They were the Beatles opening act on tour dates including August 23, 1966 at Shea Stadium, as well as August 29, 1966, for the Beatles’ famous final concert at Candlestick Park. If you were moving and grooving to the Beatles and the English Invasion in the mid 1960’s, then you are no doubt familiar with the music of the few bands to open for the greatest group of all time.

Earle Pickens and Tom Dawes formed the band as the Rhondells at Lafayette College in 1961. They soon added Don Dannemann and drummer Jim Maiella. In 1963, Maiella was replaced by Martin “Marty” Fried, and it wasn’t long before they became one of the most popular bands on the East Coast. This led to them being noticed by a couple of very influential men in the world of rock music.

While playing at a club in Atlantic City on Labor Day 1965, they were heard by New York attorney Nathan Weiss, who happened to be the business partner of none other than Brian Epstein, the famous manager of the Beatles. Weiss urged Epstein to see the band and offer to become their manager. The, rest, as they say, is history. With one small exception, that is. John Lennon himself, after hearing the band’s name, suggested a new one, with a unique spelling, and the Rhondells were re-christened THE CYRKLE.

In 1966 the band recorded their first album, Red Rubber Ball, which produced the Billboard hit song, “Red Rubber Ball” selling over one million copies and certified Gold. The single “Turn Down Day” was a solid hit as well, becoming their second Top 20 song of the year.

Later in 1966, Earle Pickens decided to pursue his dream of going to medical school and was replaced by keyboardist Mike Losekamp. The band then recorded their second album Neon. 1967 found them on the soundtrack of a motion picture The Minx. After releasing several more singles in ‘67, the band decided to go their separate ways and disbanded that same year.

Dawes and Dannemann then became professional jingle writers, with Dawes penning such classics as the world famous Alka-Seltzer jingle, “plop plop fizz fizz” and the original 7 Up “Uncola Song” and Dannemann writing classics for Swanson Foods and Continental Airlines. Dawes wrote a number of other songs, such as “Wild Cherry”, which was recorded by Foghat. He also produced two of their albums, Rock & Roll in 1973, and Energized in 1974.

After reforming in 2016, The Cyrkle will be seeking out venues that offer music of the 60s and later, targeting lovers of older music and anyone that appreciates what is truly the Golden Era of Rock Music. They will be playing such diverse venues as Festivals and Fairs, Theaters, Packaged Classic Band tours, and Classic Rock n’ Roll Cruises.

The Cyrkle will be playing their own mega hits, plus favorite tunes from the Classic 60s, but will also add a few new songs they have written especially for this new incarnation. They will also include a tribute to the music of several other Brian Epstein managed groups, which will round out their performances with even more legendary music.

The two original members of Cyrkle, Don Dannemann and Mike Losekamp, will be joined by Pat McLaughlin on lead vocals and rhythm guitar; Mike “Roscoe” Rousculp on lead vocals and bass guitar; Don White on lead guitar and vocals; and Scott Langley on drums and vocals. The new additions are all veterans onstage, and each brings a unique and individual style to the show that is sure to delight the most diehard music fan.

Much to the delight of classic Rock n’ Roll fans, The Cyrkle is poised to emerge on the scene of classic music venues in the coming months and will bring all their talent to the stage in shows that are sure to breathe new life into old music and renewed interest in songs that have never lost their popularity.

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Born on April Fools Day, 1951, in Brooklyn, NewYork, Henry began playing clubs at age thirteen with his first band. Before long he was performing at the 1964 World’s Fair and spending summers honing his skills at Catskill Mountain resorts. Encouraged by his mom, also a gifted musician, and Gil Hodges, the all-star first baseman of The Brooklyn Dodgers who lived in the neighborhood, Henry’s career rose to amazing heights when, in 1969, during his first semester at Brooklyn College, he co-founded the 1950’s Rock & Roll revival band “Sha Na Na” and that summer became the youngest performer at “The Woodstock Festival.”

