4/25 - Joey Fatone

Joey Fatone - Set to return to Dancing with the Stars for one night
Joey Fatone: Long before the mega-popular boy band *NSYNC put his winsome mug on hordes of magazine covers, Brooklyn-born Joey Fatone had music on his mind. While still in high school, the cheerful baritone and three pals formed The Big Guys, an a cappella group that once serenaded Miss Florida on the TV series Teen Talk. He met future band mate Chris Kirkpatrick while performing in Universal Studios Florida’s "Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue.” The two theme-park performers linked up with handsome crooners J.C. Chavez and Justin Timberlake, and soon enough their 1998 self-titled debut was paving the way for them to become one of the biggest-selling and record-smashing music acts of its time. In the years since the group’s final 2002 tour, Fatone has done anything but rest on his laurels. He’s transferred his talents to the silver screen, appearing in the 2002 hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding and the acclaimed 2003 film The Cooler. He debuted on Broadway in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Rent, and later stretched his vocal chords as a lead in a revival of Little Shop of Horrors. Most recently, he’s reacquainted himself with a new generation of cooing fans, cha-chaing his way into a second-place finish on 2007 edition of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. His success on the dance floor led NBC to hire the personable songster as the host for their karaoke game show Singing Bee. Off-screen, his personal life has been equally blessed. He married his high-school sweetheart, Kelly Baldwin, in 2004; their daughter Brianna served as flower girl.

4/11 - Manhattan Transfer

The first manifestation of the group was established during 1969 in New York city, with Tim Hauser, Erin Dickins, Marty Nelson, Gene Pistilli, and Pat Rosalia. They contracted with Capitol Records, recorded several tracks, and during 1971 issued their only album with this line-up, Jukin'. The album was later reissued in the UK by EMI's Music for Pleasure under the title The Manhattan Transfer and Gene Pistilli. This team endured only until 1971. The current group was founded during 1972 by Tim Hauser and singers Alan Paul, Janis Siegel, and Laurel Massé. Performances at Max's Kansas City, Trude Heller’s and Reno Sweeney with Herb Abramson's A-1 Sound engineer Jim Reeves in New York City soon developed for them a cult fan base, and it was at the latter venue that Ahmet Ertegün, founder and chairman of Atlantic Records, saw them and offered a recording contract which resulted in the release, during 1975, of this team's first album, The Manhattan Transfer. The album included the group’s first successful single, the gospel tune "Operator".  In 1978, Laurel Massé was injured badly by an auto accident and was replaced by Cheryl Bentyne. The team has remained the same since then.

Their next recording, Extensions, earned The Manhattan Transfer their second US popular music success: "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone", written by Alan Paul and Jay Graydon as a tribute to the 1960s’ CBS television series created by Rod Serling.  Their journey into JAZZ began with the album Extensions... featured a cover of Weather Report's "Birdland", with lyrics by Jon Hendricks, the piece that has become The Manhattan Transfer's signature tune. One of the most popular jazz recordings of 1980, "Birdland" brought The Transfer its first Grammy award (Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental), and the award for Best Arrangement For Voices.

During 1981, The Manhattan Transfer made music history by becoming the first group to win Grammy awards for both popular and jazz categories in the same year. "Boy from New York City" (a cover of the 1965 success by The Ad Libs), which scored in the top 10 on the popular charts, won them the award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and "Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)" earned them a Grammy for Best Jazz Performance, Duo or Group. Both of these songs appeared on the group's fifth album, Mecca for Moderns.  During 1982, the group won another Grammy, for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, for its rendition of the classic ode-to-the-road, "Route 66". The song was on the soundtrack to the Burt Reynolds film Sharky's Machine
During September 1983 the team produced the album Bodies and Souls, with an urban-contemporary style which resulted in two R&B-chart singles — the #2 "Spice of Life" (also #40 on the pop chart) and the ballad "Mystery" (#80 R&B, #102 Pop). Despite its disappointing chart performance, "Mystery" — with powerful lead vocals by Siegel — has become one of the group's best-loved songs. Hauser has called it the group's biggest turntable (radio airplay) success. Anita Baker covered it on her "breakout" album, Rapture.

