3. Friday – B.J. Thomas
He owns one of the most distinctive voices in American pop music—a reassuringly masculine timbre
conveyed with a smattering of unique embellishments that represent a distillation of the most influen-
tial genres in pop culture.
National Headliner
Nothing about the identifiable sound of B.J. THOMAS’ voice has
changed, but there’s a re-energized commitment behind it. Recognizing
the continued loyalty of his fans, an anthology package of the original
Scepter recordings as eight LPs to be reissued on four individual CDs
with never before released bonus tracks. The project was brought togeth-
er by music historian Jim Pierson. Interviews were compiled from all of
the original writers and producers involved in making this music. Each
CD includes a booklet that contains historical documentation of each par-
ticular album. This package is put together in a way that has made B.J.
Thomas proud to be a part of it.
B.J. has also recently acted in as well as contributed six songs to the
soundtrack of the independent picture JAKE’S CORNER; the songs were produced by acclaimed
producer Steve Dorff. The film will be released March 2nd 2010 by Monterey.
B.J. has also been in production with Allan Swartsburg and Bob Mann of NY Deep Diner on a Bra-
zilian album in which B.J. lends his voice in an exciting new style. The album has been released in
Brazil on Universal records and will be released in the United States in 2010.
Indeed, many of B.J.’s signature hits—the Oscar-winning Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head, the
million-selling (Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song and his
career-igniting cover of Hank Williams’ I’m So Lone-
some I Could Cry—invariably find the plots’ protago-
nists employing some level of positivity to overcome
the universal battle with loneliness.
Continuing his supportive inclinations, a series of
positive-themed discs were embraced by the gospel
community, giving him the first four platinum albums
in gospel history. A brief-but-successful foray into
country music—dotted by Whatever Happened To Old
Fashioned Love and New Looks From An Old Lover,
written by his wife, Gloria, Red Lane and Latham
Hudson—emphasized classic family ideals and com-
mitment, as did the still-familiar theme to Growing
Pains, As Long As We Got Each Other, sung on the
tube with Jennifer Warnes.
That he has succeeded at home and still maintained a place as one of music’s most recognizable
voices is truly remarkable.
4. Saturday – Lonnie Brooks
Even after 40 years away from his Louisiana home, Lonnie Brooks’ music is still instilled with
the funky, swampy bayou rhythms of Opelousas and Lafayette, and his lyrics often speak of
black cat bones and “Mojo Hands”. But along the road from Louisiana to Chicago, he’s com-
bined the swing of Texas, the soul of Memphis and the pure power of Chicago blues into a musi-
cal gumbo that is all his own.
National Headliner
Lee Baker, Jr. was just a young laborer in Port Arthur when Clifton Chenier spotted him play-
ing guitar on his porch and drafted him
into the Red Hot Louisiana Band. Soon
after, under the name “Guitar Junior”,
he burst onto the scene as a rock ‘n’ roll
star, cutting a string of Gulf Coast hits
like “Family Rules” , “The Crawl”, and
“Roll, Roll, Roll” for the famed Gold-
band label.
In 1959 he befriended the Legendary
Sam Cooke on a caravan tour of the
south, wrote a couple of tunes together,
then hitched a ride with him back to
Chicago to live with Sam�s mom and
brother. This is where he began soaking up the raw sounds of the big city with the likes of Muddy
Waters, Howling Wolf, Little Walter, Otis Rush and Magic Sam. Soon after that he then landed
a job as a side man with Jimmy Reed and recorded the Blues Classic “Big Boss Man” as well as
taking on a new name Lonnie Brooks.
Since then, he’s played everywhere from
the San Francisco Blues Fest to Montreux
Jazz Festival from the “Hee Haw” TV
show to David Letterman�s Late Show.
He teamed up with Dan Aykrod, John
Goodman, and Director John Landis in the
“Blues Brother 2000” movie as himself.
He’s been Eric Clapton’s onstage guest at
Buddy Guy’s Legends club and he’s put
150,000 people on their feet as headliner
of the 1996 Chicago Blues Festival. He’s
not a true Voodoo Daddy (that’s just a
name of his song), but definitely a “Blues
Daddy” often leading sons Ronnie Baker Brooks (a writer of some new voodoo blues classics)
and son Wayne in a three-guitar onslaught. With an unbeatable live show featuring his nonstop
infectious grooves, Lonnie Brooks’ voodoo blues are essential listening for blues fans all over the
world.
Lonnie’s current endeavors include co-authoring the book “Blues for Dummies” with Son Wayne
Baker Brooks, and Cub Koda. Plus numerous live performances around the country.