Leaving the group to record on his own, he made over a dozen critically acclaimed albums for the most prestigious labels in the world highlighted by his classic A&M Records LP, “Plug Me Into Something” in 1975. In 1976, he received a gold record for his worldwide hit “Shannon,” a song inspired by the death of Beach Boy’s lead singer CarlWilson’s Irish Setter! He’s shared the stage with some of the greatest artists in rock-and-roll history, including Aerosmith, The Beach Boys, Ricky Nelson, Mark Knopfler, Billy Joel, The Byrds, Poco, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Cocker, Chicago, The Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, Huey Lewis, Hall and Oates, Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, B.B. King and The Kinks.

As an actor, he starred in the road company of the Broadway hit PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES with the legendary Nicolette Larson (It’s Gonna Take A Lot Of Love) and Jonathan Edwards (Sunshine). For the past several years, Henry has been constantly writing and recording critically acclaimed CDs including NOTHING BUT DREAMS, I’M HEARING THINGS, ONE-HIT WANDERER, FOREVERLAND, and RHYMES AND MISDEMEANORS. “One HitWanderer,” is a celebration of life and re-invention that will charm audiences of all ages. Henry’s working his way back to the top, keeping in mind his mom’s words of wisdom: “The Impossible Takes A Little Bit Longer!”

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Formed in 2007, THE MIDTOWN MEN reunites four stars from the Original Cast of Broadway’s Jersey Boys. Following their storied run on Broadway – where these four magnetic artists shared the stage for over a thousand performances and appeared on The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve and The U.S. Open – they have been selling out venues coast to coast living the dream they once portrayed on the stage. THE MIDTOWN MEN is the next chapter for these accomplished entertainers, making them the first vocal group ever formed by the principal cast of a high-profile Broadway show.

The past few years have been a whirlwind for THE MIDTOWN MEN. With each tour their reach has grown, and with this next run, their third headlining tour, they are projected to perform an impressive 140 shows. Not only have they continued to win over audiences of all ages at the performances, their self-titled debut album, THE MIDTOWN MEN: Sixties Hits was met with critical acclaim and garnered 5 star album reviews across iTunes. The album was recorded in New York City and features the group performing such iconic ‘60s hits as, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Up On The Roof,” “Time Of The Season,” “Candy Girl” and more. It is once again a testament to what THE MIDTOWN MEN do best; helping to keep alive iconic music from the ‘60s in the 21st century while giving it a new “twist.”

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“After the Rain” was the debut multi-platinum album by NELSON, the band led by twins Matthew and Gunnar in the early 1990s. They zoomed to number one with their hit song, “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection,” which made history landing America’s iconic Nelson family (bandleader Ozzie Nelson, rock legend Rick Nelson, and twins Matthew & Gunnar) into the Guinness Book of World Records as the ONLY family in Entertainment with 3 successive generations of #1 hitmakers. NELSON’s “After the Rain” record and tour became a phenomenon just prior to the rise of grunge. The last major success of the good time rock’n’roll era, NELSON has had (1) Number One, (4) Top Ten, and (5) Top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit singles, plus (5) #1 MTV videos and has sold over 6.5 million albums worldwide!

Every magazine from Rolling Stone to People did cover stories, and NELSON performed on television shows like “Late Night With David Letterman” and “Saturday Night Live.”

Nelson has always been synonymous with entertainment in America. Matthew and Gunnar follow Ozzie Nelson’s vision of embracing connecting with people and audiences through all forms of media. They have been doing television-hosting work for VH1 and E! Plus, Gunnar co-hosted LIFETIME Radio’s nationally syndicated morning show.

Matthew and Gunnar have rare insights into what it takes to earn longevity in the entertainment world. They continue the inspiring story of a most remarkable show business family. Their grandparents, Ozzie and Harriet, achieved immortality with “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” the longest-running live action sitcom in television history. Earlier, the couple had enjoyed big band success and had scored a number one hit in 1934. Long before MTV made twins Matthew & Gunnar pop-rock icons, Ozzie Nelson is credited with creating the first conceptual music video for Ricky Nelson’s “Travelin’ Man”.

