If I Ain’t Got You: The Best of R&B
February 13, 2026
8:00 PM
Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
Steven Reineke, Music Director and Conductor
Aisha Jackson, Guest Artist
Avery Wilson, Guest Artist
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a soulful celebration of the best of R&B. Featuring hits made famous by Barry White, Al Green, Carole King, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, and many more, it’s an evening of timeless love songs and empowering anthems that honor romance, friendship, and the joy of shared connections.
This concert is part of Carnegie Hall’s United in Sound: America at 250 festival highlighting the extraordinary musical riches that have evolved and flourished in the United States. With a wide variety of programs exploring diverse voices and influences that have shaped—and continue to shape—American identity, the festival offers a multifaceted musical reflection of the United States 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The New York Pops Carnegie Hall Subscription Series is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Aisha Jackson, a Georgia native, has traveled the world using her God-given gifts to spread love and light. She is currently starring as Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby on Broadway and last Spring, she starred opposite Anika Noni Rose in Wonderful Town at New York City Center. Additional Broadway credits include: The Notebook, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and the Original Broadway Casts of Waitress, Paradise Square, Once Upon A One More Time, and Frozen, where she made history as the first Black woman to play Anna on Broadway. She’s taken the joy of Anna and a few other Disney princesses to Thailand, the Philippines, Qatar, Kuwait, China, and Singapore with Disney Princess: The Concert. Voiceover: Central Park (Apple TV) and Melon’s House Party (Wondery Kids). Soundtrack Vocalist for the films KPop Demon Hunters, Snow White, Spirited, Dear Evan Hansen, and Tick Tick Boom. TV: Harlem (Amazon Prime), Up Here (Hulu).
Avery Wilson is a Grammy-nominated singer and actor, recognized for his work on The Wiz (Broadway Cast Recording), nominated for Best Musical Theater Album, in which he starred as the Scarecrow. He is thrilled to return to the Carnegie Hall stage for the second time. A solo recording artist, his recent single “Kiss the Sky” reached the Top 20 on the Billboard R&B chart, and he has collaborated with Clive Davis, Quincy Jones, Babyface, Usher, and Christina Aguilera. His television credits include grown-ish and Master of None.
Header photo by Richard Termine. Photo of Aisha Jackson by @Ogata_photo.