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From Bluegrass sound to Big Band music, from Classic Country to Elvis Rock ‘n Roll the Coal Country Chamber of Commerce’s Fall Festival, on Saturday, September 24, will present nonstop free musical entertainment on the Benld City Park Stage. Festival goers are encouraged to come early and bring lawn chairs to use in the stage pavilion. The musicians all cooperate in trying to make the festival a continuous round of musical sounds as the spotlight moves from one group to another.
The entertainment provides the opportunity for music enthusiasts to sit back and listen or be more active and sing or dance along.
The music begins at 7:00 a.m., to help set the mood for all the vendors and participants who are still setting up, with Joe Powell, a favorite of young and old. Joe Powell, of Granite City, IL, is a one-man act who croons and whistles standards, “oldies” and pop songs with a clear, sweet sound.
At 9:45 the Will Black Orchestra woos listeners with the sounds of Dixieland and dance music from the 40’s and 50’s. The Will Black Orchestra returns this year led by William Winkelblack of Gillespie who started his first band in 1949. The band which includes piano, drums, string bass, trumpet, tenor saxophone, clarinet and trombone features retired musicians from Gillespie, Edwardsville, Staunton, Raymond, Nokomis and Springfield.
Moving on around 11:15 a.m. to the Heartland Band, which will again feature Illinois State Fiddle Champion 14 year old Mikayla Roach of Mulberry Grove. The Heartland performs country classics which at the Summer Concert Series had the audience dancing under the covered pavilion. Rich Thacker is leader of the band and plays lead guitar and does lead vocals. Rich is from Litchfield. Mel Davis from Litchfield, plays bass guitar. Rick Stanbery, from Bluff City plays drums.
At 1:00 p.m. the ever favorite Steve Davis, this year with his band the Memories of Elvis will continue the free entertainment for another three hours from the stage. This is Davis’s eighth consecutive year at the Fall Festival where he will sing, in full “Elvis” regalia, the rock and roll classics that Elvis made famous in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Davis who grew up in the Brighton area has perfected the Elvis style and serenades his overflowing audiences. Davis has had the opportunity to develop an exciting band from a group of talented and experienced musicians from the St. Louis area.
The band consists of drummer Mike Safron, a St. Louisan who has had varied musical experience from playing with Chuck Berry and then Bo Diddley. Safron had his own band “Pavlov’s Dog,” which did an album “Pampered Menial,” a platinum-selling record in Europe and Australia. Lead guitar Ray Schulte, a native of St. Louis, has played with Bob Kuban, toured with Tony Orlando and Dawn’s band, played alternative rock as well as taught music and is constantly composing his own compositions. Singer and keyboard played, Royal has worked with Ray Schulte for many years is now part of the Steve
Davis family of musicians. Royal who is also a music teacher has toured Europe as well as the United States and has played and sung in many styles from country to alternative rock. Timothy J. Duggan is a St. Louis bassist who come from a family of musicians and feels at home with a variety of musical styles from classical music to jazz to rock and many more. He has worked with Steve Davis since 2007. Tom O’Brien plays soprano, alto and tenor sax, flute and clarinet. Tom was a teacher of instrumental music for five years early is his career and has played with many bands and done solo acts.
For more information about all of the activities of the Fall Festival and the Tour de Coal Bike Ride, the Chamber web site www.coalcountrychamber.com provides times, activities and contacts.
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