performers
Legends of Soul – Playing it Old School
The Dramatics - Played by James Hill, Stan Lockwood, Rodney James, Douglas Stepney, and Chase Ruffin
The Legends of Soul Tribute Show is a group of individuals who impersonate ““ well ““ legends of soul.
This very talented group of guys and gals, put on nothing short of a true Las Vegas style show, with each impersonator in full character during their entire set, and many performers playing multiple characters.
As droves of young and old crowded into Thunder Valley Casino Resort‘s Pano Hall on Saturday, radio personality, and the evenings emcee Nick Harper thanked everyone for coming out to the show, as well as Thunder Valley Casino for providing such a great venue.
The Legends of Soul kicked off their 2+ hour extravaganza with the legendary Sam Cooke played by Elijah Sterling (Get it? Legends of Soul ““ legendary Sam Cooke. I know, it cracked me up too.) Cooke dressed in a powder blue suit with matching hat, sang “Cupid” and “Twist the Night Away,” easily two of Cooke’s greatest hits from the early “’60s.
Marvin Gaye - Played by Chase Ruffin - Click for more images
Following Cooke was Jackie Wilson, played by John Hampton. Wilson was known as Mr. Excitement due to his dynamic dance moves while onstage. Hampton didn’t disappoint as he took the stage by storm, dancing much like Wilson. Singing “You Keep Lifting Me Higher” and “Baby Workout,” Hampton delivered a high energy performance.
Wilson Pickett, played by Dwayne Thompson, delivered a soulful performance of “Mustang Sally,” followed by “In the Midnight Hour,” two of Pickett’s biggest hits.
The Legends of Soul wouldn’t be complete without the Queen of Soul herself, Aretha Franklin, played by Samantha Richardson. A gentleman, accompanying Franklin on stage, removed a white fur she had draped around her neck and left the stage as she belted out “Chains of Fools” and “Rock Steady.” Franklin finished off her set with an extremely well done rendition of “Respect.”
The O’Jays arrived on stage singing “Love Train” and “Back Stabbers.” The trio was in perfect synchronization their entire set and sounded eerily familiar to the original O’Jays.
The Stylistics and The Dramatics also performed later in the show. Both groups performed flawlessly while they danced in-step with each other, lending to their credible performance.
Needing no introduction due to the silky tone and song choice, Lou Rawls, played by Russell Branch, came out singing “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,” followed by “Lady Love.” I believe I saw a woman or two faint, he was that good.
Al Green - Played by Lionel Burns - Click for more images
So the show continued with one legend after another. Some audience members were lost in the moment, as I’m sure they were thinking back to those long forgotten memories, or maybe they were just dosing ,as some folks in the crowd were just a tad on the old side.
Other stars that shared the stage were Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Patti Labelle, and Stevie Wonder.
Most notable was John Hampton coming out as Stevie Wonder. Lending to the credible performance was Producer Rudolph Peter’s as he guided Wonder to his keyboard, taking Wonder’s hand and guiding it to the keyboard and microphone to ensure Wonder knew where they were. Complete with the sound of Wonder, Hampton’s performance included all the mannerisms of the legend.
Every performer did an excellent job staying in character and singing just like the real thing. The real standouts of the show, and mostly forgotten in the background, was the band, as they played a wide variety of hits throughout the night.
Stevie Wonder - Played by John Hampton - Click for more images
I wouldn’t be surprised to see this group of talented individuals performing in Las Vegas at some point in the future. They pack in the people, they love what they do, and they do it well.
