A musical institution, Blood Sweat & Tears has left an indelible mark on the American music scene since 1968. One of the greatest horn bands in the history of popular music, BS&T’s alumni roster reads like a Who’s Who of the world’s greatest jazz and rock musicians.

As BS&T has evolved through the years, it has maintained its commitment to high standards by including in its current roster the most talented musicians available.

Starting out in Greenwich Village in New York, the band won world-wide acclaim, becoming the first in many categories: first band to tour behind the Iron Curtain, first band to have 3 hit singles from the same record, first band to combine rock with jazz and of course Sunday night Woodstock, YES the real Woodstock.

Racking up sales in the millions, BS&T earned multiple gold albums, 10 Grammy nominations and won 3 Grammy Awards, including the most prestigious of them all, Album of the Year.

Though there have been many changes in the bands lineup over the years, BS&T continues its tradition of finding and showcasing the brightest talent around the world. Whether playing their greatest hits, or new arrangements of classic songs, the band provides a night you will never forget.

At all the band’s performances, the musicians are available to answer any questions, to sign autographs, and to talk to young people about the joy and importance of having found music in their lives. As BS&T’s long-standing audiences bring their children to the band’s performances, a new generation joins an existing wide demographic of loyal fans.

BS&T concerts have brought record attendance and sold out shows throughout the world. Blood Sweat & Tears has once again proven that great musicians produce great music—the main reason the band is in such high demand. The horn section has recorded with Jazz great Jeff Lorber for his 2007 Grammy nominated album “He Had A Hat”.

2008 saw the return of Founding Father Steve Katz to the BS&T line up on select shows.

Also in 2008 BS&T was named Honorary Ambassador of Peace by Kim, Jin-sun Governor of Gangwon Province Republic of Korea.

FireHouse has been rockin’ for over a decade. Their music has taken them all over the world and has produced Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum records in the United States and countries abroad.

In 1990, their first album, entitled FireHouse, was released. The band’s first single, “Shake & Tumble”, had impressive radio success. The band then released “Don’t Treat Me Bad”, which became their first Top Ten hit. This was followed by “Love of a Lifetime”, which also entered the Top Ten, reaching the #3 spot on the United States charts. At the 1991 American Music Awards, FireHouse found themselves standing before the nation accepting the award for Best New Hard Rock/Metal Band, chosen over Nirvana and Alice in Chains.

The band’s second album, Hold Your Fire, was released in 1992. It produced the hits “Reach for the Sky” and “Sleeping with You”. Another Top Ten hit, “When I Look into Your Eyes”, peaked on the United States charts at #6. This album earned the band two more gold albums and over 1 million sales worldwide.

In 1995, FireHouse released their third album on Epic Records, simply titled 3. Once again, FireHouse produced another Top Forty Hit in the United States with “I Live My Life for You”.

In 1998, FireHouse toured the United States on the Rock Never Stops tour, which also included Slaughter, Warrant, Quiet Riot, and LA Guns.

Fans of bands come and go but FireHouse has a unique following of core fans that cannot be compared to any other.

Skid Row was born in 1987 in a garage somewhere in Toms River, N.J. Like a bastard child of a thousand maniacs, they relentlessly pounded the New Jersey club circuit; packing houses wherever they performed.

Fast forward to 1989. SKID ROW’s debut album goes on to sell over 5 million copies in the U.S.A., along with a tour that takes them around the world.

1992 the band releases their second record “SLAVE TO THE GRIND” which debuts at #1 on the Billboard charts, making them the first Heavy Metal/Hard rock band to do so. “Slave” rockets to multi-platinum status. In 1995 band relationships severely strain, but they reluctantly go into the studio to record what was thought to be their final release “SUBHUMAN RACE”. Soon after, the band parted ways.

That was until late 1999 when founding members Rachel Bolan, Scotti Hill, and Snake Sabo decided that SKID ROW meant far to much to them let the music fade into rock obscurity. There were changes to be made – the question was “who”. Enter Texan singer Johnny Solinger.

In 2000 SKID ROW landed the coveted opening slot on the KISS “Farewell Tour”. The tour of tours, it brought SKID ROW’s music back to the hungry masses. Since then the band has logged a few hundred thousand bus miles and some hundreds of shows during which the band was busy writing new songs for their CD “Thickskin” that was released in 2003. That album put SKID ROW’s past in perspective and future in place. In 2006 SKID ROW put the final touches on their CD “Revolutions Per Minute.”This reunited Skid Row with producer and long time friend Michael Wagener who produced their first two records. The band is playing and touring all over the world in 2010.

