SIUE News

St. Louis’ Own Peter And Jim Mayer To Appear At SIUE March 20

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Two of St. Louis’ favorite sons, Jim and Peter Mayer—successful recording artists with Jimmy Buffet and the Coral Reefer Band as well as with their own singing and songwriting—will appear for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Arts & Issues series at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 20, as Peter Mayer and Company plays “Beyond Abbey Road” in Meridian Ballroom, on the first floor of SIUE’s Morris University Center.

Mayer and friends will present a fascinating journey through the music of The Beatles, one of the world’s greatest rock bands and a group that changed the face of music forever. What also will make the evening special will be the blending of a rock ensemble and a string quartet.

The official media sponsor for the A&I series is the Edwardsville Intelligencer, while the series official hotel sponsor is Hampton Inn and Suites. Arts & Issues Coordinator Grant Andree said the March 20 concert was actually put together solely for SIUE. “The last time ‘Beyond Abbey Road’ was performed was in 2006,” Andree explained. “The show’s producer, Dan Rubright, also is from St. Louis and, with the Mayer Brothers’ connection to St. Louis, we thought it would be a great idea.”

Andree pointed out other career highlights from the band’s personnel:

• Maggie Estes won the 2006 Georgia State Fiddle Championship and the Indiana State Championship (for her age group) in 2006. She placed in the top five of the 2003 National Old Time Fiddle Competition (Jr. Jr. division) in Weiser, Idaho, and in 2002 she won the Official National Championship Country Musician Beginners for the fiddle.
  
  
• Drummer Roger Guth also plays with the Coral Reefers Band.
  
  
• Percussionist/vocalist Scott Bryan spent five years with Sheryl Crow, playing keyboards, acoustic and electric guitars, pedal steel guitar, percussion and vocals. Bryan also honed his songwriting skills with Crow, co-authoring her 1996 Top Ten U.K. single Hard to Make a Stand.
  
  
• Flutist Mark Holland, a regular on NPR's Echoes, is considered by many to be the top performer and recording artist today on the Native American flute.

“The timeless melodies and power of these favorite Beatles’ works will ring true to the Arts & Issues audience; the creativity of how they are framed and presented by master performer Peter Mayer and Company, keeps us anticipating the next twist,” Producer Rubright said. Andree added: “This is the music of The Beatles like we have rarely heard. We’re very happy to be able to present this show to our Arts & Issues patrons, many of whom came of age with the music of The Beatles,” Andree said.

The remaining event in the Arts & Issues 2008-09 season, also appearing in SIUE’s Meridian Ballroom, is drummer, bandleader and composer T.S. Monk with his jazz sextet, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25. For additional information about the series, call Grant Andree, (618) 650-2626; tickets are available through the Web site: artsandissues.com or by calling the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-5774.

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