Complete Cast in order of Appearance:
Master of Ceremony: Nicholas Harper
Sam Cooke: Elijah Sterling
Jackie Wilson ““ John Hampton
Wilson Pickett: Dwayne Thompson
Aretha Franklin: Samantha Richardson. Background Dee Johnson and Dewanna Slaughter
The O’Jays: Charles Boomer, David Lige, and Lionel Burns
Lou Rawls: Russell Branch
Curtis Mayfield: Elijah Sterling
Marvin Gaye: Chase Ruffin
Al Green: Lionel Burns
The Dramatics: James Hill, Stan Lockwood, Rodney James, Douglas Stepney, and Chase Ruffin
Patti Labelle: Dee Johnson ,background – Samantha Richardson, and Dewanna Slaughter
Stevie Wonder: John Hampton
The Stylistics: Ralph Greene (lead vocals), background- Elijah Sterling, Rodney James, and David Lige
Michael Jackson: Thurman Conners
Band: (Lead Guitar) Richard Cravalho, (Drummer) Rich Aguon, (Bass Guitar) Darrel Broadnax, (Keyboard Left) Archie White, (Keyoard Right) Earnest Nation, and (Congo) Glen Austin
Producer: Rudolph Peters
Longtime Drummer for Doobie Brothers Dies
The Doobie Brothers in 2011 - Click for more images
Longtime drummer for the Doobie Brothers Michael “‘Big Mike’ Hossack died at his home after battling cancer in Dubois, Wyoming, on Monday at the age of 65.
Big Mike was a member of the Doobie Brothers between 1971 and 1973, during which time he played on several of the Doobie Brothers best-known hits, including “Jesus Is Just Alright,” “Listen to the Music” and “China Grove.”
Returning to the band in 1987 he remained until his health took a turn for the worse in 2010
The Doobie Brothers had released a statement in January letting Hossack’s fans know that he was improving slowly.
The Doobie Brothers Tom Johnston remembered Hossack, “Mike has always been a part of my musical life and the life of the Doobie Brothers; from our earliest singles, like China Grove and Blackwater to our most recent single Brighter Day. He was an incredible musician, a studio quality drummer. The last few years, he was brave and determined to keep on playing in the face of ill health, and I will always admire him for that. He was a terrific dad and family man, and we will all miss him.”
The Doobie’s Pat Simmons, who was a close friend of Hossack’s, said, “When my kids were little, they used to call him Big Mike, because to them he was such a big guy. But to me and those who knew him, he had an even a bigger heart. We were friends for 43 years and we shared some wonderful adventures together, times I will never forget. Thanks for all those wonderful memories Mike, and all the great music. We love you.”
He will be missed.
Motown comes to Thunder Valley
Armed with 20 vocalists, six band members and four crew members impersonating the legends of Motown, RPM Crown Productions brought theirHitsville USA Legends of Motown Tribute Show to Thunder Valley Casino Resort on Saturday.
There was a sold-out crowd of diehard Motown fans there to enjoy some of the greatest hits from the Motown era. It was perplexing that more people weren’t up on their feet during some of the performances. However, after each performer finished their set they were met with more than a few people giving them a standing ovation.
The all-star lineup included acts such as The Four Tops, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and even a brief break from Motown for a little bit of Prince’s “Purple Rain.”
With the plethora of tribute shows currently playing across the country, it’s refreshing to see a solid lineup of talented individuals bringing not just one, but nine legendary acts to the stage in one spectacular show.
I was worried that with so many acts playing on one stage we’d be there all night slogging through hit after hit. That wasn’t the case. Each act played full versions as well as shortened versions of their respective hit songs, keeping the show moving at a pretty good clip.
Nick Harper
Emceeing the event was Nick Harper, a radio personality from the 60′s, 70′s and 80′s. As he introduced each act he provided a brief history and highlighted some of their hits.
Kicking off the show was The Four Tops. Decked out in white suits and moving in perfect harmony, they sang their hits, “Sugar Pie Honeybunch,” “Standing in the Shadow of Love” and “Ain’t No Woman Like the One I Got.”
Following The Four Tops were The Supremes in evening dresses singing, “Just Keep Me Hanging On,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Love Child.”
Al Green was handing out roses to a number of the female audience members as he sang, “I’m so Tired of Being Alone,” “Let’s Stay Together,” and “Love and Happiness.”
And so it went throughout the evening as nine artists entertained the crowd bringing hit after hit.
Don’t miss the next tribute show at Thunder Valley Casino Resort, the Legends of Soul Tribute Show. These shows sell out fast, so get your tickets ahead of time.
Producer: Rudolph Peters
Band members: Richard Cravalho (Lead Guitar) ,Rich Aguon (Drummer), Darrel Broadnax (Bass Guitar), Archie White (Keyboard Left), Earnest Nation (Keyboard Right), and Glen Astine (Congo).
Below is a complete list of artists and the songs performed.