L.A. Guns got their start on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip more than 20 years ago. Their self-titled first album, released in 1987, sold 750,000 copies and earned the band its first gold album award.

A compilation of the videos made from this first album also earned the band a gold video award. L.A. Guns went into the studio to record their second album, “Cocked and Loaded”, in the spring of 1989. It was a hit right away with the release of “Rip and Tear” as the first single and video. “Never Enough” and “The Ballad of Jayne” followed, pushing album sales over 1,000,000 and earning the band its first platinum record award. The band’s third album, “Hollywood Vampires”, was recorded in the fall of 1990. With the release of “Kiss My Love Goodbye” as the first single and video, and another successful world tour, the album went on to sell 700,000 copies and earned the band its third gold album award. Several albums, including a well-received compilation of cover tunes, have been released since—and L.A. Guns continues to build their legend as one of the premier live bands on tour.

April Wine is the iconic Canadian band. Celebrating 40 years as a band, April Wine has had a stellar career of commercial success—garnering legions of fans worldwide. They were inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in 2010 and also received the Lifetime Achievement Award for their phenomenal career. With hits including “Just Between You and Me”, “Sign of the Gypsy Queen”, “I Like to Rock” and “This Could Be the Right One”, a performance by April Wine is sure to have you on your feet and singing along to one of the best bands ever to come from the Great White North.

Graham Russell & Russell Hitchcock met on May 12, 1975, the first day of rehearsals for “Jesus Christ Superstar” in Sydney, Australia; they became instant friends with their common love for The Beatles and, of course, singing.

After the shows’ performances at 10:30, they would play pizza parlors, coffee bars and night clubs with just one guitar and two voices. They quickly gained a reputation for great harmonies and for original songs that Graham was constantly writing. They made a demo on a cassette of two songs, “Love and Other Bruises” and “If You Knew Me” and took it to every record company in Sydney. Everyone turned it down but one — CBS Records — who admired their unique style. They made a single in one afternoon and it shot to number one on the national charts. Air Supply was born! That same year, they opened for Rod Stewart across Australia and then throughout the U.S. and Canada playing all of the famous huge venues before Rod would take the stage. They found new fans, but did not break the U.S. market.

Back in Australia they had to start again and made a record called “Life Support”. On this record were some treasures of songs, including “Lost in Love” which went top 10 in Australia and somehow found its way to music industry executive Clive Davis in New York.

Clive immediately signed Air Supply to Arista Records and in 1980, “Lost in Love” became the fastest selling single in the world, leaping to the top of all of the charts. Now Air Supply were on their way. The second single was “All Out of Love,” and that went up the charts even quicker. Seven top-five singles later, Air Supply at that time had equaled The Beatles’ run of consecutive top five singles. The albums “Lost in Love”, “The One That You Love”, “Now & Forever”, and “The Greatest Hits” sold in excess of 20 million copies. “Lost in Love” was named Song of the Year in 1980, and, with the other singles, sold over 10 million copies.

The trademark sound of Russell Hitchcock’s soaring tenor voice and Graham Russell’s simple yet majestic songs created a unique sound that would forever be known as Air Supply.

However, it is the live shows that always hold audiences captive around the world. They were the first Western group to tour China, Taiwan, and countless other countries that before would not allow pop music across their borders. In 1983 they recorded “Making Love Out of Nothing at All” by Jim Steinman which solidified the group as a permanent force in modern music. This song was released on “The Greatest Hits” album which soared past 7 million copies.

“Lost in Love”, “All Out of Love”, “The One That You Love”, “Sweet Dreams”, and “Making Love Out of Nothing at All” have each achieved multi-million plays on the radio.

John Conlee is a lot like the songs of which he sings. He lives a domestic life with his wife Gale and three children, Rebecca, Jessica and Johnny. During the past two decades, John Conlee has achieved a level of success that he has sustained by simply being himself and by making records that the listening public can relate to. He is a gifted entertainer, but he’s not into the glitz and hype of the entertainment world. He’d rather spend his “off the road” time working on his 32 acre farm outside of Nashville or engaging in his woodworking and gunsmithing hobbies.

