Still Many Reasons to Celebrate. Fall Season Event

Rhythm
Fall 2008
Volume 14, Issue 2
Fall Season
Event Highlights
News
A Newsletter from Hank Lane Music & Productions
www.hanklane.com
Still Many Reasons to Celebrate.
There may be an economic crisis, but there is no crisis in fun. In times
like these we need each other even more.
“It has been an interesting year so far, to say the least,” says
9-20 uInt’l Lease Finance Corporation Harris Lane, company president and also a bandleader. “We celebrated
National Air & Space Museum the company’s 30th anniversary this summer. An achievement of which
Washington, DC
we can all be proud. We were seen by millions on the Today Show
annual wedding special. Our DJ Marcus played
Donna Summer
for Billy Joel at his home on Labor Day. Our
Kevin Osborne Band
Fusion Lighting company was hired for singer
9-25 uHelen Keller Services for the Blind
Mariah Carey’s Hampton’s wedding celebration
Stage 6 @ Steiner Studios
and most recently, we booked the singer Donna
Hank Lane Revue
Summer at a corporate event in Washington DC.
uMuscular Dystrophy Association
But, now we must face new challenges in a tough
of America / Wings Over Wall Street
economic climate.”
Marriott Marquis
Like all small businesses we have to adjust.
Steve Delisi Band
“We have been through this before,” says Marc
10-1 uWunderman
Stevens, a company co-founder, senior partner
p Harris Lane
Rainbow Room
and bandleader. “Every
Michael Hart Band
time there has been an economic downturn, we
The Lords a cappella group
have always risen to the occasion.” It may be
10-2 uNew York Downtown Hospital more difficult, but individuals, organizations
Cipriani Wall Street
and businesses still have reasons to celebrate.
Personal celebrations, such as weddings, still go
Harris Lane Band
on. The pages of this newsletter describe some
uCoral Graphics
of the many fundraising events that feature Hank
Tavern on the Green
Lane bands and musicians. “As the leader in our
Bobby Attiko Band
industry, we know that charitable organizations
uSound Shore Medical Center
come to us in good times and bad for great music. pMarc Stevens
Hyatt - Old Greenwich, CT
We will never sacrifice quality, no matter what
Hot Icing Band
the economic climate,” says Marc.
10-5 u Don’t Stop Believing Benefit The same holds true to some extent for corporate events. Even in this
Chelsea Art Museum
economy, we have found that sales incentive programs to New York are
Michael Hart Band
up. This is especially true for European companies. “Our experienced
10-11uColumbus Citizens Foundation
event producers have taken up the challenge,” says Marc. “We are
Waldorf-Astoria
sensitive to the fact that some businesses are cautious about spending
Steve Delisi Band
money on entertainment right now, and so we have re-doubled our efforts
10-16 uBreast Health Resource Program to work with meeting planners and corporate clients to come up with
creative ways to still make their events fun.” With more than 20 dance
Gustavino’s
bands, dozens of solo musicians and small musical ensembles on the
Erik Marshall Band
roster, Hank Lane Music is well positioned to work with any budget.
Rhythm & News
More... Fall Season
Event Highlights
Fall 2008 - 30th Anniversary
10-21 uAmerican Ballet Theatre
The Pierre
The Rainbow Room Orchestra
10-22 uMontefiore Medical Center
Waldorf-Astoria
Michael Herman Band
11-5 uGarden City Group
Garden City Hotel
Hank Lane Revue
11-6 uLong Island Medical Foundation Cradle of Aviation Museum
Hank Lane Revue
uAmerican Diabetes Foundation
Waldorf-Astoria
Pete Saunders Band
11-8 uJuvenile Diabetes
Research Foundation
Waldorf-Astoria
Paul Richards Band
uMaimonides Medical Center
World Financial Center
Fifth Avenue Band
11-13 uPro Bono Institute
The Plaza
Hank Lane Jazz Trio
uVisiting Nurse Service of NY
Waldorf-Astoria
Mike Herman Band
11-18 uBeth Israel Medical Center
Waldorf-Astoria
Harris Lane Band
11-22 uPitney Bowes
Rainbow Room
Hank Lane Revue
We’d like to go Green,
but we need your help.
