An American gospel band is on its way to Samoa as part of a two-nation tour in the Pacific and is scheduled to perform in Apia end of this week.

After huge success across the United States, Israel, Brazil, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, and Liberia, the gospel band “Oscar Williams and the Band of Life” arrives in Samoa and the Cook Islands this week, according to a recent statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand. 

The band is celebrating the positive impacts of faith and sharing African American style of music (gospel, jazz, blues) as well as its history, and origins. 

The U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, Tom Udall said they are elated that the band gets to tour the region.

“We’re excited that during their time in the Pacific, the band will meet with so many students, musicians, and church groups,” says Ambassador Udall. "We think this’ll be a really fun way to enhance cultural understanding and exchange between Samoans, Cook Islanders, Pacific Islanders, and Americans."

The band will be part of U.S. Independence Day celebrations in Samoa hosted by the U.S. Chargé d’affaires Noriko Horiuchi and in the Cook Islands hosted by the U.S. Consul General Sarah Nelson. The public performances are open and subject to seat availability, added the U.S. Embassy statement. 

The visit of the gospel band is one of the initiatives for the Diplomatic Mission of the United States for 2023. The band is scheduled to perform this coming Friday at 7 pm at the TATTE Convention Centre with entry free of charge. 

A biography of the gospel band, published by the American Music Abroad website, says the band is a group of American professional singers who've dedicated their lives to giving the world a boost through their inspiring gospel music. Oscar Williams, who plays the piano and is one of the vocalists, formed the band in 2000 and they have travelled extensively through the United States, South America, Europe and parts of Asia. Their freshman CD, Unstoppable, charted on Billboard’s top 40 Gospel albums in its first week.