Golden Belt Community Concert Association will present classic rock and roll band The Diamonds in the association’s final concert of the 2013-2014 season. The concert is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at the Great Bend Municipal Auditorium, Lakin and Stone.
This GBCCA event is available to concert association members. Full-time students will be admitted to the concert for a $5 donation at the door by showing their school ID. The auditorium will open at 6:30 p.m.
In 1957, The Diamonds released an instant million selling hit called “Little Darlin’.” The song continues to sell worldwide and has been dubbed “the National Anthem of Rock and Roll.”
The original quartet rose to prominence in the 1950s and early1960s with 16 Billboard hits including “The Stroll” and “Little Darlin’,” which has sold approximately 20 million copies to date. The Diamonds’ accomplishments include three gold records, 33 appearances on American Bandstand, inductions into the Doo-Wop Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
The Diamonds have learned that the durability of classic rock and roll is as much about the future as it is about the past. As a result, The Diamonds continue to expand their audience to this day, performing in a variety of venues and settings worldwide.
A major reason for The Diamonds’ longevity as performers and entertainers lies in the diverse backgrounds of the individual members of the group. The quartet today includes recent member Sean Sooter, tenor; Jerry Siggins, lead singer; newest addition Jeff Dolan, bass; and longtime member Gary Owens, baritone.
Besides singing and playing saxophone and flute, Owens does much of the vocal arranging for The Diamonds. In that capacity, he is well aware of the group’s particular effectiveness. “Our goal has always been to keep that classic Diamonds’ sound intact. Although The Diamonds are four distinctive individuals,” he notes, “we have created one strong group personality. The four of us as a unit have a special chemistry that gives us our unique identity.”
They continue the classic rock and roll sound and tradition of the original group, still inspiring standing ovations wherever they perform.
For more information about the Golden Belt Community Concert Association, contact Linda Jerke, 620-793-2748, or visit the GBCCA website, www.goldenbeltcca.org.