You are receiving Rhythm & News because
you are an event industry professional
who likes to stay informed. We would
like to do our part for the environment
and create an electronic version of our newsletter. If you
want to receive an online version please visit our website
www.hanklane.com, click on the mailing list link and
provide us with your e-mail address. Thank you. - Harlan Ellis, Editor.
Page 2
Ernest Mills is another in a
Bandleader Spotlight long line of dynamic Hank Lane
performers whose talent has
been developed and nurtured
through the system. The result
is a fresh, exciting performer
Ernest Mills
and bandleader who fronts his
own set band.
“Ernest answered an audition call over 8 years ago,”
says Paul Richards, a Hank Lane Music senior partner and
bandleader. Paul also heads up the company’s contracting
department which is constantly on the search for new talent.
“I immediately loved his voice and his presence. I just had
a feeling about him, that what he was doing would translate
very well to our business.” Ernest
was placed in the Paul Richards
Band as one of the featured vocalists where he worked next to him
learning the musical ropes for over
6 years. “Now,” says Paul,“I like
to call Ernest one of our fabulous
‘new’ talents.”
Ernest was born in New York,
but was raised in Spartanburg, SC,
pErnest Mills
where he developed a love for gospel
music singing in his local church.
Ernest was a music major at Benedict College in Columbia,
SC., but it was the experience of a lifetime when Ernest sang for
Pope John Paul II when the pontiff visited Spartanburg.
Ernest also loves the R&B classics and his soulful gospel
voice feels very much at home with the likes of Stevie Wonder
and Michael Jackson. Most recently, he performed on the “Today
Show” with Hank Lane Music and accompanied “American
Idol” finalist Melinda Doolittle.
Rhythm News
Rhythm & News is published
biannually by Hank Lane Music
GRAPHICS
Jennifer Ammann
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Erik Marshall Joanna Ciarniello
EDITOR
Harlan M. Ellis
(212) 767-0600 Phone
(212) 767-1079 Fax
www.hanklane.com
E-mail address
info@hanklane.com
Rhythm & News
Fall 2008 - 30th Anniversary
Page 3
The Helen Keller Services
Actor/singer Dominic Chianese
for the Blind held its dinner dance
(“Uncle Junior” on The Sopranos) sang
at Stage 6 @ Steiner Studios in
and our Hot Icing band played the dance
Brooklyn on Sepember 25th. The
music at the Sound Shore Medical Center
Hank Lane Revue was a smash
benefit at the Hyatt in Old Greenwich, CT
by
Ian
Magid
once again with a huge crowd
on October 2nd. Five hundred professionstaying until the end. They have
als came together for one night on October
already made a request to re-book
5th at the Don’t Stop Believin’ Benefit at
t h e
the Chelsea Art Museum to help fund
band for next year!
research and support families living with chromosome disorders.
The Steve Delisi band Michael Hart’s band rocked the
performed again this year at the house. Montefiore Medical
Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Center holds a benefit at the
Wings Over Wall Street gala at Waldorf with dancing by the
the Marriott Marquis hotel on Michael Herman band on
September 25th. The event was October 22nd, while Pete
MC’d by CNBC’s Liz Cla- Saunders leads his band for
man and actor Billy Baldwin. the American Diabetes FoundapSteve Delisi
Steve’s band also performed at tion on November 6th, also at the
the Columbus Citizens Foun- Waldorf. The Harris Lane band
dation dinner dance at the Waldorf on October 11th. The performs at Beth Israel Medical
new fourth judge on American Idol, Kara DioGuardi, Center’s annual fall gala at the
performed and was introduced by Paula Abdul.
