| A Message From Rich Spring 2007 |
| Are We Re-creating or Actually Creating Music? Thoughts on our Elvis Show When I first put the TLC Show Band together, I honestly wanted to re-create that same Elvis Vegas show feel. But something happened along the way. You see the other day I found out that there are many TRIBUTE bands out there that play Elvis music (or Grateful Dead, Beatles or whatever it is they do) and they play it note for note. Exactly identical to the original or like a sound track-the same thing every night. With us, we have the CORE of the song the same every night, but we really go out and try to add something or even take something away to make the song fresh, original and US! I think it helps us keep the energy and freshness to what we do. Our show continues to build and mature. We keep adding some the finest musicians and singers that I have EVER worked with. We are adding new songs on a regular basis. Our show has been called a traveling Branson/Las Vegas show. What a compliment. As I watch this whole process it is amazing to me how much that we are actually CREATING music and creating an updated version of not only the Elvis music, but current and past favorites. We are adding to what the original TCB band and many artists in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s paved the way for us to do in this new millennium. I am not so presumptuous to think that we are the only band out there doing a fresh take on classic cover songs but, I will certainly say this…when our band covers Bon Jovi, Sugarland, Johnny Cash, Elvis, or some of our original material-it has such a fresh, contemporary sound, feel, and arrangement. I am so proud of what we can do to keep ELVIS’ music and memory alive. And I am just as proud of the singers and musicians that I am working with in the TLC SHOW Band that make what I do much more fun. It is becoming harder and harder to do the smaller shows with tracks. I have truly gotten spoiled. Of course, for two of my band members-that was their goal all along! They secretly wanted me to get to a point to where I WOULDN’T do shows with tracks. But of course out of necessity, everyone’s schedules, and budgets (and sometimes performing in a LIVING room) I still do some shows with tracks and enjoy any chance to perform! We have a long way to go at perfecting our show and what we do-but is a fun journey along the way with some of the best PEOPLE I could ever know and call my friends, let alone actually work with on stages, civic centers and arenas across the country. So, to Steve, Michael, Rich, Bubba (The Band), Tammy, April, Kristi, Patti, Greg and Dennis (The Singers), Grant, Sheila, Bill, and Jon (Sound and Lights)…I just want to say thanks for taking this wonderful journey! |
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