The Four Tops
(lead singer – Marion Brewer, James Hill, David Lige, and Lionel Burns)
“I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)”
“Standing in the Shadows of Love”
“Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got)”
The Four Tops
The Supremes
(lead singer – Regina Wood, Tracy James, and Dewanna Slaughter)
“You Keep Me Hangin’ On”
“You Can’t Hurry Love”
“Love Child”
The Supremes – Click for more images
Al Green (John Hampton)
“Tired of Being Alone”
“Let’s Stay Together”
Al Green – Click for more images
Smokey Robinson (Lionel Burns)
“More Love”
“Ooo Baby Baby”
“Tears of a Clown”
Smokey Robinson -Click for more images
The Spinners
(lead singer – Charles Boomer, Lionel Burns, David Lige, Rodney James, and James Hill)
Intro to “I’ll Be Around”
“Ghetto Child”
“Sadie”
“Rubberband Man”
The Spinners – Click for more images
Chaka Khan
(lead singer – Denise Robinson, Tracy James, Tammy Holloway, and Regina Wood)
“Sweet Thing”
“I’m Every Woman”
Chaka Khan – Click for more images
Richard Cravalho (lead guitar)
“Purple Rain”
Click for more images
Gladys Knight and the Pips
(lead singer – Dewanna Slaughter, Rodney James, David Lige, and Elijah Sterling)
Intro to “Use My Imagination”
“Save the Overtime”
“You’re Number One (in My Book)”
“Midnight Train to Georgia”
“Neither One of Us”
Gladys Knight
Stevie Wonder (John Hampton)
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”
“My Cherie Amour”
“You Are the Sunshine of My Life”
“Superstition”
Stevie Wonder – Click for more images
The Temptations
(Carl Douglas, Stan Lockwood, Chase Ruffin, Elijah Sterling, and Douglas Stepney)
“Getting Ready”
“I Can’t Get Next to You”
“Cloud Nine”
“Don’t Let the Joneses Get You Down”
Intro to “Super Star”
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Jingle Bells Rock Thunder Valley
- Eddie Money and Mickey Thomas
Sixty-two-year-old veteran rocker Eddie Money brought his Jingle Bell Rock tour to Thunder Valley Casino Resort on Thursday. Scheduled to appear was former Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm and former Jefferson Starship lead singer Mickey Thomas.
The day before their performance at Thunder Valley, it was announced that Gramm would not be performing for the remaining tour due to acute laryngitis, so Gramm was not in attendance.
As the concert kicked off with Money and Thomas taking the stage, the audience immediately started chanting, “Lou! Lou! Lou!” Money responded by explaining the situation and said they had added a couple of songs to their setlist to make up for the missing Gramm. This was followed by more than a few polite boos ““ is there really such a thing as a polite boo?
Money exited stage left while Thomas started singing “Jane.” Thomas wore a striped shirt with a loosely worn red Christmas tie, while he banged out “Sara,” “We Built This City,” “Nothings Going to Stop Us Now.” Thomas ended his set with “It’s Christmas Time Pretty Baby,” singing in the style of Elvis Presley.
The 62-year-old Thomas’ vocals really stood out throughout his set, sounding just as good as he did all those years ago, in particular when he sang Annie Lennox’s “Winter Wonderland.”
Mickey Thomas - Click for more images
Backing Thomas was Money’s regular crew consisting of longtime band members Tommy Girvin (lead guitar) and Glenn Symmonds (drummer), with more recent additions Lee Beverly (bass) and Chris Groves (keyboards).
Following Thomas, Money came out singing “Baby Hold On” and “I Wanna Go Back.” As Money sang, he shuffled back and forth across the stage and even pulled out the saxophone to show everyone he can still play.
Rounding out the show, Money and Thomas took the stage together singing “Jingle Bell Rock” and a rocking version of “Jingle Bells.” For their encore they performed John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).”
While Money’s vocals were not as pristine as Thomas’, he made up for it with his overall stage presence, sense of humor and kindness toward the audience, reaching out to shake hands with a few people in the front row.
Offstage, Money is extremely generous and cordial to all those around him, introducing himself to anyone standing near. His generosity doesn’t stop there.