Waldorf November 18.
pMike Herman
Sweet Charity
Special Events Report
by Erik Marshall
It was a spectacular celebration as
wedding couple LaDonna & Darnell
Suggs were married on national television
on the Today Show in June. Hank Lane
musicians played for the ceremony on the
plaza at Rockefeller Center and the Hank
Lane Orchestra and a More Than Music
DJ played at the reception at the Rainbow
Room, hosted by Today’s Natalie Morales,
Ann Curry and Al Roker. The band also
backed up American Idol finalist Melinda
Doolittle, a cousin of the bride, as she
sang the couple’s first dance. This was the
second time Hank Lane Music was chosen
to perform on the popular “Today Throws
A Wedding” segment. Pictured are some
scenes from that exciting day.
Rhythm & News
Fall 2008 - 30th Anniversary
Page 4
A recent event demonstrates that
To mark the 35th anniveryou don’t need to spend an exhorbisary of the the California
tant amount of money for it to still
based International Lease
be fun. The New York Palace was
Finance Corporation a
recently invited to join the Dorchester
spectacular evening was
Collection, a select group of luxury
planned for the Smithsonian
by
Michael
Taylor
hotels that include the Bel Air and
National Air & Space Museum.
Beverly Hills hotels in California,
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy
the Dorchester in London Center, near Washington Dulles International Airport,
and the Meurice in Paris, is the companion facility to the museum on the Naamong others. When the tional Mall in Washington DC. The two sites together
Palace entertained visiting showcase the largest collection of aviation and space
hotel general managers
artifacts in the
from Dorchester properworld. Hank
ties from around the world,
Lane Music
they turned to Hank Lane
was
called
Music to provide some enupon to book
tertainment. At an opening
the music and
night cocktail reception, the
entertainment
pInternational vocalist
sounds of Brazil were perCoral performed for the
formed by the international
Dorchester Collection.
vocalist Coral on the hotel’s
outdoor terrace. For dessert
at the famous Ferrara restaurant in Little Italy, a strolling p Hank Lane Music
accordianist was booked. At the closing night reception booked Kevin Osborne
and his 16 piece dance
the Hank Lane Gospel Singers lead by Ernest Mills band and Donna Summer.
gave the visitors a rousing send off. Congratulations to
the New York Palace!
in this spectacular yet
A recent business incentive event required something challenging location. We delivered to the more than
more elaborate. When the destination management com- 850 guests in attendance both great dance music and a
pany Briggs New York brought the top Ford, Lincoln & fantastic show.
Mercury dealerships from Texas and Oklahoma to New
As guests entered the museum, the 16 piece Kevin
York in August, they wanted an opening night reception Osborne band performed popular American jazz stanthat they would all rememdards on a stage designed
ber. Hank Lane Music booked
to look like an airplane
Michael Cavanaugh and
cockpit. Following the
the Movin’ Out Band, who
dinner there was a dazzling
rocked the crowd with Billy
performance by the Queen
Joel favorites and other clasof Disco, Donna Summer,
sic hits from the 60s to the 80s.
who was also booked by
The evening finished off with
Hank Lane Music. Kevin
a rousing dance set led by the
Osborne’s dance band
dynamic Bobby Attiko and
kept the crowd dancing
his band.
for almost two hours after
pMichael Cavanagh and the Movin’ Out Band
Donna Summer’s show.
CORPORATE
NEWS
and Bobby Attiko’s band were booked for Ford,
Linclon & Mercury dealers at the Rainbow Room.
Rhythm & News
Fall 2008 - 30th Anniversary
Page 5
Rhythm & News
Fall 2008 - 30th Anniversary
Around theTown with Hank Lane Music
65 West 55th Street
Suite 302
New York, NY 10019
FORWARDING AND ADDRESS
CORRECTION REQUESTED
Here is your Fall 2008 30th Anniversary Issue of
Rhythm News
Featured Inside:
Corporate News
Sweet Charity
The Today Show Wedding
Billy Joel, Mariah Carey Parties
Page 6