Advertisement The program will be repeated two days later at Onalaska United Methodist as a fundraiser for Operation Homefront.
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Soloist Travis Holak (pictured above) rehearses a song with the Coulee Region Gospel Choir for this Sunday’s sixth annual Summer Gospel Extraganza at Holmen’s Sand Lake Wesleyan Church.
Photo by Michael Martin |
Guest artists range from a 7-year-old singer to a 91-year-old pianist to a women’s barbershop quartet. There will also be a brass quintet, a jazz band, local singer/songwriter Toni Groshek and even a bluegrass-playing pastor. And, of course, the full Coulee Region Gospel Choir, as well as a Kidz Choir, will be perform songs of “Heaven” by composer/arranger Mike Speck.
The concert will open with some patriotic pieces by Simply Brass, said choir director Ruth Ann Granum. “They do some great brass music.”
After that the Phat Cats — a jazz band composed of Paul Erickson, Terry Grosskopf and Paul Leithold — will do a couple songs, including “Under the Double Eagle.”
One of the special guests will be Toni Groshek, who will sing and play piano as she does two of the songs from her new CD, “Red Light-Green Light.”
“We’ve also got a sweet 7-year-old who is the granddaughter of two of our choir members,” Granum noted. “She’ll sing a solo that’s just an amazing song.”
On the other end of the age spectrum will be 91-year-old pianist Liz Bulger. “We try to emphasize the importance of music within a family so that’s why we also wanted to feature our oldest choir member,” Granum said. “Liz will do a piano medley for us, but she also directs and plays for the Variety Singers that perform regularly at area care centers. She’s played since childhood and has appeared at Carnegie Hall.”
The lady barbershoppers, A Note Above, will do three songs, including the always-moving “Amazing Grace.” “They haven’t sung with us before and should give a little different pace to the show,” Granum said.
After the barbershoppers, Pastor Stephan from Trinity Lutheran Church will join Mary and Paul Leithold for a little bluegrass. “We’ve sung in his church for over 20 years, so we’re glad to have him join us,” Granum said.
Finally, Sylvia Groleau and Cheryl Daily, in addition to their chores playing with the choir will do a piano duet. “Sylvia is great. She’s played in Branson with Dino — he’s kind of like the Christian Liberace — and he will try to play with her whenever he’s in this part of the Midwest.”
Granum said she had to do some cutting to get the concert down to about 90 minutes. “We’ve found that any longer than that and people will start to leave — even if they haven’t paid an admission charge.”
Although there’s no admission charge for either concert — the one at Sand Lake Wesleyan on Sunday or the one at Onalaska United Methodist Church on Tuesday — free-will offerings will be taken.
In addition, the Tuesday concert for Operation Homefront will be preceded by a free community dinner in the church basement starting at 5:30 p.m. Everyone is invited and donations will be collected for the troops and their families.
