All concerts begin at 7:00 pm
They are held in Bicentennial Park in downtown Asheboro
The Craig Woolard Band
Sunday, June 17
The Craig Woolard Band is a Carolina-based beach group that also performs a variety of other music — from R&B to country to rock ‘n’ roll, from The Temptations to The Four Tops, Rod Stewart to Journey, Ray Charles to Otis Redding, Sam Cooke to Michael Buble, Ray LaMontagne to The Black Eyed Peas.
Frontman Craig Woolard spent years with The Embers as lead singer and frontman for one of North Carolina’s official ambassadors of beach music. For the past six years, he has co-hosted the Carolina Beach Music Awards (CBMA) at the Alabama Theatre in Myrtle Beach. In 2010 and 2011, Woolard was honored as CBMA’s Male Vocalist of the Year.
African Children’s Choir
Wednesday, June 20
Since 1984, over a thousand children have toured as members of the African Children’s Choir. Their message of hope has touched audiences around the world, and changed the lives of thousands more of Africa’s most vulnerable children.
The African Children’s Choir is just one program run by Music for Life. The tour raises money to support educational and humanitarian programs across East and South Africa.
Music for Life currently works in seven African countries: Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Sudan.
Black & Blue
Sunday, July 15
Since 1968, Black & Blue has entertained audiences in some of the most elegant nightclubs worldwide — from the Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, and across the eastern United States and Canada.
Ted Hall, the band manager, says, “The most important thing is to keep your audience entertained from the minute you hit the stage right through the last song of the night.”
Whether performing a choreographed stage show or playing to a dance crowd, Black & Blue is one of the most versatile groups on the music circuit. From Golden Oldies to current Top 40, the group of eight can switch to any type of musical format with ease.
Eric & The Chill Tones
Sunday, Aug. 5
Lead singer Eric Chilton is probably best-known to local folks for his weather duties at WFMYNews 2. Some may also know Eric’s voice from his singing with the Greensboro Big Band for many years. But he is also a beach music fanatic.
Here’s what someone had to say about a performance by the group: “Eric and The Chill Tones played during a benefit at Reidsville Elks Lodge and it was one of the best dances ever there. Eric and The Chill Tones put on a great show with great music and kept the crowd dancing all night long! The Elks crowd liked them so much they booked them for New Year’s Eve that very night. Great band and great time!”
The Holiday Band
Sunday, Aug. 19
The Holiday Band was formed in 1991 in Burlington, N.C. For years, the group played part-time, mostly for private events. With its blend of soul, blues, funk and Carolina beach music, however, the band established itself as premier entertainers.
Due to the success of the group’s recordings, the number of appearances gradually increased. Now they play 175 dates — or more — each year.
The band has received several awards, including a CAMMY for best album. The Rhythm & Beach Top 40 countdown recently awarded the band for having the most songs to chart in the past 10 years.
They have played thousands of shows from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Cozumel, Mexico, with an ever-present theme: Keep The Music Alive!
The Embers
Monday, Sept. 3
For decades The Embers have been making music by playing a mix of rhythm and blues and heart and soul.
R&B became the foundation and essence of soul music and the Motown sound, but in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Florida and Alabama, the name that applies is “beach music.”
To say that The Embers play beach music is an understatement. After 18 albums and numerous single releases, The Embers are one of the most popular and active groups in the country, boasting about 250 dates a year from Toronto to Florida to California. They have played for presidents and princes, students and bankers, at the beach and in the city, on record and in concert, for the armed forces and audiences all around the world.
In December of 2007 and again in 2008, The Embers were invited to perform their Christmas program for troops and their families at military camps and bases throughout South Korea.
The Fantastic Shakers
Sunday, Sept. 16
The third week of September in 1978 marked the beginning of an era: The formation of The Fantastic Shakers. Since its inception, the band has performed more than 6,000 engagements from New York to Florida and throughout the Southeast. South Carolina’s Grand Strand has become the band’s summer home and their hit single, “Myrtle Beach Days,” catapulted The Shakers to the top of the Carolinas’ musical groups.
The group has won a laundry list of beach music awards over the years, including two-time show group of the year and three-time album of the year. Lead singer Bo Schronce has been named Male Vocalist of the Year on four occasions, as well as induction into the Hall of Fame.
The music is great, but what sets The Fantastic Shakers apart is the personality of the group. From start to finish every performance becomes a party.
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