The Manhattan Transfer's next set, Vocalese (1985) was a great critical success[citation needed]. Vocalese received twelve Grammy nominations — at the time making it second only to Michael Jackson's Thriller as the most nominated single album ever. The Transfer won in two categories: Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, and Best Arrangement for Voices. This was followed by a live recording of many of these songs titled Live. This concert was also released on VHS and DVD.
The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998. By that time, it had become known for mixing jazz, big band, and popular music styles.  The group's 30-plus year history and success has lead them into this new millenium with worldwide sales in the millions, Grammy Awards by the dozens, and veterans of sold-out World Tours.
Their newest CD, "The Chick Corea Songbook" was released in September 2009. This release features Chick Corea's most recognizable material with an appearance by Chick Corea himself on Free Samba. Other notable musicians on this recording are Airto, Scott Kinsey, Gary Novack, Steve Hass, Alex Acuna, Jimmy Earl, John Benitez, and Christian McBride.

Bandleader Johnny Crawford

Crawford is an accomplished musician from a musical family, as well as an actor and former child star, having appeared in over 200 television shows, 15 movies, and 13 plays. Crawford now performs with his own vintage dance band featuring authentic orchestrations from the first half of the 20th century. He has garnered an enthusiastic following in Southern California for concerts, dances, private parties and provides authentic period music for film and special events.

4/4 - Happy Easter from Gregg Hunter

Enjoy the Best of "Niteside" with Gregg Hunter.  Gregg Hunter will return next week at his normally scheduled time.

3/28 - Stephanie Powers

Stefanie Powers -  Hallmark's "Meet My Mom"  Hallmark Channel Saturday, May 8

Synopsis: It takes a strong heart to be an army wife, and whether she likes it or not, has what it takes. Lori Loughlin stars with two-time Emmy nominee and five-time Golden Globe nominee Stefanie Powers in MEET MY MOM, a Hallmark hannel in HD Original Movie premiering Saturday, May 8 (9p.m. ET/PT, 8C).  Actress Stefanie Powers, whose charming and thoughtful real-life personality may most closely resemble stunning renaissance woman Jennifer Hart, the character she portrayed on the hit television series "Hart to Hart", has combined a natural curiosity and passion for knowledge, world travel and diverse cultures into both an award-winning acting career and an equally active life of heartfelt philanthropic work. The cornerstone of that work is the William Holden Wildlife Foundation, a public charity dedicated to the preservation of wild animals, which Stefanie helped to found in honor of the late actor and for which she serves as president. The William Holden Wildlife Education Center, which currently serves 10,000 students a year, is located near the Mt. Kenya Safari Club and the Mt. Kenya Game Ranch started by Holden in the late 1950's before conservation became a popular issue. "The Foundation is an extremely large commitment," Stefanie admits, "but it's not something I entered into without understanding the full impact of the obligation. It's a lifelong commitment that sometimes monopolizes one hundred percent of my time". What's perhaps staggering for most of us who would find either acting or extensive social work each full-time occupations in themselves is that Stefanie's life only begins there. She makes the term well-rounded a severe understatement. To begin, she runs her own production company, which always has several projects brewing. Her acting credits include 27 feature films, such as "Experiment in Terror", "The Interns", "McClintock!", "Die Die My Darling", "Love Has Many Faces", "Stagecoach" and "The Man Inside" and the television series "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.", "The Feather and Father Gang" and, of course, "Hart to Hart". Her many mini-series include "Washington: Behind Closed Doors", "Deceptions", "Mistral's Daughter", "At Mother's Request", "Burden of Proof" and "Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun", which she also produced. She has also appeared on stage in many musical productions, such as "Oliver", "Annie Get Your Gun", "My Fair Lady" and, most recently, "Matador" at the Queen's Theatre in London. Also, in London's West End, she was reunited with Robert Wagner in the play "Love Letters" for a 4-week run followed by tours of the play in many U.S. cities and Canada, and the "Hart to Hart" pair recreated their weekly series by doing 5 2-hour movies for the NBC-TV and three for the Family Channel, an her latest project is on the Hallmark Channel in HD on May 8 - "Meet My Mom".

