I wanted to give an update on all things Fourth Avenue.  It has been great to have Jim Brown back in Fourth Avenue.  There is a lot to be said about having a real bass at your disposal.  You should hear him on our arrangement of Papa Was a Rolling Stone.  Jim sang with Fourth Avenue for nine years so the “lock” between voices is coming along nicely.  The stage show is also benefitting from having four original members on stage.  The banter is fun, and we also are still not too old to get “jiggy” with the stage choreography.  We may throw out a back here and there, but nobody has broken a hip. 

All kidding aside, it is nice to be making music with longtime friends.  If you have not seen Fourth Avenue lately, you will want to check out a show. If you can’t wait, please check out some of our latest video clips at Fourth Avenue’s YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/fourthavenue1).  Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and you will be notified by email when new video clips are posted.  We already have video clips up from some of our summer and fall 2008 shows, and we will be adding more soon.   

Have a fantastic 2009!  See you at a show!

Ahem, ahem…is this thing on? Oh, I guess it is. Hi there, it’s Jim! Many of you may remember me as the funny little bald guy with the deep rumbly voice. Others may recall (some of you with dread) my bad jokes and puns that I added to our live shows. Of course, I’m sure there are those of you who don’t remember me at all or have no idea who I am. Regardless of which group you may fall into, I’M BAAACK!!!!

I am sooooo excited to be singing with the group again! After making occasional guest appearances with the boys, or joining up with them for a wedding song or two over the years, the timing finally worked out for us to come back together, and WOW, the sounds we are making are amazing! When I was with the group for the first go-round, Maurice, Ryan, Scott and I sang together for more than 9 years and 2,500 shows in 25+ states. With all of that history to draw from, singing together again is like putting on a comfortable pair of jeans that you forgot you had: they just fit. So do we. There is a certain camaraderie that we always had when we were onstage together, and if our rehearsals are any indication, we are already well on our way to finding it again!

I encourage you to attend the performance on Sunday, August 3, 7:00 PM at the outdoor amphitheater next to the Beavercreek YMCA on Grange Hall Road in Beavercreek, Ohio. This is a venue that we have performed at annually for more years than I can remember, and it holds a specials place in all of our hearts. The show will mark the final performance of soon-to-be-departing member Gary, along with the unveiling of the new Fourth Avenue sound with me. Sprinkle in a couple of new songs and some five-part arrangements with all the guys, and you have the makings of an incredible evening of a cappella music!

As I wrap this, I’d like to thank Gary for all of the time and energy he invested in the group. Gary, although we didn’t get the opportunity to share the stage very often, you are an important part of the history of this extraordinary group, and you will certainly be missed. As you will soon find out, however, once you are a member of Fourth Avenue, you are always a member of the family. Good luck in your future endeavors, and be sure to come by and share the stage with us from time to time.

With that, I must get back to working on my music, choreography, and bad jokes. The clock is ticking, and my return to the microphone is only a few short days away. I hope to see you there!

Jim

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog…

Unfortunately, this change is not all sunshine and lollipops. We will be saying, “good bye” to Gary Thompson (at least for the time being - you never know in Fourth Avenue). Gary has been with us almost four years and his enthusiasm towards performance has always been an encouragement. Why the change? Gary’s other group, The Legends (a 50s and 60s show band) is doing very well and will be performing in Gatlinburg four months out of the year. These four months are unfortunately a popular gigging time, and Gary is in a place where it has become difficult for him to split his time between the two groups. This prompted us to start a search for a replacement. We encourage you to come out to a Fourth Avenue show and wish Gary the best in all of his endeavors. Gary will be singing with Fourth Avenue through August while we get Jim up to speed.

To start our Fifteenth Anniversary announcement off right, we have updated the media section of the website with some video clips of Fourth Avenue. One of the clips we have added is the Safe Auto commercial which featured us singing our a cappella version of the jingle as “menacing urban youth.” This was a little bit of a stretch considering we are not menacing, urban, or youth, but it was a lot of fun! Check out the videos here and stay tuned to the website over the next few months as we make some major announcements!

We saw Luke again in 2002 at the Best in the Midwest concert when we performed with several other popular midwest a cappella groups including Chapter 6. Luke is a nice guy; we wish him well in the American Idol competition.

Thank you for your support of our latest CD. We really feel the CD truly captures the energy and excitement of a live Fourth Avenue concert. You can almost see the choreography when you listen (note: seeing the choreography in your head is only a by product of your own individual imaginations and not a money back guarantee). If you haven’t heard our latest CD yet, make sure to visit our media page and then head on over to the store to pick up your own!

The showcase went very well, and a lot of Michigan festival representatives came by our exhibit booth to fill out interest forms.  Michigan has truly become our home away from home.  As dates get booked, we will add them to the calendar. 

Speaking of Michigan, we are excited to announce that we will be back to the Upper Penninsula of Michigan State Fair in August of 2008.  They always welcome us with open arms in Escanaba, and we are truly appreciative of their support.

The members of Fourth Avenue wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  Make sure you have some egg nog and sing during this wonderful time of year!  To get some egg nog, make sure to visit our store page (just kidding, I couldn’t resist).

The CD release concert in Beavercreek was fantastic. Even though it was warm, we had our biggest crowd in Beavercreek yet, and we sold a bunch of our newest CD, high energy harmony. We had several special guests with us that evening and had a reunion of sorts. Rich Bresenhan came all the way from Orlando, Florida to share the stage with us and throw down with some amazing R&B tenor rifts. Jim Brown showed up to rumble the ground with his amazing bass. Gary graciously stepped off stage and made way for Rich and Jim who joined us for Good Lovin’ and Up The Ladder. Ben Chilcote also showed up to do his trademark lead on Heard It Through the Grapevine. It really was a fun evening. It is really a blessing to get to sing with friends who have been a part of what Fourth Avenue is today. Special thanks to Rich, Jim, Ben, and friends and family who came out to celebrate the release of the new CD. If you missed your chance to pick up the CD at the concert, make sure you visit our store and get your copy!

 I love this new blog.  Stay tuned for more updates.