Perhaps the most televised rock star in history, the twins legendary father Ricky Nelson emerged from the TV series’ popularity to establish himself as one of the most important rock artists of the ‘50s and ‘60s with over 200 million career record sales. Rick Nelson is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame credited with founding the country rock music genre.
The world maintains its fascination with America’s First Family of Entertainment, the Nelsons.

A&E channel’s Nelson Family “Biography” episode is still one of the top-rated ‘Biography’ installments. Matthew & Gunnar embraced this fascination by creating a touring show to celebrate the TV Nelsons and the amazing career of their legendary father, Ricky, for whom LIFE magazine coined the phrase “Teen idol”. They share video clips & tell stories about their Hollywood family and perform their Pop’s music live to audiences in RICKY NELSON REMEMBERED while separately touring as “NELSON”. NELSON has been headlining at major rock festivals around the globe celebrating the 20th anniversary of “After the Rain”. Touring in China, the U.K. and of course the U.S. where they have also toured extensively with Peter Frampton and Styx.

“’Lightning Strikes Twice’ has allowed us creatively, artistically and musically to resolve some unfinished business,” Gunnar says. “We’ve had a blast going into the studio writing and performing some of our best songs. Plus, being back on the road with NELSON is living the dream all over again. New fans are discovering our music and original fans have shown incredible support all over the world. It ROCKS!”

Matthew adds, “Who could believe we would be doing a NELSON sequel to ‘After the Rain” twenty years later? Gunnar and I feel it’s our best work to date and should live up to its name ‘Lightning Strikes Twice’. We believe NELSON fans will agree with that forecast and hope they feel it’s been worth the long wait.”

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America’s journey has found them exploring a wide variety of musical terrain. Their best-known tunes, which also include “I Need You,” “Ventura Highway,” “Don’t Cross The River,” “Tin Man,” “Lonely People,” and “Sister Golden Hair” were cornerstones of 1970’s Top 40 and FM rock radio. Yet beyond their impressive catalog of hits, listeners would discover there was always much more to America than surface perceptions. The combination of Gerry Beckley’s melodic pop rock and Dewey Bunnell’s use of folk-jazz elements, slinky Latin-leaning rhythms and impressionistic lyric imagery contrasted well with Dan Peek’s more traditional country-rock leanings and highly personal lyrics.

America’s albums–six certified gold and/or platinum, with their first greatest hits collection, History, hitting four+ million in sales–displayed a fuller range of the trio’s talents than did their singles. Their material encompassed an ambitious artistic swath; from effects-laden rockers to oddball medleys to soul-bearing ballads, America displayed a flawless blend of disparate genres and styles as wide-open as the great American plains.

Enjoying massive success early in their career, America earned their stripes as musical soldiers on the battlefield amidst the excess, craziness and chaos of the 70’s. The trio won the Grammy® for Best New Artist in 1972 and began
working with George Martin and Geoff Emerick in 1974. This successful team
went on to record seven albums and several Top Ten hits, including “Tin Man” and “Sister Golden Hair”.

By the mid-70s, inter-band conflicts combined with an exhaustive touring and recording schedule exacted its toll on the group. With Peek’s departure from the fold in 1977, his band mates rose to the challenge and carried on as a duo. Shifts in sound and direction, changes in producers and managers, and a renewed dedication to the craft of songwriting helped rocket America to the upper reaches of the pop charts in 1982 with their smash single, “You Can Do Magic.” During this tumultuous time in their career, Beckley and Bunnell immersed themselves in their craft, infusing a newfound maturity into their rich body of work. Their growth as singers, songwriters and musicians has continued into the present day as illustrated by landmark releases such as 2000’s Highway 3-disc box set, 2002’s Holiday Harmony, an album comprised of seasonal classics and live showcases, 2007′s Here & Now and 2009’s Live In Concert: Wildwood Springs.