Sunday March 7, 2010

IT'S OSCAR NIGHT - CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS! 

82nd Annual Academy Awards, March 7th, 2010

Best  Picture: Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious, A Serious Man, Up, Up in the Air Actor in a Leading Role:  Jeff Bridges, George Clooney, Colin Firth, Morgan   Freeman, Jeremy Renner  Actress in a Leading Role:  Sandra Bullock, Helen Mirren, Carey Mulligan, Gabourey Sidibe, Meryl Streep  Directing:  Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Up in the Air, Precious

Sunday Feb 14, 2010

Richard Sherman this week with Gregg Hunter on "Niteside"

Richard Morton Sherman (born June 12, 1928; see also: "Sherman Brothers") is an American songwriter who specializes in musical film with his brother Robert Bernard Sherman. Some of the Sherman Brothers' best-known writing includes the songs from Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Winnie the Pooh, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Slipper and the Rose and the theme park song, "It's a Small World (after all)". Richard Morton Sherman was born in New York City to Russian-Jewish immigrants, Rosa & Al Sherman. Together with his older brother Robert, "The Sherman Brothers" would eventually follow in their songwriting father's footsteps to form a long-lasting songwriting partnership. Following seven years of frequent cross-country moves, the Sherman family finally settled down in Beverly Hills, California in 1937. Throughout Richard's years at Beverly Hills High School he became fascinated with music and studied several instruments including the flute, piccolo and piano.  At his 1946 graduation from
Beverly Hills High School, Richard Sherman and André Previn played a musical duet - Previn (played piano) accompanying Sherman (who played flute). Coincidentally, in 1965 both composers won Oscars for different films, both winning in musical categories. At Bard College, Richard majored in Music, writing numerous sonatas and "art songs" during his time there but it was Richard's ambition to write the "Great American Symphony" which eventually led him to write songs. Within two years of graduating, Richard and Robert Sherman began writing songs together on a challenge from their father, songwriter Al Sherman. In 1953 Richard was drafted into United States Army joining the band and glee club. Richard served as a musical conductor for both groups and remained in the U.S. during his time in the service. He was not in combat. During this time, collaborator brother, Robert, worked with other songwriters. In 1955 Sherman was honorably discharged from the Armed Forces.   In 1958 the Sherman Brothers had their first "Top Ten" hit with "Tall Paul", sung by Mouseketeer Annette Funicello. The success of this song yielded the attention of Walt Disney who eventually hired the Sherman Brothers as Staff Songwriters for Walt Disney Studios.  While at Disney, the Sherman Brothers wrote what is perhaps their best-loved song: It's a Small World (after all) for the 1964 New York World's Fair. Since then, "Small World" has become the most translated and performed song on earth. In 1965, the Sherman Brothers won two Academy Awards for the film Mary Poppins (1964), which includes the songs "Feed The Birds", "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and the Oscar winner, "Chim Chim Cher-ee". Since Mary Poppins premiere, the Sherman Brothers have subsequently earned 9 Academy Award nominations, 2 Grammy Awards, 4 Grammy Award nominations and an 23 gold and platinum albums.  The Shermans worked directly for Walt Disney until Disney's death in 1966. Since leaving the company, the brother songwriting team has worked freelance on scores of motion pictures, television shows, theme park exhibits and stage musicals. Their first non-Disney assignment came with Albert R. Broccoli's motion picture production Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 1968 which garnered the brothers their third Academy Award Nomination. In 1973, the Sherman Brothers made history by becoming the only Americans ever to win First Prize at the Moscow Film Festival for Tom Sawyer for which they also authored the screenplay. The Slipper and the Rose was chosen as the Royal Command Performance of 1976 and was attended by Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. A modern musical adaptation of the classic Cinderella story, "Slipper" also features both song-score and screenplay by the Sherman Brothers. That same year the Sherman Brothers received their star on the Hollywood "Walk of Fame" directly across from Grauman's Chinese Theater. Their numerous other Disney and Non-Disney top box office film credits include The Jungle Book (1967), The Aristocats (1970), The Parent Trap (1961), The Parent Trap (1998), Charlotte's Web (1973) , The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), Snoopy, Come Home (1972), Bedknobs And Broomsticks (1971) and Little Nemo: Adventures In Slumberland (1992).  Outside of the motion picture realm, their Tony nominated smash hit, Over Here! (1974) was the biggest grossing original Broadway Musical of that year. The Sherman Brothers have also written numerous top selling songs including "You're Sixteen" which holds the distinction of reaching Billboard's #1 spot twice; first with Johnny Burnette in 1960 and then with Ringo Starr fourteen years later. Other top-ten hits include, "Pineapple Princess", "Let's Get Together" and more. In 2000, the Sherman Brothers wrote the song score for Disney's blockbuster film: The Tigger Movie (2000). This film marked the brothers' first major motion picture for the Disney company in over twenty eight years. In 2002, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang hit the London stage as a musical and received rave revues. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is currently the most successful stage show ever produced at the London Palladium, boasting the longest run in that century-old theatre's history. In 2005 the musical premiered on Broadway (New York City) at the Hilton Theatre. The Sherman Brothers wrote an additional six songs specifically for the new stage productions. In 2003, four Sherman Brothers' musicals ranked in the "Top 10 Favorite Children's Films of All Time" in a (British) nationwide poll reported by the BBC. The Jungle Book (1967)_ranked at #7, Mary Poppins (1964) ranked at #8, The Aristocats (1970) ranked at #9 and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) topped the list at #1. A new Disney and Cameron Mackintosh production of Mary Poppins: The Stage Musical made its world premiere at the Prince Edward Theatre in December 2004, featuring the Sherman Brothers' classic songs. The show went on to successful runs in New York and Los Angeles.