Lonnie’s Gear
Guitars: Gibson 335 1957 reissue
Amps: 2 “Gibson Goldtone” 30 watt Amps Stacked
Endorsements: Gibson Goldtone Amplifiers
5. Sunday – Aaron Tippin
Aaron Tippin is a force of nature, a man whose passion for music fuels an array of other
vigorous enthusiasms.Apart from writing and recording songs and wowing crowds with
his live appearances, Tippin is also a pilot, farmer, winemaker, outdoorsman, competitive
bodybuilder and devoted family man. He even runs his own record label.
It’s no surprise then that so many in the music industry
National Headliner
regard this tireless South Carolinian as the “Hillbilly
Hercules.” Aaron Tippin is a force of nature, a man
whose passion for music fuels an array of other vigor-
ous enthusiasms. Aaron Tippin is a force of nature, a
man whose passion for music fuels an array of other
vigorous enthusiasms.
Fresh from unveiling He Believed, his exclusive album
for Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores, Tippin has now
released a second collection of songs, one that salutes
America’s truck drivers.
It’s called In Overdrive and features the trucker clas-
sics “East Bound And Down,” “Drivin’ My Life Away,”
“Prisoner Of The Highway,” “Girl On The Billboard,”
“Movin’ On,” “The White Night,” “Roll On,” “Truck
Drivin’ Man,” “Long White Line,” “Drivin’ Fool” and
“Danger Dave.”
In Overdrive was sparked by Tippin’s concern that country music had turned its back on
its highway heroes. “Seems like somewhere along the line trucking music got shoved off
the country music plate,” he observes. “I don’t understand exactly why.
The trucks are still out there. And
they’re busier than ever keeping Ameri-
ca rolling.
I know the folks who work and live in
the trucking world still love this music—
and so do most fans of real country
music.
This album launches my crusade to
bring the music back.”
6. Friday –
Gates open 2:00 pm close at Midnight
3:30 – National Anthem
4:00 - 5:00 – Marching Band***
5:00 - 6:30 – The Harry Garner Band
7:00 - 8:00 – Uncle Sam
8:00 - 9:00 – Elvis
Preformers lineup
9:15 - 10:45 – BJ Thomas
10:45 – Fireworks
(DesignerFireworks.com) BJ Thomas
Saturday –
Gates open 12:00 noon close at Midnight
12:30 – National Anthem
12:30 - 1:30 – Kim Anthony
2:00 - 3:30 – HotRocks
4:00 - 5:30 – Sony Geraci / Dennis Tufano
6:00 - 7:30 – Joe Cantafio
Lonnie Brooks
7:30 - 9:00 – The Harry Garner Band
9:30 - 10:45 – Lonnie Brooks
10:45 – Fireworks
(DesignerFireworks.com)
Sunday –
Gates open 12 noon close at 9:00 PM
1:00 - 1:45 – B4-13
2:00 - 3:00 – Just another Band
3:30 - 5:00 – The Harry Garner Band
5:30 - 7:30 – Joanna Connor
7:30 - 8:45 – Aaron Tippin
8:45 – Fireworks
(DesignerFireworks.com) Aaron Tippin
7. Salute The Armed Forces
Leadership Team
•Lt Col Erik Thorell enlisted in the U.S. Army in December 1988. He was assigned to E Co. 106th Aviation, Il-
linois Army National Guard. Lt. Col Thorell received his commission in May of 1990 and was assigned to the Aviation
Branch. In 1993, he was the distinguished honor graduate of the Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course (Flight School) at
Ft. Rucker, Alabama where he was qualified on UH-1 and UH-60 helicopters. In 1994, 1LT Thorell transferred to the
Air Force Reserve. He attended undergraduate pilot training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas and was assigned to the
64th Airlift Squadron of the 928th Airlift Wing at O’Hare Field Chicago, Illinois. Lt. Col Thorell flew C-130H cargo
until the base closed in 1996. He then transferred to the 95th Airlift Squadron, 440th Airlift Wing, at General Mitchell
Field Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As part of the 440th AW, Lt Col Thorell was mobilized for Operations Iraqi Freedom and
Lt Col Erik Thorell Enduring Freedom. He spent 2 years from 2003-2005 flying throughout the Middle East in direct support of Combat
Treasurer Operations. He also flew combat mis¬sions in support of operations in Bosnia and Kosovo. In 2006, the 440th Airlift
wing closed, and Lt Col Thorell transferred to the 72nd Air Refueling Squadron, 434th Air Refueling Wing at Grissom
Air Reserve Base, Indiana where he continues to fly KC-135R Tankers. He last deployed in 2008 to Turkey in support
of the Middle Eastern effort.
