The Second Edition of Crooners Classics – every Wednesday will have a 5 PM show highlighting a classic act from music history! Wednesday’s Crooners Classics Jazz Standards The Legend of Sinatra – Back at #1 on the 2024 Billboard Charts Wayne Anthony, Vocalist, with Adi Yeshaya Joe Pulice Graydon Peterson Joe Elliott Steve Wagner Pete Whitman Dave Graf As a vocalist, Wayne Anthony is a true chameleon. Entertainer, story teller, multi-instrumentalist, composer & producer, Wayne came up on the East Coast as an inspired member of a very musical family under the guidance of his Father George Cullinan who was a renowned Crooner & Big Band Singer. With a vast collection of musical styles, he’s followed a lifetime allure for the stage which has lasted over 5 decades and is still running strong. Wayne is a performing member in over 10 musical productions and has performed on prestigious stages such as the Target Center, The Troubadour In West Hollywood, Grand Casino, The Dakota, The Guthrie Theatre, The Chanhassen Theatre, Paisley Park Studios, The Fitzgerald Theatre, Crooners & St. Paul River Center. You’ll also find Wayne at his artistic residency of 7 years at Birch’s Supper Club on Long Lake and countless other Supper Club Stages such as Mancini’s in St. Paul along with a collection of Performing Arts venues in the Midwest. “Wayne Anthony’s voice, and his profoundly musical performances are always a must-hear and see” — Ricky Peterson | Musician & International Producer www.WayneAnthonyMusic.com

Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins 75 minutes before showtimes. Jazz, Rock Fusion A set of energetic and upbeat jazz-rock classics by Herbie Hancock, Billy Cobham, Chick Corea, and other legends of the era. Pavel Jany guitarsJohn Croarkin sax, flute Ted Godbout keyboards Dan Weston bass Josue Alfaro drums, percussion World Jazz Collegium is an assembly of local and international musicians founded by the Twin Cities based guitarist and composer Pavel Jany. In addition to their original material, World Jazz Collegium’s repertoire includes works by Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Jaco Pastorius, Billy Cobham, Miles Davis, Jeff Beck, and other legends of modern jazz. PJanyMusic.com

Dinner and drinks service starts 1 hour before showtimes. Performed by the Larry McDonough Quartet The Larry McDonough Quartet will celebrate the music life of Herbie Hancock, who performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 11 and is known for the pieces Cantaloupe Island, Watermelon Man, Maiden Voyage, and Chameleon. He received the Oscar for Best Original Score for the film Round Midnight in 1986. Larry McDonough piano, synthesizer, voiceRichard Terrill sax, poetryGreg Stinson bassDean White drums Larry McDonough is an award-winning St. Paul jazz composer, pianist, singer, and teacher, performing around the world and recording with his group the Larry McDonough Quartet as well as solo, and in duos and trios. He has performed with legendary saxophonist and composer Benny Golson, Trombonist Fred Wesley, and trumpeter Duane Eubanks, as well as a who’s who of local jazz artists, and was inducted into the Minnesota Rock Country Hall of Fame for his work in the group Danny’s Reasons. His awards include the American Composers Forum Showcase Award for the composition “Strait of Gibraltar.” He has released eleven CDs and DVDs as a leader. His current CDs are “Kind of Bill on the Palace Grounds, Marking 40 Years since the Death of Bill Evans,” playing on jazz radio stations and streaming services around the country, and “Intermodulating Undercurrents Live at the Kos: The Music of Bill Evans and Jim Hall.” The two-CD set “Alice in Stonehenge and other AcoustElectric Adventures” has played on radio stations and streaming services around the world and charted #18 on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Jazz Album Chart. “Simple Gifts” reached number 29 on the CMJ Jazz Chart and also has been played on hundreds of stations around the country and throughout the world. He is joined by Richard Terrill, saxes and poetry, Greg Stinson, bass, and Dean White, drums. “The quartet does more than replay the songbook. They relive it, reinterpret it for a new generation of jazz listeners, making then into now.” — Eric Hanson, Author, Artist, and Jazz Historian. http://www.larrymcdonoughjazz.homestead.com

Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins 75 minutes before showtimes. Storytelling, Singer/Songwriter Stories and Songs celebrating Mother’s Day Looking to celebrate this Mother’s Day? Come on down to Crooners on Saturday, May 11th. Whether you are a mother, or are married to one, or know, or have, or have had one, this is the show for you. Victor and Kevin are back under the big top for an early evening of stories, poems and songs that celebrate those who fed and wiped and everything in between. Come and share a laugh, maybe a tear, and don’t worry, it’s not a school night. What do you and Einstein, Gandhi, Taylor Swift and Queen Victoria have in common? Mothers. Kevin Kling story tellerVictor Zupanc singer/songwriter Kevin Kling is a beloved storyteller and an award winning playwright and writer whose plays have been produced in regional theaters, including The Guthrie, Seattle Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, the Goodman, Kennedy Center, Denver Center and off Broadway at Westside Arts and Second Stage Theater. Kevin is a frequent performer at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN. He has written five books and appears often on PBS and Minnesota Public Radio. His PBS autobiographical documentary Kevin Kling: Lost and Found won a Regional Emmy. He was named the Minneapolis Storyteller Laureate by Mayor RT Rybak in 2014. www.kevinkling.com. Victor Zupanc has been a composer, music director, sound designer and performer on over 300 plays at some of the most prestigious theaters in America and abroad winning many awards for his work. Since 1989, he has been the resident Music Director/Composer at the Tony Award winning Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis as well as dozens of productions at The Guthrie Theater. In addition, Kevin and Victor have been commissioned together to create large scale pieces for orchestras and chamber ensembles. www.victorzupanc.com.

Sun May 12 Mike Dowling & Jeff Ray, 1pm https://mikedowling.com/ https://jeffraymusic.com/ When the late, great Vassar Clements heard Mike Dowling play guitar back in 1975 he did the sensible thing. He hired him. Mike was the guitarist in Vasssar’s first touring band and can be heard on Clements’ Grammy-nominated Nashville Jam. Clements called him simply, “One of the finest guitarists there is, anywhere.” Before embarking on a solo performance and teaching career, the Wisconsin native also worked and recorded with music legends Jethro Burns and Joe Venuti in Chicago, and studied briefly with session great George Barnes in San Francisco. In1995, after years in various ensembles and a successful stint as a Nashville songwriter he launched a solo performance career and with the release of Swamp Dog Blues began to headline at concerts and festivals throughout the world. Soon after, Mike packed up his guitars and his fishing gear and moved from Nashville, Tennessee to a little mountain town in northwest Wyoming where he and his wife opened Wind River Guitar, a unique residency school for private master instruction. He’s released eight critically acclaimed albums on his Wind River Guitar label and two more for Solid Air Records. David Chamberlain, host of “Sagebrush Boogie”, WRFG FM, Atlantic called his most recent CD, Tracks, “One of the best recordings I have ever heard.” Mike shares a Grammy for his contribution to Pink Guitar, a collaborative compilation of Henry Mancini tunes arranged and performed by twelve of the country’s top acoustic guitarists. Pink Guitar, produced by Solid Air Records, was voted Pop Instrumental Album of the Year in 2005. Mike Dowling will be joined by Minnesota resonator slide-guitarist and songwriter Jeff Ray. Ray‘s music is rooted in the traditions of acoustic blues and American primitive fingerstyle guitar while also integrating Indian classical and world music styles under the cryptic guise of alternate guitar tunings. His music recalls early blues and rock, fingerstyle-folk, and Indian Carnatic music – sounding equal parts Ry Cooder, Grateful Dead and RL Burnside. Jeff has shared the stage with Chris Smither, Justin Townes Earl, Indigenous, Spider John Koerner, Earl Greyhound, Black Diamond Heavies, Pat Donohue, Retribution Gospel Choir, Dawes, and Charlie Parr, among others. He has earned recognition as a first-place winner of the Minnesota Blues Society “Road to Memphis” competition and placed second in the Trocadero’s Spotlight Songwriter Competition. JEFF RAY hosts the “Roots & Resophonics” concert series at the White Squirrel Bar on the 2nd Sunday of every month, 1-3pm, featuring a unique duo performance of the most talented local and regional musicians in the American roots genre.        

Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins 75 minutes before showtimes. Collegiate Jazz Ensemble Performing compositions and arrangements by acclaimed women composers and arrangers in honor of Mother’s Day. The program will include works by Toshiko Akiyoshi, Patty Darling, Michele Fernández, Melba Liston, Ellen Rowe, Maria Schneider, and Mary Lou Williams. Abigail Clasemann, Dylan Halom, Chloe Lee, Gabe Mauer, Julia Peterson, Parker Rogers, Indigo Sabin, Anna Stednitz woodwinds Aiden Carlson, Sam Helgerson, Ethan Kalla, Arya Menk, Gracelyn Szynal trumpetsAidan Hansen, Aidon Huck, Zach Mangan, Adam Nordquist, Ian Ort trombonesAmelia Boerger vibes, percussion Holden Docherty bass Daniel Gordon drums Jorgen Halstensen piano Conor Jolly guitar Will Sorg bass Nathan Swanson drumsJack Asmus, Arya Menk, Gracelynn Szynal vocals Dave Stamps director The Gustavus Jazz Ensemble, directed by Dr. Dave Stamps, is the premier 21-member concert jazz ensemble at Gustavus Adolphus College. Formerly known as the Gustavus Jazz Lab Band and Gustavus Stage Band, the Gustavus Jazz Ensemble recently celebrated its 50th year of excellence. Founded in 1970 by Dr. Mark Lammers, the ensemble is composed of students majoring in a diverse array of academic disciplines. The ensemble, affectionately known as GJAZZ, prides itself on its multifaceted repertoire of classic big band works and cutting-edge arrangements by today’s leading jazz composers. Gustavus.edu/finearts

The Third Edition of Crooners Classics – every Wednesday will have a 5 PM show highlighting a classic act from music history! Wednesday’s Crooners Classics The music of Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page, Connie Francis, Doris Day and Peggy Lee “The Girl Singers of the Hit Parade” is a truly entertaining show jam-packed with hit after hit from some of the best-loved female vocalists of all-time. You’ll not only hear fantastic music performed by an outstanding cast, Colleen Raye, Jennifer Grimm, and Debbie O’Keefe, but also take a nostalgic trip back to a simpler time. Accompanied by a trio of extraordinary musicians, the music has a “true to the era” sound with background vocals and instrumentals. Colleen Raye, Vocals Jennifer Grimm, Vocals Debbie Okeefe, Vocals Norton Lawellin, Piano and Musical Director Tom Lewis, Bass Steve Jennings, Drums Colleen Raye is the creator and producer of Girl Singers of the Hit Parade and has expanded Colleen Raye Productions to include over10 Shows spanning from The Great American Songbook and Rock and Roll to Contemporary and Country Music. Colleen, from Ellsworth, WI, began performing in the Twin Cities Area at age 15. She went on to win vocal competitions, perform in Vegas and Atlantic City, record several albums as well as teaching and inspiring students to learn not only performing but the business end of Music. The Girl Singers troupe includes Jennifer Grimm, a Twin Cities Super Star and Musical Director of Crooners and Colleen’s daughter, Debbie OKeefe, who performs with “The Hot Toddies” and Todd Matheson, is in several of Colleen Raye’s shows and is Colleen’s sister..With Musical Director Norton Lawellin on piano, Tom Lewis on bass and Steve Jennings on drums- the band is stellar! “Beautifully sung, well-paced and very entertaining! Highly Recommend!” — John H. Potter Executive Director, The Phipps Center For The Arts “A heaping helping of song, sound and memories!” — Ken Buell, Rosemary Clausen Performing Arts Center Girl Sings of the Hit Parade

Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins 1 hour before showtimes. Tuneful, Timeless, Classic Pop Brilliant Story Tellers and Phenomenal Musicians, James Taylor, Billy Joel and Cat Stevens can really touch the Heart and Soul! A special night of wonderful songs, including many singalong favorites. Jay Fuchs piano, vocalsJames A. Rocco vocalsAndy LaCasse guitar, harmonica, vocalsReid Kennedy drumsKris Stauffer bass Jay Fuchs, James A. Rocco and Andy LaCasse are all beloved veterans of the entertainment world. Jay Fuchs is a renowned entertainer, music director, and music educator. For 25 years he has been the musical partner of Erin Schwab, the “Bette Midler of the Twin Cites”. Jay has served as music director for the Governor’s Inauguration Ball, the Basilica of Saint Mary Annual Fund Raiser, and many more. For 27 years he was the Music Theory Department Head at McNally Smith College of Music. are all beloved veterans of the entertainment world. As a teenager, James A. Rocco made his recording debut, singing a few lines on Frank Sinatra’s album Watertown. He starred on Broadway in CATS, toured the country in Jesus Christ Superstar, and performed as The Witch in Into the Woods. In 2021 Broadway World cited him as Twin Cities Vocalist of the Decade for his work on Broadway Songbook®. Andy LaCasse is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and arranger. For over 30 years, he has been a favorite studio session player and live performance band member in all areas of the Twin Cities music scene.

Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins 1 hour before showtimes. Vocal Jazz Trio Billy Peterson bassDavid Hazeltine pianoLucia Newell vocals

Get ready for some top notch pickin' and grinnin' at the Spring Coil Roots Music Fest - a celebration of music, community, and good vibes!Join us for a great day of Music, Food and Craft Cocktails on the Vandalia Tower Plaza for Spring Coil Roots Music Fest. Featuring a great lineup of local Bluegrass and Old-time Country artists, food and drink specials, makers market and more.We're starting things off hot with local bluegrass super group the Lake Monster Bluegrass band, playing a prolific brand of traditional bluegrass. Next is the classic country and Western-swing sounds of Potential New Boyfriend, followed by the great old-time harmonies of the Roe Family Singers. To cap it all off is the excellent, high energy Americana of Them Coulee Boys. All day long we'll have King Coil's Roman-style Pizza, a taco pop up from chef David, brews from Lake Monster Brewing, signature Spring Coil cocktails, and a preview of our newest spirit offering, King Coil Agave Spirit.

The Fourth Edition of Crooners Classics – every Wednesday will have a 5 PM show highlighting a classic act from music history! Wednesday’s Crooners Classics Jazz, Swing, The Andrews Sisters One of the original girl groups, the Andrews Sisters recorded more than 700 songs and was the first all-female group to have a record go platinum. Join us in a high-energy nostalgic trip down memory lane featuring the signature sound of the Andrews Sisters! Enjoy “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”, “Bei Mir Bist Du Schon”, “Apple Blossom Time” and many more musical arrangements by Raymond Berg. Audiences of all ages will enjoy the chemistry and vocal harmony of singers Aimee Lee, Kathryn Mueller and Lisa Pallen, thoughtfully strung together with stories and anecdotes by emcee/host Bill Arnold.

Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins 75 minutes before showtimes. Classic French and American Favorites Celebrating their 30th year together with guest appearances by Diane Jarvi, Robert Bell, Tony Balluff, Gord Abel and a look back at their 10 albums. Dan Newton accordion and vocalsEric Mohring mandolin, violin and vocalsErik Lillestol bass and vocalsBrian Barnes guitar and vocalsJoe Steinger percussion Dan Newton’s Cafe Accordion Orchestra (CAO) performs an eclectic mix full of French flare, Latin heat and Bohemian attitude. The heart of the CAO repertoire is the passionate sound of the French valsemusette. The group complements the musettes with swing, ballads, tangos, cha chas, rumbas, and cumbias to create a wonderfully varied show. They inject their music with good humor and expressive abandon. Their high level of musicianship and passion for performance makes them an entertaining concert act as well as a great dance band. CAO has been delighting audiences and dancers alike since 1995. They have appeared in New York at the Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing series, the International Akkordeon Festival in Vienna, Austria, the Minnesota State Fair, as well as festivals, theaters and dance halls across the United States. “Cafe Accordion’s music is stylish yet appropriately timeless, transcending trendiness with an easygoing charm.” –The Onion CafeAccordion.com

Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins 1 hour before showtimes. Authentic Roots Music Combining soul, R&B, gospel, jazz and traditional blues styles. With roots in the church and a solid foundation of musical education, Joyann Parker found her authentic voice later in life and created her own blend of roots music. Parker has been a steadily rising star on the Midwest music scene and now brings her full range of talent as an accomplished singer, pianist, guitarist and songwriter to national and international stages. “Joyann Parker knows her way around a song. She climbs inside it, dwells in it, lives with every note and phrase, delivering performances that seize our emotions and capture the ragged despair and heightened joy of life.”–Living Blues Magazine JoyannParker.com

Dinner and drinks service starts 1 hour before showtimes. Comedian and Storyteller Miss Shannan Paul has curated a combination of stand-up comedy and storytelling guaranteed to help you laugh through the hard times. Miss Shannan was named “Best Stand-Up Comedian” by City Pages in 2020. Campus Activities Magazine® included her as one of eight Top Speaker Picks for 2015. She has appeared on “Nick Mom’s Night Out,” “Laughs TV,” Hulu and as part of the SXSW Comedy and Music Festival. She has performed with Louie Anderson, Sinbad, and Christopher “Kid” Reid. She is also an award-winning storyteller and regular host of the Moth StorySlams held in the Twin Cities. She regularly brings her wit, whimsy and pop culture expertise to Twin Cities television as part of “The Jason Show.” Plus, hear Miss Shannan weekly on MyTalk 107.1, 830 WCCO and her podcast called “Be Our Geek.” “With comedy that’s personal and relatable, she has the ability to make you feel like you’ve been friends for years, even if you’re only seeing her for the very first time.” –City Pages MissShannan.com

Dinner and drinks service starts 1 hour before showtimes. Instant Theatre, Comedy And Music Back again by popular demand Dane Stauffer is hosting some esteemed fellow Dudley Riggs Brave New Workshop alumnae for another fun evening of “Instant Theatre.” They need you in the audience for suggestions and the usual improv byplay. Dane StaufferMelissa DentonMichelle HutchisonJay ReillyJim DetmarShirley Mier piano Dane Stauffer celebrates 45 years in the business of entertainment, performance and creative expression. A crowd favorite at Crooners, he returns to our stage after appearing in the recent smash “Glensheen” at the History Theatre. Along with the other performers, he traces his history back to the comedy heyday of the mid 1980’s where these performers cut their teeth together making up sketches, songs, and improvising nightly at the Brave New Workshop. “Masterful comedy. Every nuance is expertly judged.” –Three Weeks, Edinburgh, Scotland DaneStauffer.com

The Fifth Edition of Crooners Classics – every Wednesday will have a 5 PM show highlighting a classic act from music history! Wednesday’s Crooners Classics Female Musical Tribute Show Divas Through the Decades is a musical tribute to some of the most influential female vocalists in American pop music, featuring songs from the 40’s through today’s current hits! The show features music made famous by various Divas including Tina Turner, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Barbara Streisand, Beyonce, Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, and many more! The Divas stage show is filled with electrifying vocals, cutting edge choreography, great costume changes, and a high energy performance that is second to none! Not only will you experience iconic music and incredible singing and dancing, you will find comedy and sentiment throughout the performance. There is truly something for everyone in this timeless production! Divas Through the Decades will give you an opportunity to experience female artists’ great contribution to American music. Featuring: Lisa Marie Peters Lisa Pallen Alyssa Cassada David Feily Taylor Hamilton Scott Mullenburg KeAndre Mack John Bertsch Phil Holm “People love them, the great music is one thing, but the performance and the show and personal connection they make with the audience is another level.” — Florida State Fair