Solano County Fair Jul 31 Aug 4, 2013 Media Contact: Debbie Egidio 900 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo DTS Egidio (707) 551 2000 ph (707) 448 3183 ph (707) 642 7947 fx (707) 448 3185 fx SCFair.com debbie@dtsegidio.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 14, 2013 FREE HEADLINE CONCERTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2013 SOLANO COUNTY FAIR Line Up To Include WAR, The Spinners and Tower of Power Solano County, CA The Solano County Fair will continue its tradition of providing the best summer entertainment value in the area with five nights of headline concert entertainment included FREE with the price of admission during the 2013 Solano County Fair, July 31 August 4. Just announced for Thursday, August 1 is the eclectic funk band, WAR, followed by R&B legends, The Spinners, on Friday, August 2, and soul superstars, Tower of Power, on Saturday, August 3. Additional acts for Wednesday, July 31 and Sunday, August 4 will be announced soon. One of the most iconic bands of its time, WAR has been entertaining music lovers for the last few decades with its unique blend of funk, jazz, R&B, and rock and roll. The band has sold more than fifty million albums worldwide and performs for thousands of enthusiastic fans every year. Led by Lonnie Jordan original lead singer, keyboardist extraordinaire and musical director WAR is not a band, it s a movement. Jordan is one of the most versatile and musically talented men of the twentieth century and his powerful voice has presided over WAR s political, historical and energetic songbook. WAR released and recorded their first album, Eric Burdon Declares WAR in 1969 featuring the number one single Spill The Wine. WAR s career skyrocketed in the early 1970s with a European tour followed by the release of singles like Slippin Into Darkness and Me And Baby Free Concerts Announced For 2013 Solano County Fair Page 1
Brother which spoke to the heart of millions of Americans about the troubled times of Vietnam, Watergate and the ethnic tension that centered around inner cities. WAR continued to produce hits, sell out concerts, and hear their music featured in television and movies through the end of the last century into the new one. They have been honored with seventeen gold, platinum and multi platinum awards including triple platinum The World Is A Ghetto, multi platinum Why Can t We Be Friends, All Day Music and Deliver The World, and gold singles from their quad platinum Greatest Hits Album. Today WAR is a permanent part of America s pop culture landscape and has profoundly impacted the music industry. Currently when WAR is not on tour, they can be found in the studio working on their first CD of new material in over fourteen years, scheduled to be released in 2013. It should come as no surprise that The Spinners have always made timeless music. Their classic group sound and approach never loses its universal appeal. Throughout the years they have acquired twelve gold records with hits on top of both pop and R&B charts and they are one of the few groups who can boast about having four lead singers. Today, original members Bobbie Smith, Henry Fambrough, and Pervis Jackson are joined onstage by lead singer Charlton Washington, high tenor Harold Spike Bonhart and a soul infused five piece band. In 1972, The Spinners signed with Atlantic Records and teamed up with producer Thom Bell, setting into motion an amazing recording career. A partial list of their hit singles on Atlantic include Mighty Love, Then Came You, I ll Be Around, One Of A Kind (Love Affair), Free Concerts Announced For 2013 Solano County Fair Page 2
Games People Play, and Could It Be. In 1979, The Spinners completed their first collaboration with producer Michael Zager, and by early 1980, the single, Working My Way Back To You, was topping pop and R&B charts giving the group its 12 th gold record. With the release of Can t Shake This Feeling in 1981, their fourth LP in just over two years, the quintet entered a brand new phase of their remarkable career as they joined the award winning producing/writing/playing team of James Mtume and Reggie Lucas. The mighty Spinners have six Grammy nominations and have performed twice during the awards ceremony. They received a Black Gold Award from Dick Clark for their many achievements in the recording industry, and they have been awarded the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Award for their contribution to R&B. The group has performed for multiple presidents, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and has appeared in numerous network and cable television specials paying tribute to the music of the 1970s. Today this legendary R&B group maintains a full touring schedule, performing for fans of all ages in sold out houses around the world. Tower of Power s 45 year odyssey began in 1968 when Emilio Castillo met Stephen "Doc" Kupka in July of that year. When Kupka auditioned during a band rehearsal at Castillo's house, Castillo's father called him into the kitchen and offered the following advice: "Hire that guy, he's got something." Kupka and his signature baritone sax sound became part of the band, and on August 13, 1968, Tower of Power, as we know them today, began playing gigs and soon became very well known in the San Francisco bay area. Free Concerts Announced For 2013 Solano County Fair Page 3
Based out of their hometown in Oakland, California, Tower of Power's big break came after playing at a Tuesday night audition at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco in 1970. It was then that Tower of Power was signed to Bill Graham s San Francisco label and their first album, East Bay Grease, was recorded. All of the compositions were original tunes written by Castillo and Kupka. Their next album, Bump City, was recorded on the Warner Brothers label, and this led to a string of hits and memorable albums that include many of the songs that Tower of Power fans come out in force to hear to this day. Well known for their hits like What Is Hip? and You re Still A Young Man, over the years Tower of Power has toured and performed on records with artists as diverse as Aerosmith, Elton John, Little Feat, Phish, Santana, Heart, and many others, forever infusing the radio airwaves with Tower of Power s musical DNA. Tower of Power celebrated their 40 th anniversary in 2008 at a very special reunion show at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. In addition to the ten current members of the band, another twenty musicians and vocalists that at one time held a position with the band appeared on stage with them. The show was filmed and is available on DVD. Of the ten current members, four of the band s founders, Emilio Castillo, Rocco Prestia, Stephen Kupka and David Garibaldi still perform to this day. Their dedication to the music, their creative writing and their original vision still guide Tower of Power. With 45 years of recording and touring experience behind them, Tower of Power continues to produce hot selling albums including their recently released 40th Anniversary CD/DVD Box Set and The Great American Soulbook which features covers of soul classics with guest singers Joss Stone, Sir Tom Jones, Huey Lewis, and Sam Moore. Since the beginning, Tower of Power has never stopped touring and recording. Always in demand, the band never fails to entertain and amaze their fans and is blessed to have a dedicated following that often travels to see them, and in many cases plan their vacation or work schedules around one or more of the band s performances. Free Concerts Announced For 2013 Solano County Fair Page 4
The Solano County Fair runs from July 31 August 4, 2013 at the Solano County Fairgrounds in Vallejo. All entertainment, including concerts, is included FREE with Fair admission. Fair admission prices are $8 in advance and $10 on site for adults, $4 in advance and $6 on site for children ages 6 12 and seniors 60+. Children 5 and under are always FREE. Military personnel and dependents with an active duty card are also always FREE. Select activities, carnival rides and games have a separate cost. Carnival wristbands, good all day any one day, are $20 in advance and $25 on site. All of the following sources are available to get the latest updates and announcements about the annual Solano County Fair as well as year round Fairgrounds activities: visit the Fair s web site, SCFair.com; follow the Fair on Facebook by clicking the link on the Fair s home page; or sign up to receive email blasts and newsletters by registering your email in the box at the top of the Fair s home page. # # # Free Concerts Announced For 2013 Solano County Fair Page 5