Jersey Shore Pops Announce 2015 Summer Concert Season

COURT HOUSE – Linda Gentille & The Jersey Shore Pops have announced their 2015 Summer Concert Series at the Middle Township PAC. The price of the season pass is discounted at $100 for all 4 Saturday evening shows in the series now until the end of the year. The 2015 Season Pass will rise to $125 on Jan. 1, 2015. The best advantage of purchasing advance Season Passes are choice discounted orchestra center seating. Season ticket holders will save $60 for the pass compared to regular orchestra center VIP seating.
The Season Pass includes complimentary admission to various “After Show VIP Events” including the opening night reception. Season ticket holders have the chance to choose their own choice seats before the individual tickets go on sale in February and will be priced for individual seating from $25 for rear balcony -$45 for orchestra VIP center seats. The announcement of the summer concert series had been highly anticipated by the public. Dr. Holland, president of the orchestra states, “We are so excited to announce our 2015 season which we know will be the most successful one yet. Our music director has worked so hard to bring great headliners to our stage next year including one of the premier Elvis tribute singers in the country, Doug Church.”
The Jersey Shore Pops 2015 Summer Concert Series will include 4 concerts at the Middle Township PAC next summer:
July 11 at 7:00 p.m. The True Voice of Elvis starring Doug Church
July 25 at 7:00 p.m. Twist & Shout
Aug. 8, at 7:00 p.m. Back to Broadway starring Joseph Lustig
Aug. 22 at 7:00 p.m. Vegas to Broadway starring Mark Preston
The series will open July 11 at 7:00 p.m. with The True Voice of Elvis starring Doug Church. This remarkable performer, now living near South Bend, Indiana, still travels more than 30 weeks a year for performances, and usually does two 45-miute sets. His costumes are an essential part of the show, and so is humor.
When n a high school friend back in Iowa introduced Doug Church to the less well-known movie music of one Elvis Presley, it was a bit like Columbus discovering America for the teenager. “I was instantly and completely in love!” So Church, admittedly a shy kid, figured that if could master Elvis’ music as an interpreter, maybe girls would notice him. Back then, such motivation was all he needed to try.
When Doug Church entered the United States Air Force after high school, he began competing in base talent shows – and winning. “Then I got to the regional levels and began winning in larger ponds that involved bases all around Europe.” Before he had completed his four years in the Air Force, the crooner had won an impressive11 first place trophies for his Elvis talents.
“It felt good, of course, but back then I didn’t realize that it would become my life’s work. “I was one of eight kids, and four of my older brothers sang gospel, and they complained that I sang that music off-key. So I wasn’t really that confident.”
After bouncing around with some odd jobs, he landed in South Bend, Indiana. At about the same time – in the late 1980’s – the karaoke craze was sweeping the country. For fun, Church made a tape based on his Elvis talents. It was so outstanding that it caught the attention of the sound technician who was running the tape machine.
That technician was so dazzled that he invited Doug Church to get himself a simple Elvis get-up and sing a few love songs for a couple celebrating an anniversary, right in the couple’s living room.
“And he told me I’d even get paid to do it,” the Elvis tribute singer was remembering during a recent phone interview.
That one living room performance led to many more and Church got himself a better costume – and more and more gigs. “I was finally starting to realize that this could really turn into something bigger.” It certainly did.
The kid who began doing Elvis to get past his shyness with girls placed second in the country in his first foray in 1990 into The World’s Best Elvis Impersonator competition in Memphis. The following year, he captured the first place crown in the same competition.
Somewhere along the way, he became known as “The True Voice of Elvis,” and has even developed a series of tapes that delve into Elvis Presley’s specific phonics pattern for “wannabe” interpreters.
After becoming a celebrated performance artist in the Midwest, Doug Church was invited to join “Legends in Concert,” the entourage in which tribute artists perform as celebrities. While “Legends” is based in Las Vegas, its performers travel the globe. Church has wowed audiences in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Aruba, The Bahamas and even Moscow – and yes, everybody there recognizes The King.
There’s a new challenge coming in Church’s life in the near future, when he will doing the Elvis musical soundtrack in an upcoming motion picture called “Fame and Fortune.” Church will be handling a 17-year span of years in Elvis’ life. Also involved in the film is Elvis’ best friend and bodyguard, Sonny West, who has become a close friend of Church’s.
“Sure, there are days when I guess I’d rather be fishing,” says Church, who is careful to explain always that he is not an “impersonator” in the traditional sense, but rather a “tribute artist.” I perform each and every show,” he says, “as a tribute, and out of respect, for ‘The King.’ You really can’t ‘impersonate’ the greatest legend of all time.”
Another one of the highlights of the season will also be the return of Mark Preston, formerly of The Lettermen. His show was one of the most popular of the 2014 season and he is back by popular demand. The young man from South Bend began his career as an actor before launching into the musical arena. Preston’s unique talent preceded him again, and he was asked twice to join the world famous recording group, The Lettermen. With the second invitation, Preston accepted and spent 10 years with the group. During that time, Preston recorded several CDs. The group’s most recent recording “New Directions 2010” with the Les Brown Jr. Orchestra, was put forward for 3 Grammy Nominations. In 2001, Preston’s contributions to The Lettermen were recognized when the group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame. The late, great, Tennessee Ernie Ford was right when he spoke of Mark Preston. Today his comment would be “Cock your pistols, there IS no stopping this talented singer”…
Preston’s was asked to open for the First Lady of Comedy, Phyllis Diller. “I love to refer to Mark Preston as my protégé”, said Ms. Diller. “He has one of the strongest, most beautiful voices I have ever heard. He really gets to an audience. He sings, acts, emotes, is handsome…everything.”
The Jersey Shore Pops is a big band orchestra with string section, modeled after the orchestras of the Frank Sinatra era which featured a string section along with the bid band sounds. The orchestra was founded by entertainer and conductor Linda Gentille in 2009. The orchestra features 25 of the finest New Jersey musicians either born or based in New Jersey and has become the most popular orchestra at the shore and an attraction for tourists from all over the east coast for the past 5 years. Many Philly Pops fans patronize the Jersey Shore Pops Summer Concert Series when the Philly Pops is on vacation during the summer months
Special pops guest vocalist Jacklyn Buckingham will return again this season as a guest artist in several of the shows. Her beauty and talent have made her a favorite with the orchestra audiences. Other talented members of the pops orchestra are: Angela Guido, Ted Blohm and Jim Tangney (Trombone), Paul Butler, Cindy Yenloevich , Christopher Kobik, Gene Teece and Walter Palmer (Sax, Clarinet and Flute) , Dominic Scalfaro (Trumpet) Susanne Di Vincenzo, Briana Saddler, Christine Mello, Heain Kim, Emily Ip ( Cello) Sandy Miller, Susan Elsayed, Amina Elsayed, Sara Smith, Mary Jo Zahradnik, Elizabeth Maxfield, , Oriana Moreno, (Violins) Karen Kessler ( Viola) Ray Deeley and Ben Hemsley ( Drums Percussion) and Sandy Eldred, James Hines and Sandy Eldred (Bass).
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. The funds were administered by the Cape May County Culture and Heritage Commission, under the authority of the County Library Commission, for the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
To purchase tickets to the 2015 Jersey Shore Pops Summer Season, please call the JSP Ticket Office at 800-838-3006. You can choose your own seats online by going to www.JerseyShorePops.org. The theater is located at 212 Bayberry Ave, off exit 10 off the Garden State Parkway. There is convenient and free parking at the facility and it is handicapped accessible.