Eddie Money - Click for more images
Money is a strong supporter of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which helps support families of military personnel lost in service to our nation and for severely wounded service members and veterans.
Money is hoping fans will help bring some holiday cheer to heroic members of the armed forces by going to eddiemoney.com and purchasing his single “One More Soldier Coming Home.” All the proceeds will go to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
The Jingle Bell Rock tour was originally started by Money. This past summer, Money performed at a benefit in a Los Angeles club where Gramm and Thomas also appeared. After some discussion they decided to work with Money and tour with him in the Jingle Bell Rock tour.
While this was Money’s show and he was the headliner, Gramm’s absence was a big disappointment for many of the fans in the audience. Especially after Foreigner just came through the area a couple of months ago with their new frontman Kelly Hansen leading the charge. Hansen did an awesome job and put on a high energy show ““ check out my review. I for one, was hoping to see the real deal – maybe next year.
Yes, the audience booed after they realized Lou wasn’t going to be there, but these diehard fans enjoyed the show nonetheless. It’s these types of fans that keep the old-school bands going. And it’s these types of bands that keep the old people going ““ and a little help from Geritol.
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Air Supply in Demand at Thunder Valley
Click for more images
Wow. What the hell happened out at Thunder Valley Casino Resort Friday night?
It seems soft rock group Air Supply, playing to a packed house of lovesick fans, actually came out and rocked the house.
I know. I still don’t believe it, but it’s all true! It was bedlam, I tell you.
Here I Am thinking Sweet Dreams. What are the Chances I would find myself in a Sanctuary where Me Like You can feel The Power of Love – Everywhere, only to have a real rock concert break out. Seriously!?
Air Supply started out innocently enough with “Even the Nights are Better,” and then segueing into “Every Woman in the World.”
OK so far, but as veteran performers Russell Hitchcock (lead singer) and Graham Russell (lead guitar) weaved their hits through the guise of soft rock, I should have noticed the younger band members standing at the ready. That should have been my first clue.
CJ Burton - Click for more images
The newest members to the band could have been playing for Papa Roach the way they were attacking their instruments, running and jumping around the stage. This should have been my second clue.
Jonni Lightfoot (bass guitar), CJ Burton (drums), Amir Efrat (keyboards) and Aaron McLain (guitar), all kicked out some serious tunes.
As the band made their way through their repertoire, the crowd started to react more and more with every hit played, but that all changed when Russell went acoustic with their new song, “Everywhere.” Just prior to the song, Russell requested that some audience members crowd down on the floor in front of him, having them sit on the floor.
While everyone was gathering around Russell, he explained how he enjoys sitting on his balcony at home and looking off into the mountains. He pointed to the spotlight, saying it represents the sun going down, and you all are the mountains.
“This song is about how love is all around us, and it’s called “‘Everywhere,’” he said.
Now I know you’re asking yourself, how is this not soft rock? Well, it is, but it’s really rocking in a Tesla/Eric Clapton unplugged kind of way.
Russell Hitchcock - Click for more images
But really the trick here is how Air Supply corralled a large portion of the audience to the very front of the stage and between the aisles. As soon as Russell was done with “Everywhere,” the band struck up “The One that You Love,” and Hitchcock headed out into the sea of madness, followed by Russell on guitar, neither of them missing a beat. That’s when they begin working the crowd into a complete frenzy.
Hitchcock was handing out hugs and kisses as he made his way up one aisle and down another. Women were grabbing at him as his crew fought to keep them at bay. Once they made their way back onstage, it was too late for the audience. They were under Air Supply’s spell, swaying to the music, with the periodic fan jumping up to grab Russell as he came close to the edge of the stage.
For their encore they played “Me Like You” and “All Out of Love.” It was quite obvious the crowd was not ready to leave, and there could only have been a handful of people who left before the end of the show.
I hate to say it, but Air Supply is a master of entertainment. There, I said it.
I like Air Supply.
Setlist:
Even the Nights are Better
Every Woman in the World
Sweet Dreams
Here I Am
Chances
Sanctuary
Power of Love
Everywhere -accoustical
The One That You Love
Lost in Love
Dance with Me
Making Love Out of Nothing at All
Encore
Me Like You
All Out of Love
