Karaoke contest to be part of the Dick Wells free band concert

WARWICK- Before the Dick Wells summer big band concert gets underway on the newly refurbished Warwick Railroad Green Aug. 7, performer Joanne Church will entertain with a karaoke program featuring a contest for enterprising singers, starting at 6 p.m. Dick Wells and the Big Band start swinging at 7:30. Winners of the contest will receive four tickets to a Broadway show from WTBQ Radio; travel by Windsor Limousine; a bottle of champagne from Peck's Liquors and dinner for four at the Landmark Inn. Church is a singing DJ and her son Jeff, who plays guitar, have lived in Vernon for the past 20 years. She started her professional career in 1997, singing in restaurants including The Italian Villa Restaurant in Warwick.She branched out as a singing DJ a few years ago and now sings along with some of the records at all types of celebrations. The concert, not part of the village concert series, has been financed by "Friends of Dick Wells," with Leo Kaytes and Ed Klein, co-chairmen and infrastructure assistance from the Village of Warwick. Wells and the band directed by sax player Harry Glogower, have performed throughout the tri-sate area and also appear regularly at the famed Birdland Ballroom in New York City. Wells hosts a weekly music program on WTBQ on Saturday mornings as well as a syndicated music show carried on more than a dozen stations from Spokane Wash., to Memphis Tenn. Among Wells' songs in the first half of the program, will be "Night & Day," "Please Be Kind," "All or Nothing at All," :For Once in My Life," "Luck Be a Lady," and the famed "New York New York." After a short intermission, Wells will sing "The Coffee Song," "Got You Under My Skin," "You & Me," "That Old Black Magic," "Let Me Try Again," and his special finale of "Here's to the Band." Among the band medleys are: "Strike Up The Band," "Can't Stop Lovin You," "In A Mellow Tone," "Honeysuckle Rose," "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Ja-Da," "Yesterdays," and "I Ain't Got Nobody." The cost of the show, not included in the Village Concert Series, has been underwritten by Akin's Pharmacy, Ann Vogel Insurance, Country Chevrolet-Olds, Dawson Motors, Leo Kaytes, Ed Klein, Mystic Valley Real Estate, Peck's Wines & Spirits, Provident Bank, Ten Railroad Avenue, The General's Garden, The Landmark Inn, Wadeson's Home Center and Windsor Limo. Admission is free and attendees are urged to bring a chair, or possibly make reservations at one of several fine Railroad Avenue restaurants with outdoor tables.