Sunday Dec 13, 2009

Barbara Eden  Joins Gregg Hunter This Week!
"America's favorite Jeannie" in Ballroom with a Twist

Who better to offer audiences a magical evening of entertainment than Barbara Eden, who will host the highly anticipated production of Ballroom with a Twist. A brilliant new dance production that rings in the New Year at the DuPont Theatre January 19-24, 2010. Scott Stander & Associates and The DuPont Theatre proudly announce the signing of 2009 Dancing With the Stars first runner-up Dmitry Chaplin, the blonde & beautiful Chelsie Hightower, and the strikingly magnetic husband and wife team of Jonathan Roberts and Anna Trebunskaya to headline this extraordinary lineup of talent. Louis van Amstel, a four-time Dancing With the Stars pro, brings ballroom to the stage as he directs and choreographs the pros plus an ensemble of 14 fabulous young dancers from Dancing With the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and High School Musical. American Idol alumni David Hernandez and Trenyce provide stylish and exciting vocal accompaniment and interludes. This groundbreaking show pushes the boundaries of ballroom dance, infusing it with the energy and intensity of the latest "hip-hop" styles. It is slated to be the only national tour in the 2009 post-DWTS season in which to see these wildly popular dancers triumphantly taking the stage to showcase their sultry moves. Ballroom with a Twist is an extravagant evening of entertainment for the entire family, highlighted by stunning costumes, magnificent music and breathtaking performances. Come out and dance with the stars at the DuPont Theatre!

