NYS Benefit Being Planned By Hat City Blues Band

Newtown Youth Services will benefit from money raised by a Hat City Blues Band concert on Friday, May 16. The band will be performing in Edmond Town Hall’s Alexandria Room from 7:30 to 10:30 pm. Donations will be requested at the door; $8 is being suggested. Tickets are available in advance at C.H. Booth Library and Newtown Youth Center’s offices. Donations can also be paid at the door.

The band is made up guitarist and keyboardist Ron Caruso, harmonica player David Lott, guitarist and lead vocalist Ed Pryzby, drummer Bill Morris, and bassist and vocalist Gary LeVan. All of the guys are from the area; Mr Lott is a Newtown resident.

Hat City Blues Band made its debut in February and is concentrating on playing covers right now, ranging from stuff by John Mayall, Dylan, Jethro Tull, and Santana to Robert Cray, The Allman Brothers, and, of course, Hendrix and B.B. King.

The band’s sets range from “bluesy blues to danceable blues,” one band member said.

“We’ve had several gigs now and people see us as a lot of fun, a good time,” David Lott said.

In addition to the band’s performance on May 16, refreshments will be available free of charge and raffles will be held. Members of NYS Youth Advisory Board will be staffing the refreshments tables. Pepsi Cola has signed on to supply soda for the event.

While donations at the door will help raise a large portion of the evening’s funds, the band is hoping to find sponsors for the event both for monetary donations to be forwarded to Newtown Youth Services and/or donations of goods and services for the raffle. A number of businesses and individuals have already promised to sponsor the benefit, among them William Pitt Real Estate, Dr Henry Gellert, Dr Curt Riebeling, Lux & Timmel Attorneys at Law, Newtown Insurance, Attorney Michael Nahoum, Prudential Real Estate/Sue Catino, King’s Restaurant, and Newtown Car Care.

Sponsorships are available as monetary donations or through ticket purchases. The BB King Sponsors would be businesses or individuals offering the donations, with Platinum being a $250 pledge or a promise to match the amount of money raised at the door, Gold being $175, and Silver $100. Eric Clapton Sponsors are those who purchase blocks of tickets: Platinum is eight tickets, Gold is four, and Silver is two.

For additional sponsor or show information contact David Lott, 270-9357.