Upcoming 2022-2023 Concerts
All performances will be at the Bartlesville Community Center
Beginnings – The Music of Chicago
Sunday, May 14, 2023 7:30 PM
Beginnings is a tightly woven structure of musical talent that brings to life the original and glorious music of Chicago. They are the Ultimate Chicago Tribute Band. Guitar riffs, hopped up vocal melodies and the famous brass section all make for American music that stands the test of time. Beginnings is a band of great musicians who grew up listening to Chicago and developed a love for bringing that music to life for themselves and Chicago fans everywhere! Beginnings transports audiences through more than five decades of Chicago’s extensive catalog of gold and platinum recordings. They provide family-friendly entertainment for music lovers of all ages.
Beginnings formed in 2002 as a musical tribute to the super-group Chicago. The band makes its home in the New York City metro area and regularly performs for highly enthusiastic and loyal audiences all over the United States. Beginnings performs accurate versions of Chicago’s classic chart-smashing hits (and even a few rare gems) from across their fifty-plus year songbook.
Fueled by world class musicianship and a passion for performance, the band is a live music experience not to be missed. The group’s love of the music and their fans makes for an outstanding and electrifying show every time. Come see the band live, and they promise to “Make You Smile”!
Website: beginningslive.com/home
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Beginningstribute
Previous 2022-2023 Concerts
How Sweet It Is – The Music of James Taylor
Sunday, October 9, 2022 3:00 PM (Matinee)
Nashville-based Steve Leslie is an awarded singer/songwriter/guitarist. In “How Sweet It Is!” Steve Leslie performs the music of one of his greatest influences, James Taylor, in an authentic and spellbinding concert event. Steve’s warm baritone and exceptional guitar technique will have audiences singing along to James Taylor’s incredible catalog of songs.
Songwriter: Steve has had a professional songwriting career spanning more than twenty-five years with songs recorded by Kenny Rogers, Mark Chesnutt, George Strait, Darryl Worley, Rhonda Vincent, Neal McCoy, Ricky Skaggs, Darius Rucker, and more.
A multiple BMI Award-winner, Steve received a Grammy for the title cut to Ricky Skaggs’ 2004 Best Bluegrass Album of the Year “Brand New Strings.”
Performer: Steve has been playing guitar and singing onstage since he was 15 years old. Recently, Steve has joined some of the best players in Nashville in presenting How Sweet It Is! Steve Leslie Sings James Taylor. As a recording artist Steve has released three CDs, as well as written the music and book for the full-length musical, Umbrella.
Educator: Steve taught Jazz History at Tallahassee Community College, Tallahassee, FL, Songwriting at Belmont University, Nashville, TN, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, and in 2013 was one of four internationally selected candidates considered for the Chair of the Songwriting Department, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA. Steve is Senior Faculty Member at Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), and a regular contributor to American Songwriter Magazine. He offers a subscription to his teaching method through this website.
Website: www.steveleslie.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SteveSingsJT
David Osborne – Pianist to the Presidents
Monday, November 14, 2022 7:30 PM
Known as the “Pianist to the Presidents”, Osborne’s credentials are many. The list of White House performances includes Reagan, Bush and Clinton administrations. David has performed numerous times for President and Mrs. George W. Bush in the White House. Osborne is a regular performer for Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in Plains, Georgia. He created and organized President Carter’s 75th birthday tribute in 1999. Jimmy Carter has said that “David is one of the finest pianists in the United States.” And President Bush said “That boy can play!” at the White House in 2003.
Osborne performs currently at his new home the Bellagio Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. He was a fixture at Caesars Palace for 12 years. He is featured at the Petrossian Bar and The Baccarat Bar at the Bellagio. His music includes romantic, classical, jazz, pop, inspirational, patriotic and Broadway show tunes. Osborne’s music encompasses 22 cd’s currently on sale through the Northstar Music label available at gift stores and Borders Books. His record sales near five million. His latest recording is available at Hallmark Gold Crown Stores, “Simply Romantic”.
Born and raised in Miami, Oklahoma, he received his undergraduate degree from Oral Roberts University. At Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana he studied classical pipe organ and piano performance, with a minor in French. At Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas he completed a master’s degree in keyboard performance and music composition.
A few of Osborne’s more significant recent events include a concert for the American Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation, an interview and performance on TV’s “The 700 Club”, a concert for the Steinway and Sons International convention of worldwide dealers at the Beverly Hills Hotel, a benefit concert at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., two concerts for Mr. and Mrs. Don Hall, CEO of Hallmark Cards in Kansas City and a performance in Las Vegas, playing the Steinway pianos of Vladimir Horowitz, Van Cliburn and George Gershwin at Southern Nevada Music as a part of Steinway and Sons Legendary Instruments of the Immortals Tour.
Website: davidosbornemusic.com/site
Facebook: www.facebook.com/davidosborne.piano
Backtrack Vocals
Sunday, March 12, 2023 2:00 PM (Matinee)
Backtrack is a 5-person a cappella group based in New York City. Their exciting arrangements transform familiar tunes and showcase the top-notch vocal and beatboxing abilities of all of the members. The group takes the stage around the nation at performing arts centers, corporate events, music festivals, schools and more. They infuse heart and humor into every performance and their versatile repertoire including Top 40, Motown, classical, show tunes, original music, and more, ensures that there is something for everyone.
Backtrack is passionate about promoting the arts and helping students find and develop their voices. Backtrack has conducted educational programs at over 100 schools (elementary to college). They offer school assemblies, workshops with choirs, and clinics on topics including beatboxing, group vocal improvisation and DIY music video production.
