The Four Tops, The Supremes, The Temptations and Stevie Wonder, including “Baby I need Your Loving,” “My Girl,” “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” and “Stop! In the Name of Love.”

Hailing from Sydney, Human Nature features brothers Andrew and Mike Tierney and fellow high school classmates Phil Burton and Toby Allen. While still in school, they were captivated by the harmonies of soul, gospel and R&B.   Since forming Human Nature, these four friends have forged one of the most successful careers in Australian music history, releasing nine albums, five of which went to No. 1.

They have toured internationally and opened for Celine Dion and Michael Jackson in Europe and Australia.

Human Nature opened the Summer Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000 and its 2005 Motown tribute, “Reach Out,” went platinum five times, attracting the attention of Smokey Robinson.

The legendary singer recorded “Get Ready” with Human Nature at Las Vegas’ Imperial Palace, where the show consistently played to sold-out crowds for more than two years.

The group’s PBS special, a telecast of the Vegas show produced by longtime Grammy Awards and multi-Emmy Award winning producer Ken Ehrlich, features the group singing spectacular interpretations of Motown hits, dancing and sharing stories.