Rock ‘n Soul Holiday Concert Benefit for the Music Museum Of New England - Artists Added

Nov. 19, 2009 - PRLog -- Reaching out to many of New England’s finest performers to come sing a song, play a tune and revel with the fans and other musicians at a concert and sing-along. The diverse lineup taking the stage will include punk legend, Willie Alexander, rock star Charlie Farren, blues great James Montgomery, rockers Ernie & The Automatics featuring Sib Hassian and Barry Goudreau (formerly of Boston), ‘60s-style “girl group” Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents, R&B/soul/garage-rock Andrea Gillis Band, singer-songwriters John Powhida and Ramona Silver, guitar stylist Mike Gent, soul singer Eli “Paperboy” Reed and pop musician Brian Charles.  Other surprise guests are expected to drop by and join in the revelry as two generations combine for a fun concert.

Famed vocalist and performer Barrence Whitfield will be serving as Musical Director, and accompanied by a super group of local talent, The Rock ‘n Soul Holiday All Stars led by Jim Haggerty, with Charles Hansen, Andy Plaisted, Allan Scheinfeld, Mario Perrett and Paul Ahlstrand supporting the talented stars gracing the stage. More special guest performers will be announced on the http://www.MMONE.org website.  

The price of admission will be $18.00 for General Admission to the 500 seat intimate showplace with a very limited amount of Preferred Seating available for only $28.00 ($3 facility fee included).  The Music Museum Of New England is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is offering blocks of tickets to corporate sponsors, supporters and others which may be tax deductible.

The Regent Theatre is expected to sell out early and make this an annual event that allows the music community of New England to gather for festive holiday cheer, camaraderie and to support the mission that commemorates all music styles. Classic artists share the stage with talented new comers in a musical union worthy of the holiday spirit.

The Rock 'n Soul Holiday Concert will take place at the historic Regent Theatre, on Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 8:00 pm. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. The Regent Theatre is located at 7 Medford Street (off Mass. Ave.) in Arlington, Massachusetts, and is MBTA and handicap accessible, with free parking across the street.

For tickets and more information, call 781-646-4849 or visit http://www.regenttheatre.com.
For information contact: Gary Sohmers wexrex@aol.com 508-788-5474; Steve Nelson steve@mmone.org

Attendees are asked to bring a New Unwrapped Toy or child's holiday gift for Toys For Tots. www.toysfortots.org

(Credit: http://www.MMONE.org)  Barrence Whitfield came to Boston from New Jersey in the late '70s to attend Boston University after fronting hard rock, disco, and even progressive rock bands, yet never singing soul and R&B music in any bands. He met Boston musicians including ex-Lyres guitarist Peter Greenberg, who shared Whitfield's love of high energy soul and R&B music represented by artists like Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and Little Richard. In 1983, Barrence Whitfield & the Savages were born. The band, including Greenberg and drummer Howie Ferguson, were wild on stage.  Barrence would scream and croon soulfully in the same set, sometimes doing cartwheels and somersaults on stage. Their debut LP was released in 1984, getting a lot of airplay on local Boston radio stations and tours around the US and Europe. England was going wild for them, including a BBC airing of a live show from Boston, which brought them a lot of English fans including Robert Plant and Elvis Costello.  Barrence released LPs each year between 1985 and 1988, plus LP/CDs in 1993, 1994, 2005 and 2009.  He continues to perform with various incarnations of The Savages, along with stints fronting other roots rock bands;  http://www.barrencewhitfield.com Available for interviews contact Gary Sohmers

Willie Alexander   http://www.williealexander.com  
Charlie Farren  http://www.charliefarren.com  
James Montgomery  http://www.jamesmontgomery.com/
Ernie & The Automatics  http://www.ernieandtheautomatics.com
Jennie Dee & The Deeliquents http://www.myspace.com/jennydeemusic
John Powhida http://www.johnpowhida.com  
Andrea Gillis http://www.andreagillis.com
Ramona Silver http://www.ramonasilver.com
Brian Charles http://www.myspace.com/briancharlesmusic
Mike Gent  http://www.myspace.com/themikegent

Produced by Gary Sohmers and Leland Stein
Musical Direction by Barrence Whitfield and Jim Haggarty

# # #

The Music Museum of New England is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Massachusetts, documenting the music history of all 6 states in New England on the Internet at www.MMONE.org, and currently involved with the Bostonian Society to place markers for a Boston Music Trail of musically important historic locations funded in part by a grant from Ernie Bock Jr’s “Music Drives Us” Foundation. .

The MMONE.org Advisory Council consists of Don Law and Dave Marsden of Live Nation; Chip Rives of NEMO/Boston Music Awards and TRP Sports & Entertainment; David Bieber of Phoenix Media/Communications Group; Peter Hackel of PH Productions; music journalist/radio executive Dean Johnson; and musicians Doug Bell and Wayne Ulaky.