Now this was a surprise!

When National Commercial Bank's Bernadette Barrow announced that the special guest at the bank's Pinnacle Awards on Saturday night was Regina Belle, not many could believe it. That is, until the energetic Belle came running from the back of the Wyndham Kingston ballroom.

Still in shock from her appearance, Belle soothed the audience with her cover of the Isley Brothers' For The Love Of You as if to assure them this was real.

"How many of you all were really surprised?" she asked to toothy grins. Belle conversed with the attentive audience throughout her performance, whether joking about the number of lights ("I would've worn my shorts") or while sipping bottled water to cool herself down ("whew I need a breather"). Recalling her last trip to the Corporate Area, she thanked the bank for bringing her in to celebrate with them.

A teaser

She teased them with the opening of A Whole New World before exercising her lung space for Make It Like It Was.

She brought on some foot-stomping on her hit, Passion, before asking, "I wonder if I could do just a little bit of jazz?" a resounding yes coming from the audience. Fly Me To The Moon duly came next.

She then dedicated her next two pieces to NCB's success. She gave a sample of Miss Celie's Blues from the iconic film The Color Purple before delivering a soulful If I Could. Belle ended with a groovy Baby Come To Me before exiting to rapturous applause.

Two staff members from NCB who competed in the bank's recent talent contest also showed their talent. To open the entertainment, Knolis King delivered I Believe I Can Cry, a smattering of Many Rivers To Cross and I Can See Clearly Now. After Belle's stunner, Selmon Reid brought the funk with Let's Groove Tonight and Get Down On It, complete with afro wig and platform shoes.