Backtrack was originally formed to produce YouTube videos, and since its founding, the group has gained over 10 million views and more than 100,000 subscribers. They’ve appeared on NBC, FOX, PBS, Steve Harvey’s daytime show STEVE! And Broadway’s Kinky Boots. They also won New York’s Got Talent Season 6 in 2019, and in December 2020, they made their movie debut in “A Ring for Christmas.”
Awards & Accolades:
- 2019 New York’s Got Talent Season 6 Winners
- 2018 Voices Only (vol. 2) Featured Track
- 2017 Steve Harvey’s Sing Off; Winner
- 2017 International Championship of A Cappella OPEN (Final); Best Beatbox
- 2017 International Championship of A Cappella OPEN (Northeast Semi-final); First Place; Best Arrangement
- 2017 Aca-Challenge; First Place; Audience Favorite
- 2016 YouTube Next Up competition; Winner
Website: www.backtrackvocals.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BacktrackVocals
Upcoming 2023-2024 Concerts
All performances will be at the Bartlesville Community Center
Church of Cash – A World Class Johnny Cash Tribute
Monday, September 18, 2023 – 7:30 PM
Jay Ernest formed Church of Cash in sunny Honolulu back in 2010. With an uncanny grasp of the Man in Black’s catalog and many years of experience touring the United States, Europe, and Asia, Jay has returned to his Minnesota home to spread the gospel of one of the world’s most important and enduring songwriters.
The Church of Cash is true to the music of Johnny Cash, and singer Jay’s deep baritone voice sings like a prairie breeze and stomps like a boot heel. Church of Cash is not a country band. Church of Cash is a tribute band with the express purpose of honoring the indelible legacy of Johnny Cash. Road-tested and always road-ready, The Church of Cash is celebrating the soul of American music.
Whether you are an old timer that grew up listening to Mr. Cash in your tractor or a young soldier driving your tank across the deserts of the Middle East with the Man in Black in your headphones, the Church of Cash will bring his music, with style and energy to fans everywhere.
What the Church of Cash has that no one else can match is their loyalty to the song and the message that Johnny left to all of us. The band merely keeps this word alive with a youthful spirit that has entertained audiences completely.
Website: churchofcashmusic.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/churchofcash/
Yesterday Once More – The Sound of Karen Carpenter
Tuesday, November 30, 2023 – 7:30 PM
Do you remember the first time you heard the voice of Karen Carpenter? Do you remember the feeling you had the first time you experienced that sound?
Let this show take you right back to that time and make it yesterday once more.
This is a celebration of those songs and ‘that’ sound told via the velvet voice of singer/actress Joanne O’Brien.
Through a cavalcade of iconic classics, Joanne illuminates the musical diversity, pop culture, and political climate of that time in history when the world first fell in love with the magical sound of Karen and Richard Carpenter.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSoundOfKarenCarpenter/
Empire Trio
Wednesday, February 7, 2024 – 7:30 PM
Empire Trio is an exhilarating and uniquely talented classical crossover ensemble, that has been taking concert halls by storm all over the world.
Empire Trio was formed in 2012 when three musicians came to live in New York City to pursue their dreams of becoming world class performing musicians. When these three musicians met a musical explosion occurred resulting in the creation of Empire Trio,
Empire Trio quickly established themselves as a musical force, selling out major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (who also commissioned their first show), The Redlands Bowl, CA (to a crowd of 7,000+), Ronnie Scott’s, London, and over 350 other venues all over the United States, Canada, and the UK.
Empire Trio features the lush and mesmerizing voice of soprano Erin Shields, the versatile and virtuosic David Shenton on piano and violin, the world’s first (and possibly only) musician to play violin and piano simultaneously. The third member of the trio is the illustriously talented baritone Adam Cannedy.
From deliciously witty to incredibly moving, Empire Trio’s shows have it all; they breathe new life into familiar toe-tapping favorites with their unique and innovative arrangements. The trio has garnered rave reviews from audiences and critics alike.
Empire Trio continues to tour extensively throughout the United States. They are extremely proud to provide educational outreach concerts and masterclasses to children of all ages and economic backgrounds.
Website: www.empiretrio.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/empiretrionyc
Abbacadabara – The Ultimate ABBA Tribute
Thursday, April 11, 2024 – 7:30 PM
Dust off the leisure suits! Shine up those platform shoes! Be transported back to a simpler time when gas was under $1.00 per gallon … when music was fun, inspiring, and uplifting … and disco was King! With the resurgence of the ‘70s, fueled in part by the hugely popular 1999 Broadway musical production “MAMMA MIA!” and the 2008 movie of the same name, the music of ABBA is finding its way back into the hearts of those who lived it then and taking over the hearts of those who are experiencing it for the first time now.
Since they started in 2002, ABBACADABRA has been entertaining audiences with the music the world has been loving since ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974. Producer Gary Raffanelli got the idea in an entertainment meeting and bluffed that it was already in production. From that start, the group has performed in Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, Guatemala, coast to coast in the USA with more tours planned in Canada and India.
ABBACADABRA promises to continue the momentum of the Broadway show and hit movie by performing 20 of the group’s greatest hits in full ABBA flair. “Mamma Mia!”, “S.O.S.”, “Super Trooper”, and “Dancing Queen” are re-created with such precision you’ll swear you were listening to the originals themselves. “Take a Chance on Me” and “Waterloo” will lift the audience out of their seats to dance! The show is authentic in music and dress and is performed to live music that will leave you excited and melancholy … at the same time.
Website: www.adbacadabra.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066496515218