FALL 2000 Newsletter
By Chuck Kruger, President

COMPANY NEWS
Another great year is heading into its final turn. The turn of the century confused some, and got others way too worked up. We worked on several very successful "millennium" events that kicked off the New Year in big ways. The real millennium promises to be a bit quieter with a lot less hype. No problem there! …

Dot O'Donnell's son Rory got off to a roaring start at Colby-Sawyer College - one of the top pitchers on this very successful team. Dot's husband Dave is Program Director of new radio station The Bay 105.5, receiving kudos for the sublime swing and Big Band sounds which are garnering a phenomenal response from listeners of all ages…

We decided to send Stacie Mariano to Washington to look out for our interests there. Washington, Maine, that is. Congrats to her and Joe (and Grady the Dog) on their new home…

Phil Clement has been cleverly balancing coaching his sons Matt and Sam in baseball, soccer, and electric guitar. While it's true that they need to round up some neighbors to get a ball game going, the three of them are a wicked hot power trio all on their own…

Chuck Kruger attended the International Concert Industry Consortium in Las Vegas, and the IEG International Sponsorship Conference in Chicago. Reports on both can be found here. Gov. Angus King re-appointed Chuck to a 3-year term on the Maine Arts Commission, where he serves on the Executive Committee and as Chair of the Contemporary Arts Development Committee…

We enjoyed having Caleb Winslow around this summer to help out on many technology fronts, and we all wish him good luck with his senior year at Rockland District High School.

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SHOWS & EVENTS

cbk with Randy Travis

Remember the 70's hair band called Triumph? It was led by a gifted Canadian guitarist named Rik Emmet. Listening to our clients is as important as ever. John Murphy of Fisher Engineering asked us to book and produce Emmet for festivities surrounding the opening of the new Fisher Snowplow manufacturing facility, and we're so glad he did. Rik is a class act and adapted brilliantly to this terrific event...

For a private party in Northeast Harbor Maine on the 4th of July, we constructed a large stage on a steep sloping lawn on Somes Sound, and staged a huge concert production for country artist Randy Travis (another class act). This was capped by a huge fireworks show by the famed Grucci Bros. of New York.

For a major corporate client, we did booking and all the production for a multi-day conference that featured world-renowned skateboard champs, The Heroes of Rock-n-Roll, TKO Big Band, Yogi Berra, James Carville, Mary Matalin, Tommy Lasorda, and George Stephanopoulos (among others) …

With Willie Nelson & Angus King

The 2000 Maine Lobster Festival was the most successful (and most fun) ever, with attendance, gate admission revenue, food sales, souvenirs, and just about every other department up significantly. Star of the show this year was the legendary Willie Nelson, who arrived early with his band and large entourage in three busses and a semi, took in many of the pleasures of the Festival, and played an outstanding, 2.5 hour show to huge and thrilled crowd. He stayed around a chatted with fans after the show until after 1:00 am. Let it not be said that those good ol' Texans don't know how to eat lobster.

The Festival also saw a huge crowd turn out for the Rustic Overtones, whom I first worked with as teenagers (them, not me) back in 1995. They are a great band, and we hope they attain the national success they deserve. Other Lobster Festival standouts included Agents of Good Roots, Sean Mencher Combo, The Pinetones, Dr. Watson Reid & Americana, Hypnotic Clambake, The Boneheads, Stan Catell Combo, Eastern Standard Trio, Tzena Tzena, and the Clam Flat Five. For updates on next year's event, go to www.mainelobsterfestival.com …

For the third year in a row we organized a wonderful bash for CedarWorks USA… Several major coach manufacturers selected Entertainment Resources to produce client appreciation parties for them during the massive Family Motor Coach Assn. Rally in Brunswick, including Prevost and Monaco. We were pleased to help The Maine Insurance Agents Association line up Joan Benoit Samuelson for their annual conference.

There's much more to tell, but I sense that you're getting drowsy.

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ARTIST NEWS
Bob Ellis retires. Can't say as I blame him, but our clients and especially we here at the ER office will miss Bob, surely one of the finest DJ's ever. His great gift for reading a crowd, and spinning exactly the right next song, is quite rare and greatly valued. His ability to lay back and let the music do the work always made him my personal favorite. Good luck, Bob. You're sure to be enjoying that elusive concept that others take for granted: the free weekend.

Atlantic Clarion Steel Band continues to evolve and develop, both as a diverse musical unit and in developing steel drum programs in schools and communities throughout the northeast.

Michael Lane Trautman finished up the year-long tour of "The Big Apple Circus Stage Show." That tour went from October through June, and went across the US to a long list of theaters and performing arts centers, including a great weekend in Portland last March. Speaking of Michaels and circuses, Michael Menes will be appearing with Cirque du Soleil next year.

Brad Terry recruited an outstanding trio of teenage musicians on his last trip to Poland. They have been touring the U.S., turning heads wherever they go with their world-class musicianship and dazzling combo sound… Guitarist Mark Kleinhaut has an outstanding new album called Secrets of Three, recorded with Jim Lyden and Mark Macksound …

Ben Baldwin

Dave Mallett has made a fine new album, Ambition. He is available for concerts as always, but also is looking to do more corporate events as part of a Maine Heritage package. Call us for details… Jonathan Edwards continues his trend toward fewer and fewer live shows. Check with us for his few New England availabilities for 2001… Glenn Jenks will see an original string quartet performed at Bay Chamber Concerts next June… Also appearing at the Harvest Ragtime Revue.

We continue to collect rave reviews from our clients for fine local and regional bands we book for them, such as Ben Baldwin & The Big Note, Jump Street, The Attractions , Big Chief , and The Tony Boffa Band, to name but a few. We're especially proud of the great working relationships we have developed with some of the country's leading stand-up comedians who have turned in outstanding performances for our clients, thereby making us all look good.

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WEDDINGS
If you or someone you know is getting married, be sure to check in with us. We specialize in great music for the ceremony and the reception, and we're always glad to help line up many other event services, such as sound systems, lighting, stage, custom recordings, equipment and party rentals, even event staff. If you need information, click here and write to us with your question..

HOT STUFF
Since it's not likely to be promoted anywhere else, I'll put in a plug here for the recent Jesse Winchester CD on Sugar Hill entitled Gentleman of Leisure. This is an absolute must-have album for thinking people who like acoustic music and are moved by great lyrics. The last time I felt this way about a record, it was James Taylor's seminal Hourglass, another truly astonishing collection of songs.

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