•Lt. Colonel Howard J. Kotlicky graduated from the University of Illinois in 1967 and was commissioned 2nd
Lieutenant in the United States Air Force (USAF). He is a distinguished graduate from USAF Navigator Training and
as¬signed to the F-111 as a Navigator/Weapons System Operator also a graduate from the German/USAF Pilot Train-
ing program. He completed OV-10 training as a Forward Air Controller. Lt. Kotlicky flew combat missions as a Pilot/
Weapons System Operator and was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. He became a F-111 Aircraft Com-
mander and Instructor pilot in the European theater until leaving Active Duty in 1978. Following that Lt. Kotlicky was
a C-130 Aircraft Commander in the USAF Reserves at O’Hare IAP, IL until retiring as a Lt. Colonel in 1989. After his
extensive military career he became a member of the management team for the Royal International Air Tattoo for 20
Lt. Colonel
years which is England’s largest Air Show in support of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.
Howard J. Kotlicky
Manageing Director
•EN3 Joseph M. Cima is a US. Veteran and served in the Navy from 2001-2005. He was born and raised in
Willowbrook, IL, graduated from Hinsdale South High School, and attended Western Illinois University and College of
DuPage. After college he joined the military and was stationed onboard the USS Anchorage and decommissioned the
ship in 2003. Then he went on to ACU-1 Coronado, CA. where he was 2nd engineer on LCU 1633. EN3 Joseph Cima
was honorably discharged in 2005. After the military he went on to school to complete his real estate broker’s license.
He started his own real estate business with Re/Max in 2006 and in 2008 moved his business to a real estate investment
firm, Marcus and Millichap. He also is an Area Governor for Toastmasters an active Mason and a Medinah Shriner.
Joseph M. Cima
Sales Director
•Ed LeTourneau was born and raised in the Chicago land area. Attending archeology college courses at the Uni-
versity of Chicago while still in 7th grade, started a path in life to study political science and criminal justice. In 1983,
Ed LeTourneau started a contracting business that is still in operation today. His other interests have included real estate
development, home building, and construction industry patents and designs. Despite the numerous time constraints,
Ed finds time for the special effects industry as an effects coordinator for NASCAR, NBC, MTV, and the Discovery
Military Channel. With years of experience and many success stories, Ed has a long list of accomplishments including
special events, organizing community events, pyrotechnic displays, air shows, and fundraising. Ed accepts ownership
of accomplishing new and different requests, and exploring opportuni¬ties to add value to these accomplishments.
Ed LeTourneau
Executive Director
8. JamFest 2010 Turin, NY
Snow Ridge Ski Resort and Best In Entertainment
join into a Strategic Alliance to produce three days
of festival life, food, music, camping and fun.
What makes Best in Entertainment better than the rest is not only the fact that we are cost effective, but we can
appeal to an array of audiences. We have access to National Headline Acts in all music genres. Top preformers
continually requested range from Jam Bands Ruster Root, Frank Stallone with his number one hit “Far From Over”
to our amazing Pierro Esteriore, who is known as the Ricky Martin of Italy, singing in both English and Italian. We
also have many other well known acts like the Rat Pack to Gianni Russo who starred in “The Godfather”.
But we don’t stop there! We can also offer an excellent variety of Tribute Acts ranging from our very own
“Chicago Legends of The Stars”. This act has three different lineups including but not limited to; (Rock),
including Elvis, Neal Diamond, Beatles and more; (Soul), including The Four Tops, Temptations, Ray Charles
and more; and (Country), featuring Tim McGraw, Patsy Cline, Shania and more.
Best in Entertainment offers start-to-finish event production to match any venue, including
entertainment, sound, lighting, promotion and security. Whether you’re looking to entertain the
masses with a heart stopping performance at a concert, festival or fund raising event, or just
simply looking for background music or comedy to entertain guests at a private party, Best in
Entertainment will take care of it all.
As you can see, we have something to appeal to everyone. This is just a small piece of the
entertainment we can offer you. I would like to stress that we here at Best in Entertainment
have a staff that is dedicated to making this as easy as possible for you. We see ourselves as
your partner making this our number one priority. Please fee free to visit our website at www.
bestinentertainment.net for a list of acts and other event needs.
Please feel free to contact me at anytime to assist you with your event planning needs.