Born and raised in Kentucky farm country, John Conlee grew up plowing fields, slopping hogs, harvesting grain, raising tobacco and tending cattle. He began his crusade to save the family farm system several years ago, performing a concert in Omaha, Nebraska in June 1985 as a benefit for the National Farmers Organization. When Willie Nelson announced his plans for the Farm Aid concerts, John called and offered his services. John Conlee has since been part of 9 Farm Aid concerts, which have raised 13 million dollars to aid the family farmer.

“I certainly didn’t help to organize the entertainers and the concerts for the publicity,” allows Conlee, “I wanted to help bring attention to the crisis affecting this nation’s family farms. With the help of Willie and others, we brought the family problems to the forefront and some changes began to take place.

“I’m not a radical or a rebel,” Conlee continues, “but I will stand up and speak my mind on issues that I feel affect me, my family and others, and the farm crisis was, and remains, one of those issues.”

John Conlee’s success began in the late 70’s. Signed to ABC Records after working in radio for a number of years, Conlee was ready to make records rather than just sit back and spin them.

His first release, “Back Side Of Thirty” went no where fast. Three more singles also met with a minimum success, although they all charted. But in March of 1978, the label released “Rose Colored Glasses,” a song Conlee wrote, which became a huge hit as well as his signature song. In January of 1979, the label re-released “Back Side Of Thirty” which went on to become a No. 1 record, and the hits continued to roll. The John Conlee hit list includes songs such as “Lady Lay Down,” “Before My Time,” “Friday Night Blues,” “Miss Emily’s Picture,” “Busted,” “I Don’t Remember Loving You,” “Common Man,” “I’m Only In It For The Love,” “In My Eyes,” “As Long As I’m Rocking With You,” “Years After You,” “Domestic Life,” “Mama’s Rockin’ Chair,” “Hit The Ground Runnin’” and “Fellow Travelers.” All of Conlee’s hits have that unmistakable common thread – that unique voice.

Unlike many artists today, there are several aspects of John Conlee’s career that have remained constant. His career has been managed from the beginning by Dave Roberts and all his records have been produced by Bud Logan. In the entertainment world where artists change managers, agents and producers almost as often as they change their socks, John Conlee has not tampered with success. He has remained loyal and constant with the people who have helped him from the beginning – which tells you quite a bit about the man with the rose colored glasses.

Overall, there have been 29 single releases throughout the years with 26 of them charting in the top 20 or better. Eight of those 26 have reached the coveted No. 1 spot on the national country charts.

His record tenure, beginning at ABC Records, brought him to MCA Records when the two labels merged. John also recorded for Columbia Records where he scored four hit singles before signing with Nashville’s 16th Avenue Records, a division of the Opryland Music Group. This was something of a homecoming for Conlee, who has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1981.

“There is no one in contemporary country music who has created a more impressive legacy, or one that opens a wider variety of styles…taken as a whole, the body of work that he has created is absolutely staggering.”

Peter Guralnick, Lost Highway

“He is playing a very personal brand of music that is strongly rooted in the American past. Music that synthesizes the work of long departed artists from virtually every field of American popular music are being woven together in a totally organic manner.”

Tim Schneckloth, Downbeat, May, 1980

“He is the greatest country artist of our times.”

Jim Miller, Rolling Stone

If the question were asked, “Who forged the genre that is known today as ‘modern country music’?,” only a tiny group of country immortals could step forward to share the spotlight. One, out of that select handful, would be Merle Haggard. Merle wasn’t in the delivery room on the morning country music was born; it simply seems like he was. And you won’t hear anybody refer to him as the father of country music. But many will swear he’s at least its godfather.

What gray poupon has meant to mustard, Haggard has meant to country music. Like rock ’n roll without Presley, and like Sears without Roebuck, country music without Haggard simply isn’t!

Few country devotees, be they oldtimers or neophytes, are unfamiliar with the craggy Haggard mask of a thousand photographs – that countenance that’s been etched by time and experience like the granite face of your favorite cliff. And even fewer are those who are unfamiliar with the evocative Haggard delivery that has spawned an entire school of country vocal stylists.

In the ever-expanding array of country music stars, hitmakers and idols, Haggard walks in no man’s shadow. Instead, he casts a far-reaching shadow of his own. Rare is the country balladeer that has mastered the idiom at so many different levels as has he.