Lakes Area Swing Band to perform at Huntley’s Shepherd of the Prairie

Swing along with the great music associated with the big band eras. The Lakes Area Swing Band will perform at Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Church in Huntley, on Saturday, July 19.

Sponsored by the SOTP Artist Series, the community is invited to attend this free performance at 7 p.m. at the church, 10805 Main St. No tickets are required and freewill donations are gratefully accepted.

The band’s repertoire consists of a wide variety of tunes and styles, from the 1920s through the current day. Its main focus is on the music associated with the “Great American Songbook” and the Big Band era of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s — from favorites by Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Count Basie; to classics from Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Darin, and many others.

Founded in 1999, the Lakes Area Swing Band has grown to a full 18-piece swing band with over 170 charts in their books. They play for a variety of events all over Lake and McHenry counties, simply for the love of swing music.

Under the direction of music director Don Morrison, the Lakes Area Swing Band features vocalists Mike Unti and Chris Vail and the lively sounds of musicians playing saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section with guitar and drums. All musicians are volunteers as they play simply for the love and enjoyment of sharing this timeless music.

The Lakes Area Swing Band is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit. All funds received go the purchase of new music, equipment, and most importantly, through its scholarship fund which is awarded to school music departments and students studying music beyond high school.

For information, visit www.bit.ly/SOTPARTIST or email at artistseries@sotpmail.com.

Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Church, under the leadership of Senior Pastor Mark Boster and Pastor Ryan Mackey, has served the Huntley community for over 20 years. For more information, visit shepherdoftheprairie.com or facebook.com/ShepherdofthePrairie/.