Highland Heights, KY – Five of Cincinnati’s top musical groups will present a journey through American music history in the American Originals Benefit Concert at Northern Kentucky University’s Greaves Hall at 2 pm Sunday, September 12. Featuring the International Blues Challenge 2010 finalists The Sonny Moorman Group (Blues), WNKU radio personality and lifetime Bluegrass performer Katie Laur (Bluegrass), the prestigious Phil DeGreg Quartet (Jazz), Cincinnati’s favorite Cajun band Lagniappe (Cajun/Zydeco) and an impressive 60-member men’s barbershop choir, The Southern Gateway Chorus (Barbershop) – this program will take listeners through a chronology of American music as well as highlight some of the best in regional talent. Play it Forward Founder Gary Burbank will serve as master of ceremonies.
Proceeds from this concert will benefit Play it Forward, a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a mission of helping local musicians in extreme need, as well as Harmony Fest, an annual summer vocal music camp that teaches more than 125 teenagers to learn four-part a cappella harmony. Harmony Fest is sponsored and operated by Southern Gateway Chorus in partnership with Cincinnati Sound (Sweet Adelines) and the Delta Kings Chorus.
Play it Forward Executive Director Liz Wu says, “We are really excited to be partnering with Southern Gateway Chorus on such a fantastic concert. Where else could you see all these top local groups, and all these musical genres – Blues, Jazz, Zydeco, Bluegrass, Barbershop – in a single show? Only at the American Originals Benefit Concert. It is really not to be missed.”
Doors open at 1 pm and the concert begins at 2 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for ages 18 and under. Tickets will be available at the door and online at www.southerngateway.org
Special merchandise items, such as Play it Forward’s Compilation 1, a 30-track CD set featuring many of Cincinnati’s best local bands, and The Ludlow Garage Project’s 40th Anniversary Ludlow Garage T-shirts and their Vol. 1 CD, will be available for sale during intermission.
For more information, contact Play it Forward director Liz Wu (513) 254-5033 or playitforwardcincy@gmail.com
More information on Play it Forward can be found at www.pifcincy.org
Information on Southern Gateway Chorus can be found at www.southerngateway.org