From their formative years, America has been a band capable of transcending borders with its uplifting music and positive message. Embracing a rainbow of divergent cultures, America’s audiences continue to grow, comprising a loyal legion of first, second and third generation fans, all bearing testament to the group’s enduring appeal. “I think that the ingredients of the America sound are the basic fundamentals that translate internationally,” explains Beckley. “The Italians are huge fans of dance music, but they also love a ballad–they’re romantic at heart. It’s the same in the Far East. A lot of times in these countries, we see people singing along, and they don’t really know what the words mean. Music is truly the international language.”

In the midst of their 40th-year anniversary of music making, America continues to evolve while remaining a perennial mainstay on the domestic and international concert circuit and a cornerstone of 70’s Top 40 and FM rock radio. In addition to their classics, America is revisiting their roots as writers and artists. The 40th Anniversary show features songs reflecting some of their song-writing inspirations as well as showcasing their first album America with a very special acoustic set featuring standards such as “I Need You” and “Three Roses”, as well as some never-before-performed deep cuts.

From anonymous horses to fast-moving trains, America’s extraordinary four-decade musical legacy of consummately crafted pop/rock songs, trademark lush harmonies and evocative lyrical landscapes will never go out of style.

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“We never really had any intention of playing for the public,” says Stu. “But a friend wanted to promote a couple of concerts. We got talked into it, but didn’t know how it would go over.”

Since then, the reaction to Creedence Clearwater Revisited’s concerts has been astounding, and driven in part by a generation of kids who, as Cosmo says, “weren’t even born when the music came out.” Likewise, the release of a doublelive CD on Universal’s Hip-O Records label, which features passionate, authoritative version of 22 classic hits was the result of public demand. “It was generated by requests of the people who came to the shows,” Stu acknowledges. “Over and over they would ask, ‘do you guys have a CD?’” Creedence Clearwater Revisited’s “Recollection” has proven so popular that in 2008 the RIAA certified it Platinum.

Having now toured North America, South America, Central America, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Asia, knocking out audiences with astounding concerts jam packed with songs that are still a staple of radio and movie soundtracks, Creedence Clearwater Revisited has come a long way. “In the beginning Cosmo and I decided that if we could find the musicians that could capture the sound and recreate what the music was about, we’d do it,” recalls Stu.

As fans who have experienced a Creedence Clearwater Revisited concert can attest, Stu and Cosmo found the right players. Lead singer/rhythm guitar player John Tristao, a powerful tenor with the energy to power songs, initially rose to prominence as lead singer for the band People when their hit “I Love You” bulleted into the top ten. The newest touring member of Creedence Clearwater Revisited is lead guitarist Kurt Griffey. As a guitarist, song writer, producer and performer, Griffey has recorded and toured with musicians including members of the Eagles, Foreigner, the Moody Blues, Wings, Lynyrd Skynryd, Santana, and Journey. Talented multiinstrumentalist Steve Gunner rounds out the group. As Cosmo puts it, “Gun provides live all the overdubs that were on the records. He plays keyboard, acoustic guitar, percussion, harmonica and sings the high harmonies.”

Stu and Cosmo and their band Creedence Clearwater Revisited add a new chapter to their legacy with vibrant and exhilarating energy and pure American spirit. As the Hollywood Reporter’s music critic John Lappen wrote about a Creedence Clearwater Revisited concert in Los Angeles, “Their set was an amazing list of hit after hit that was done serious justice by the players involved. If anyone in the cheering crowd was disappointed [anyone] wasn’t there, they hid it well behind their big smiles and whoops of joy at hearing live some of the best American rock ever written and recorded.” “People don’t want to be involved in an endless debate,” Cosmo sums up. “They want to hear the music.” And Creedence Clearwater Revisited always delivers.

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