Barbara Eden, is one of America’s most endearing and enduring stars. She has starred in a score of feature films, five television series, 15 top-rated movies and as a singer, has headlined at many of America’s top hotel resorts and casinos in Tahoe, Atlantic City and Vegas, as well as on concert stages and in theaters across America. Her long-running series “I Dream of Jeannie“ has been on television screens globally for 44 uninterrupted years since beginning its first year network run on NBC in 1965. Today, it continues to be one of the world’s most popular family shows, and is seen every day on cable and in international syndication on TV screens around the globe. The busy star’s recent activities include her starring role as “Florence Unger“ in the national company female version of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple“ and her recurring starring role as the matriarchal Aunt Irma in “Sabrina: The Teenage Witch.”

Louis van Amstel, born in 1972 in Holland, is a professional dancer, choreographer, and a dancesport coach. He is a world championship ballroom dancer, and also known in American pop culture for partnering with celebrities Lisa Rinna, Priscilla Presley, and Monique Coleman in Dancing with the Stars. Louis has also coached 2009 first runner-up Dmitry Chaplin. After retiring from professional ballroom competition, he moved on to choreography and production. He founded the company VanDance, LLC, and directed, produced, choreographed and performed in the Broadway show Latin Fusion. Louis has appeared on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and had a cameo role as himself on ABC's All My Children, where he taught two characters to ballroom dance.

Dmitry Chaplin - This young pro transitioned from So You Think You Can Dance to DWTS last season, when he was paired up with Holly Madison. Dmitry's ballroom dancing career began at the age of 12 in his hometown of Rostov–on-Don in Russia. His perfect combination of technique and performance soon got him noticed by judges and teachers in his home country. After moving to the United States, his commitment to dance brought him to work with some of the best coaches in the ballroom world, including Louis Van Amstel and Shirley Ballas. Dmitry studied in both America and the United Kingdom, and began representing the U.S. at famous ballroom competitions around the world as one of the best dancers in the Under 21 division. In 2006, Dmitry's dance career took a different course when he joined the cast of the hit TV show So You Think You Can Dance. He became one of the Top 10 dancers, representing the ballroom world and establishing himself as an audience favorite.

Chelsie Hightower - Only 19 years old, she has been a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance, and in professional competitions has ranked as one of the top three couples in the country. Chelsie has been helping others learn to dance in America and abroad since she was 15.

The glamorous husband and wife team of Jonathan Roberts and Anna Trebunskaya have been a part of DWTS since its debut in 2005. They are both professional ballroom dancers that teach celebrities how to dance. Although only having danced together for a relatively short time, Jonathan and Anna achieved many high placements in competitions around the world. Jonathan and Anna currently rank 6th in the US and 24th in the world. Together with Anna’s mother, they own the You Can Dance Studio in LA. Jonathan started dancing at the age of 20. Coming from a big sports background in high school (namely basketball), it was as much of a shock to Jonathan as it was to his family and friends when he discovered a passion for ballroom dancing. Jonathan went to see the Al Pacino movie Scent of a Woman and there was something about the famous tango scene that struck a chord. He took advantage of the free ballroom lessons offered on his movie ticket stub, and the rest is history. Anna began dancing at the age of seven in her native Russia. Her parents owned a dance studio, so it was only natural that Anna took to dancing from an early age. At the age of seven she entered her first competition, which she won, and she has been winning titles (first amateur and now professional) ever since. Trebunskaya moved to the United States with her parents when she was 17 years old. Both her mother and father were professional ballroom dancers, and her mother still makes her costumes today.

Performances of BALLROOM WITH A TWIST at the DuPont Theatre are Tuesday through Sunday, January 19-24, 2010. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening performances start at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday evening performances start at 8 p.m., and Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Ticket prices begin at $45. To purchase tickets or for more information about group rates, call the DuPont Theatre Box Office at 302-656-4401 or 800-338-0881  http://www.duponttheatre.com/