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THE SUMMIT CITY SAINTS DIXIELAND
BAND
Style Of Music: Dixieland, Ragtime and Blues
CDs Recorded: “Summit City Saints Dixieland Favorites” © 1995 ($8 at
performances)
"The SUMMIT CITY SAINTS DIXIELAND
BAND" specializes
in good old-fashioned but familiar American Dixieland, Ragtime & Blues
music evolving since the Roaring
Twenties. They have performed over 150 shows at more than 70 different
venues. Contrary to some misconceptions
that the “Summit City
Saints” come from a mountain top
area, the band was named after a very flatland city in which it originated
(Fort Wayne, Indiana), known as the "Summit City" because of
it’s relative high elevation in this area of the Midwest.
Fred Lynn, a Central PA native trumpeter, formed the band in
the Midwest in 1990. In 1996, he
returned home & reformed the band with some of the Centre Region’s finest
musicians, including Dr. Ned Deihl from State College on clarinet, Bill
Fatula from Howard on trumpet and flugelhorn, Jay Vonada from
Aaronsburg on trombone, Dr. Phil Jensen from Boalsburg on tuba, Dr.
Frederick Brown from State College on keyboard, Jim Kerhin from
State College on the plectrum banjo, and Jim Franklin from Lock Haven on
drums.
This 8-piece instrumental
ensemble is brightly clad in patriotic red, white and blue (optionally red & white, or blue & white) Dixieland
attire. Their traditional and upbeat
music style has been featured at county fairs, arts festivals, football
tailgates, park concerts, conventions, private parties, family reunions, church
services, business Grand Openings and promotional events, cocktail parties,
fund-raising & benefit dinners, Monte Carlo & New Orleans theme
parties, July 4th fireworks displays, corporate outings,
professional sporting events, riverboat cruises, & on award-winning parade
floats.
In 1994, the band was
responsible for winning the “Sweepstakes Trophy” in the Three Rivers
Festival Parade on the “Fort Wayne Bicentennial Float”, receiving the highest
conglomerate score in the parade & recognized as the “Best motorized
non-commercial float”. The following
year, their “Neighborhoods in Partnership” float was awarded the “Admiral
Andy Trophy”, the top prize for “Noncommercial floats that are educational
or appeal to children”. In 2002, they
displayed their patriotism in their red, white & blue attire, participating
in the “American Pride Parade” in State College.
They also have the
unique distinction of having performed at the “Inaugural Games” of four
professional baseball teams (the “Fort Wayne Wizards” single-A Midwest
League affiliate of the Minnesota Twins in 1993, the “Altoona Curve”
double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1999, the “Williamsport
Crosscutters” single-A New York – Penn League affiliate of the Philadelphia
Phillies in 1999, and the “State College Spikes” single-A New York –
Penn League affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates on 2006), as well as the
Inaugural Game of the “Fort Wayne Fury” professional basketball team in
1994.
The band has been
featured on several Riverboat cruises, including Harrah’s Casino Riverboats
(the “Southern Star” paddle wheeler & the “Northern Star” mega yacht) on
the Des Plains River in Joliet, Illinois, and on the J&K Steamboat Line
“Michigan Princess” (a portable, 350 passenger, triple-decker, 11 stories long,
65 ton, paddle wheeler that is dismantled to transport on 2 flat bed trucks
& 2 enclosed trailers; the largest boat in the nation that can be broken
down & moved from place to place over land). The band recorded its first album "Summit City Saints Dixieland Favorites" in 1995
(advertised on the website www.saintsdixieland.com),
and has opened shows for the "Smothers Brothers" and
other well-known entertainers and sports celebrities.
Local
Summer Concert Series have included shows at State College Parks &
Rec Concert Series at Central Parklet, South Hills Music Picnic Series, Tyrone
Reservoir Park Amphitheatre, Bellefonte Tallyrand Park Gazebo, PSU Creamery Ice
Cream Diversions, & Lock Haven Triangle Park. Local Fairs & Festivals include Central PA Arts
Fest, Blair County Arts Fest in Altoona, Mifflin-Juniata Arts Fest in
Lewistown, Big Spring Fest in Bellefonte, Peoples Choice Fest in Boalsburg,
Centre County Grange Fair in Centre Hall, Bellefonte Arts & Crafts Fair,
Haines Township Fall Fest in Aaronsburg, Black Moshannon Summer Fest, Heritage
Days in Philipsburg, and State College First Night Fest performances. They have also appeared at Knoebel’s
Amusement Park in Elysburg & Lakemont Amusement Park in Altoona.
Visit www.myspace.com/summitcitysaintsdixielandband
to hear the band playing 6 popular selections. Audience participation and good
fun is promoted with audience "volunteers" given the opportunity to
perform along with the band on novelty percussion instruments during selected
numbers. They also frequently give away American flags and other patriotic
novelties to members of the audience. "The SUMMIT CITY SAINTS"
are a real crowd pleaser, with style and selections enjoyed by all ages.
Contact: Fred Lynn Address: 325 Glengarry
Lane, State College, PA 16801 Phone: (814) 234-6069 Email: summitcitysaints@dixieland.ned Websites: www.saintsdixieland.com AND www.myspace.com/summitcitysaintsdixielandband